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Remedies for strep throat Strep throat, often mistaken for a sore throat, is caused by the streptococcus bacteria and is commonly found amongst children and teenagers. The runny nose, cough, hoarseness of voice and red eyes of a sore throat are caused by a virus and the symptoms usually go away by themselves; however with strep throat, the symptoms persist until adequate care and medication are taken. The symptoms of strep throat include difficulty in swallowing, tender and swollen lymph glands, enlarged tonsils, headache, lower abdominal pain, fever and even rash. Diagnosis involves a quick strep test in which a cotton swab is used to collect samples from the back of the throat. Results can be obtained within 5 minutes.
If diagnosed with strep throat, adequate cure is essential. Apart from being highly contagious, an untreated strep throat can lead to other health problems such as rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, blood infections and kidney disease. Ensure that the patient does not get dehydrated and make he drinks a lot of liquids. If he has had fever, you should give him cool liquids like ginger ale. Avoid beverages that may irritate the throat, like aerated beverages, orange juice, grapefruit juice and lemonade. Warm liquids like soups, chamomile tea and even hot chocolate can help soothe the irritation in the throat. Gargle every few hours with salt water (1 tsp of salt in 1 glass of warm water) to disinfect the throat and soothe the redness and pain. You could also add a spoonful of bourbon or brandy to a glass of warm water and drink this – the spirits will help kill the bacteria and bring instant relief to the throat. Since strep throat is very contagious, ensure that the patient uses completely different utensils, towels and washcloths from the rest of the family. Make sure you throw away the toothbrush being used before medication was started to avoid reoccurrence of the infection.
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