Strep throat? or mono?!
Question: Strep throat!? or mono!?
how can you tell the difference between just strep throat or mono!? i have symptoms for both, but my insurance hasnt kicked in yet so i cant go to the doctor yet!. plusss, i hate getting my blood taken!. so i'm pretty nervous!. help!? thanks, loves!. =]Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
There is no RELIABLE symptom or physical finding that will differentiate symple viral pharyngitis from mono and strep throat, and in fact, it is not very important to know the exact cause anyway!.
Yes, mono and strep throat are morel likely than regular viruses to cause sore throat with fever > 101 F, and are more likely to cause white exudates on the tonsils and swollen lymph nodes!. But again, these are not reliable indicators!. For an accurate diagnosis you need at least a "rapid strep test", (sample from the throat) and a blood test (for "monospot", or more specific EBV VCA IgM antibodies to diagnose mono)!.
The reason that none of this is very important follows!.
There is only one cause of sore throat for which there is any treatment - that is Group A strep!. And a little known fact is that YOU DO NOT NEED ANTIBIOTICS TO GET BETTER from a strep throat!. The doctor does not give you penicillin to make you better (since you'll get better on your own), but gives the penicillin to prevent developing rheumatic fever long after the sore throat is gone!.
Since most experts now agree that the strains of strep that cause rheumatic fever are now incredibly rare, if not vanished, from the USA, many people in the infectious disease world believe that you probably should never give antibiotics for a sore throat, and this is a reasonable stance!.
I'm not ready to say that an antibiotic should never be given, but only in very rare cases!.
At a minimum, I want to point out that for 90% of sore throats, the cause is a benign virus, for which there is no treatment!. Some of the remaining cases are due to mono, for which there is no treatment!. The remaining cases are due to Group A strep (strep throat), which also does not absolutely require antibiotic treatment!.
There is no emergency to see your doctor for a simple sore throat!. I certainly do NOT do any microbiologic testing, nor give antibiotics to my own children when they get a sore throat!. You should be reassured that you will get better on your own!.
If you truly have persistent fevers > 101F, and if your throat does not get better in 7 days, THEN see the doctor - because there are some other more rare conditions that might be active!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Yes, mono and strep throat are morel likely than regular viruses to cause sore throat with fever > 101 F, and are more likely to cause white exudates on the tonsils and swollen lymph nodes!. But again, these are not reliable indicators!. For an accurate diagnosis you need at least a "rapid strep test", (sample from the throat) and a blood test (for "monospot", or more specific EBV VCA IgM antibodies to diagnose mono)!.
The reason that none of this is very important follows!.
There is only one cause of sore throat for which there is any treatment - that is Group A strep!. And a little known fact is that YOU DO NOT NEED ANTIBIOTICS TO GET BETTER from a strep throat!. The doctor does not give you penicillin to make you better (since you'll get better on your own), but gives the penicillin to prevent developing rheumatic fever long after the sore throat is gone!.
Since most experts now agree that the strains of strep that cause rheumatic fever are now incredibly rare, if not vanished, from the USA, many people in the infectious disease world believe that you probably should never give antibiotics for a sore throat, and this is a reasonable stance!.
I'm not ready to say that an antibiotic should never be given, but only in very rare cases!.
At a minimum, I want to point out that for 90% of sore throats, the cause is a benign virus, for which there is no treatment!. Some of the remaining cases are due to mono, for which there is no treatment!. The remaining cases are due to Group A strep (strep throat), which also does not absolutely require antibiotic treatment!.
There is no emergency to see your doctor for a simple sore throat!. I certainly do NOT do any microbiologic testing, nor give antibiotics to my own children when they get a sore throat!. You should be reassured that you will get better on your own!.
If you truly have persistent fevers > 101F, and if your throat does not get better in 7 days, THEN see the doctor - because there are some other more rare conditions that might be active!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
With strep, your breath will have a distinct smell!. You may have white patches on the back of your throat or tonsils!. You will most likely run a fever with strep and mono!.!.!.
A physician can swab your throat to check for both!. They send off a sample of the cells in the back of your throat, and they can send it off for a culture to find the specific bacteria!.
You may also need to have a blood test!. It's probably for the best!. Don't be nervous!. It's no big deal!. Get well soon!Www@Answer-Health@Com
A physician can swab your throat to check for both!. They send off a sample of the cells in the back of your throat, and they can send it off for a culture to find the specific bacteria!.
You may also need to have a blood test!. It's probably for the best!. Don't be nervous!. It's no big deal!. Get well soon!Www@Answer-Health@Com
When i had mono the doctors told me it was strep before i got blood test, so i don't think that there are any major differences other than if you feeling very tired, then it is more likely mono!. If money is a concern then just don't go to the doctor!. Strep or mono, there is next to nothing they can do; unless you are looking for a doctors note!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
well with either of them you still need medical treatment!. Maybe you can go to the health dept!. and they can treat you cheaper than an Dr!. office or hospital!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
the only way to know for sure is to go to the doctor, sorryWww@Answer-Health@Com