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Strep throat symptoms include severe sore throat, fever above 101°F, burning pain when swallowing, and fatigue. A doctor should be consulted if symptoms persist for more than two days. Diagnosis is important as strep throat requires antibiotics.
Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include a severe sore throat, fever above 101°F (38.33°C), burning pain when swallowing, and fatigue. Anyone who has experienced these conditions for more than two days should see a doctor. Because many other common ailments have similar symptoms to a sore throat, it’s important to see a healthcare professional to get an appropriate diagnosis.
A severe sore throat is the most obvious symptom of a sore throat. While sore throats are common with colds and other viral ailments, strep throat, on the other hand, is a bacterial infection. The pain in strep throat, however, is usually much greater, and it often doesn’t take patients long to realize that they are not dealing with a more common viral sore throat. At the same time, just because the pain is severe, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s strep.
Fever is another symptom that can indicate that something more serious is afoot. Often, a low-grade fever is present with many different illnesses, but a high fever, anything over 101°F (38.33°C) is usually only associated with more severe illness. Such a high fever in combination with a sore throat is often an indicator that strep, not just a viral infection, is present.
Another way to identify strep is not to find certain symptoms, but to identify the lack of certain symptoms. For example, if there is no runny nose, sneezing or coughing, there is a greater chance that the problem is not a common cold and could be strep throat.
The doctor’s examination may show other symptoms of a sore throat. Spots of bright red or white color, located on the palate and near the throat, can also indicate strep throat. Swollen tonsils are another indication. These symptoms don’t necessarily indicate strep, but along with other symptoms, they can be indicative of a strep infection.
Throat cultures are used to determine if the bacterium that causes strep throat is present. During these procedures, a doctor will swab your throat for testing. The bacteria on the swab are then grown for a period of time, usually a day or two, and then analyzed. Because it is caused by bacteria, sore throat symptoms cannot be treated directly; instead, an antibiotic must be used to combat the source of the disease.
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