Are these normal strep throat symptoms?!
Question:
Are these normal strep throat symptoms?
I came down with strep last Friday. I am not usualy one to take medication, and it usually passes within a few days. By Monday, the pain was awful and my ear hurt, so I made a doctors appt. I had a bad ear ache on top of the throat pain and fever. I have been on antibiotics now since this past Monday. I have progressivly had joint pain all over my body. First my jaw, then my wrists, my left shoulder, my ankles, and now my fingers. The pain isn't excruciating, but very uncomfortable. Each spot is sore for a day or two. My throat feels better and my fever is gone. I am extremely tired. I just can't seem to get over this, even with the antibiotics. Is this normal? I've seen the info on Rheumatic fever and it doesn't sound like that. Any ideas? I just want to feel better! I have two young kids to take care of so I have got to get better.
Answers:
Well, It seems that the strep throat is taking it's time through your system. The antibiodics are working because you said that the fever is gone and your throat feels better. I think that you need a couple of days to sleep. It doesn't help if we are going around and doing other things and not paying attention to our body. If you need any other information go to the website for more information on strep throat:www.webmd.com
Here's the info anyway on strep throat-
Understanding Strep Throat -- Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of strep throat include:
Sore throat that comes on rapidly.
Fever, sometimes greater than 102° F.
Back of the throat that is raw and red.
White pus on tonsils.
Tender, high lymph nodes in neck.
Absence of cough, stuffy nose, or other upper-respiratory symptoms.
Although by definition strep throat is caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes bug, other bacteria can occasionally invade the throat and cause similar symptoms. Other possible invaders: staphylococcus, neisseria, and Haemophilus influenzae.
People usually develop strep throat when their immune systems are not functioning at their peak. Stress, overwork, exhaustion, and fights with viral infections can weaken the body's defenses and set up attacks of strep throat. And like other throat infections, strep throat also tends to occur during the colder months.
WebMD Medical Reference
Here is the treatment for strep throat-
Understanding Strep Throat -- Treatment
What Are the Treatments?
In the past, when patients displayed the characteristic red, raw throat, spikes in fever, and white spots on the tongue and tonsils, a careful physician would culture a specimen from the patient's throat and wait 24 to 48 hours for the results. If the test indicated streptococcus, the patient could then start taking antibiotics. To avoid this delay -- in which the infection often grew worse -- most doctors started patients on antibiotics immediately, not waiting for the results of the culture.
Diagnosis has been made much simpler today as a result of the "rapid strep" test. The specimen is obtained just like a culture, and involves taking a swab of fluid from the back of the throat. This test, in contrast, only takes about 15 minutes. If the results are positive, the diagnosis is confirmed. A negative test does not rule out strep throat since the rapid test can miss as many as 20% of strep throat infections. These negative tests are routinely verified by a culture, a more sensitive test. The culture results may take up to 48 hours. The beauty of the quick test is that you may not need to take antibiotics without confirmation that the strep organism is the culprit.
Strep throat is best treated by conventional medicine. For one thing, antibiotics are a quick treatment. Also, the disease can lead to serious complications if left untreated.
In most cases, a standard dose of penicillin, taken for 10 days, will eradicate a strep infection without any problems. For patients who are allergic to penicillin, the alternative is usually erythromycin. Antibiotics reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, the risk of complications and the period of potentially spreading the infection to others. The contagious period is within 24 hours after beginning antibiotics. Relief from the sore throat should come within 24 to 36 hours after you start taking antibiotics. Doctors recommend throat lozenges and throat sprays to ease the pain for the first few hours.
Frequently, people on antibiotics notice improvement quickly and stop taking their medications before the course runs out. This practice can have dangerous consequences. Prematurely halting the dosage may lead to some developing post infection heart (rheumatic disease) or kidney disease. So even though you may feel better right away, it's important to finish the entire prescription.
WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCE: The Mayo Clinic
Reviewed by Tracy C. Shuman, MD on August 01, 2005
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