Is there anyway to get rid of strep throat without going to a doctor for anitbiotics?

Question

I hate going to the doctor it takes too long, and I'm really busy.

anyone know the result of gragling bleach water? Just asking not saying im gonna do it.

Answer 1

No, and it can come back if you don't take them all. Have your doctor's office call you in a prescription to the pharmacy if you are a longtime patient and too busy. They do it all the time.

Answer 2

How do you know you have strep throat?

If you do have it, it will probably go away on its own in about a week. If you don't take antibiotics however, you run the risk of getting rheumatic fever which can cause damage to the valves inside your heart. Chances are low, but definitely greater if you don't treat the strep throat. If it were me, I would go see a doctor.

A similar question was asked recently:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiYkU1pXAqVWPU3fgPanNKfsy6IX?qid=1006060217410

Oh yeah, about the bleach water gargle. It will probably kill whatever bacteria it comes in contact it. It will probably also severely irritate your throat. There's a reason people use other things like hydrogen peroxide, salt water, or alcohol-based mouthwashes.

Answer 3

Strep throat is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. (Most sore throats are caused by a virus & are associated with colds & flu.) Common symptoms of strep throat are sudden sore throat, high fever, fatigue, & swollen tonsils/lymph nodes. Symptoms of colds/flu that are usually not present in strep throat are cough & runny nose. Rapid diagnosis is important for 2 reasons -- First, unlike colds/flu, strep throat is readily treatable with antibiotics & second, several serious complications can occur after prolonged, untreated strep infection.

Answer 4

Oh just go to the doctor or Med Center. YOU don't have to take your clothes off for goodness sakes... LOL

Having Strep Throat is something YOU DO NOT want to wait out!!!

Answer 5

When I get the start of a sore throat, I just take a couple of cold ease drops. Not to much, because they contain zinc and you can OD on to much. Works for me every time. I have never been to the doctor for strep thoat though.

Answer 6

NO there is NOT

and the consequences of letting your body clear it can be devastating. There is a protein in your body that looks exactly like strep..... so when your body revvs up to take on the strep, it takes on YOUR HEART.

Rheumatic fever, kidney problems, scarlet fever.

Not worth it, go see the doc. It's 2006 for goodness sakes.

Answer 7

Do you know for sure it is strep throat, I would take the time and go to the Dr's, it will only take a few minutes for someone to look at your throat, left go, it could get much worse.

Answer 8

My doctor told me that strep throat will run it's course without taking meds.Make sure you throw away your toothbrush when you start feeling better.Best of Luck!♥

Answer 9

No, you should go to the docs and get the antibiotics because if you have a real serious infection it can travel to the bloodstream and if you have any heart valve defects there is a risk of the bacteria settling in the heart to cause bacterial ENDOCARDITIS which can weaken your heart.

Answer 10

Strep throat is an infection caused by group A streptococcus bacteria, and it's very common among kids and teens. The symptoms of strep throat include fever, stomach pain, and red, swollen tonsils.

Strep throat usually requires treatment with antibiotics. With the proper medical care - along with plenty of rest and fluids - your child should be back to school and play within a few days.

How Does Strep Throat Spread?
Anybody can get strep throat, but it's most common in school-age kids and teens. It occurs most often during the school year when big groups of kids and teens are in close quarters.

The bacteria that cause strep throat tend to hang out in the nose and throat, so normal activities like sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands can easily spread the strep infection from one person to another. That's why it's so important to teach your child the importance of hand washing - good hygiene can lessen your child's chances of getting contagious diseases like strep throat.

What's the Difference Between Strep Throat and a Sore Throat?
Not all sore throats are step throats. Most episodes of sore throat - which can be accompanied by a runny nose, cough, hoarseness, and red eyes - are caused by viruses. Sore throats usually clear up on their own without requiring medical treatment.

If your child has strep throat, he or she will start to develop other symptoms within about 3 days. Those symptoms can include:

red and white patches in the throat
difficulty swallowing
tender or swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck
red and enlarged tonsils
headache
lower stomach pain
fever
general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling
loss of appetite and nausea
rash
Diagnosing Strep Throat
If your child's throat is sore and he or she has other strep throat symptoms, it's a good idea to call your child's doctor. The doctor will likely do a rapid strep test in the office, using a cotton swab to take a sample of the fluids at the back of your child's throat. The test only takes about 5 minutes. If it's positive, your child has strep throat. If the test is negative, the doctor will send a sample to a lab for a throat culture. The results are usually available within a few days.

Treating Strep Throat
In most cases, doctors prescribe about 10 days of antibiotic medication to treat strep throat. Within about 24 hours after your child starts taking the antibiotics, his or her temperature will probably be back to normal, and your child will no longer be contagious. By the second or third day after taking antibiotics, the other symptoms should start to go away, too.

Even though your child may not feel sick at that point, it's very important that he or she finish the antibiotic prescription. If your child stops taking antibiotics too soon, bacteria can remain in the throat and the symptoms can return.

If your child is not treated for strep throat, he or she is most infectious when the symptoms are the most severe but could remain contagious for up to 21 days. Lack of treatment - or not finishing the prescribed course of antibiotics - also could put your child at risk for other health problems, such as rheumatic fever (which can cause permanent damage to the heart), scarlet fever, blood infections, or kidney disease.

To prevent your sick child from spreading strep throat to others in your home, keep his or her eating utensils, dishes, and drinking glasses separate from those that everyone else is using. Wash them in hot, soapy water after each use. Also, make sure your child doesn't share food, drinks, napkins, handkerchiefs, or towels with other family members. Make sure your child covers his or her mouth and nose during a sneeze or a cough to prevent passing infectious fluid droplets to someone else.

Caring for Your Child With Strep Throat
There's plenty you can do to help your child feel better. To prevent dehydration, make sure your child drinks plenty of cool liquids, such as water or ginger ale, especially if he or she has had a fever. Avoid orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade, or other acidic beverages, which may irritate your child's throat. Warm liquids like soups, sweetened tea, or hot chocolate can be soothing.

As your child starts to feel better, talk to your child's doctor about the best time to return to school and other routine activities.

Reviewed: Ellen Deutsch, MD
Date reviewed: March 2006