2 Sore Throat Conditions And When You Need To See A Doctor For Them

Health & Medical Articles

Sore throats are common with illnesses and conditions, such as viral colds, allergies, and bacterial infections. It can be difficult to know when to go see your doctor to get treatment for an illness when you have a sore throat. Here are two illnesses that present a sore throat, and when you need to get medical treatment for them.

Strep Throat

When you have a bacteria infection, such as strep throat, you need to go see your doctor to get a prescription for an antibiotic to get rid of the infection. Strep throat is caused by Group A Streptococcus bacteria and will give you a sore and red throat, pus on your tonsils, headache, and fever. If you have a sore throat and a fever of over 101 degrees F or one that lasts more than 48 hours, but you do not have a runny nose and cough, you most likely have strep throat and will need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Treatment with antibiotics will help prevent the spread of the bacteria to other people through airborne droplets from your coughing and sneezing, and prevent further health complications.

Strep throat is a dangerous bacterial infection because it can turn into scarlet fever when you don't get antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Left untreated, the bacteria will begin to release toxins in your body that can cause a red rash to appear over your skin that feels like sandpaper. Scarlet fever can cause permanent damage to your heart valves and can also damage your kidneys as nephritis.

By the time you have scarlet fever, you are very contagious. Not only can you spread the bacteria by coughing or sneezing, but you can also pass the bacteria onto someone who touches your skin. And if someone touches an object or surface you have recently touched, they can become infected as well. For this reason, it is a good idea to seek immediate medical attention with your doctor, at an urgent care, or after hours clinic. You can also hire a doctor to make a house call to treat you at home so you don't have to leave your bed or risk infecting others you may come in contact with.

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

It can be common to have one or two canker sores in your mouth after eating highly acidic foods. But, when your mouth and throat are covered in canker sores, you may have an infection caused by coxsackievirus A16. This virus usually only affects children, whose immune systems build antibodies against the virus so they no longer contract it. But adults who have never had the virus can become infected, so if you have fever, chills, sore throat, loss of appetite, and mouth sores that continue down your throat, you may have the virus. It is also common to see a rash on your hands, feet, and buttocks.

Because this illness is caused by a virus, you cannot treat it with antibiotics. But, you will need to see a doctor if your condition worsens or does not improve after a few days. If your child has the virus, you should take them to the doctor if they are not eating or drinking or their condition worsens. It is a good idea to seek medical care as soon as possible to get immediate treatment for a bacterial infection as a result of your immune system being weakened by the virus or for dehydration. If you cannot see your doctor the same day, you should consider visiting an urgent care or after hours clinic, or even hiring a doctor who can come to you on an urgent care house call.

The mouth sores of this virus are often the worst symptom of the virus, making it painful for you to eat and talk. Usually, taking over-the-counter pain medication does not work to relieve the pain from these sores. But, there is some relief as you can make a mouth rinse to help treat the pain of the sores and help the sores to heal:

  1. Mix together equal parts of liquid allergy medicine and Milk of Magnesia.
  2. Swish the mixture around in your mouth for one minute, then spit it out. You can also gargle the mixture.
  3. Repeat this process whenever the pain from your mouth sores returns.

The pain from mouth sores usually goes away in seven to ten days, but it can take up to three weeks for a canker sore to heal, especially if it is large. Use this mouth wash to treat your sores until they have healed.

With this information, you can be ready when you have a sore throat and know when to go get medical treatment.

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15 October 2015

Tips for Living a Great Life with Chronic Illness

I was always very healthy throughout my childhood, but when I became a teenager, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness. Thankfully, I had the support of my loving family to help keep me upbeat during a time that could have led to me experiencing the depression that some do after they first learn they will have an illness for life. I am very grateful for the advice I have gotten throughout my life, so I decided to create a blog where I can share all of the advice that has helped me live a happy, healthy life, despite having a chronic illness. Since I am on a medication that suppresses my immune system, I have also studied up on many other illnesses and tips for avoiding them and treating them. I plan to post health tips for people of a variety of ages and suffering with various illnesses!