Strep Throat Symptoms

Articles On Strep Throat

Lots of things can cause a sore through. One cause, especially in children and young adults, is the bacteria that creates strep throat. Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus) is the formal name of the bacterium.

Viruses can cause a sore throat too, including:

A cold

Chickenpox

COVID-19

Croup

Flu

Measles

Mono

Other things that might cause your sore throat include:

Allergies

Dry air

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

HIV

Irritants, like tobacco smoke or eating spicy food

Muscle strain from talking loudly or for a long time, and yelling

Tumors

What Are the Common Symptoms of Strep Throat?

When you have strep, you’ll usually find that your throat is raw and it hurts to swallow. Your sore throat, if it’s caused by strep, will come on very fast, not gradually like many other kinds of sore throats. Other symptoms often include:

A fever of 101 F or higher

Chills

Body aches

Loss of appetite

Swollen lymph nodes on your neck

Really little red spots on the back part of the roof of your mouth

Red and swollen tonsils (two round lumps in the back of your throat -- you may also see white patches on them or elsewhere in your throat)

Trouble swallowing

Pain in your throat

Symptoms in children

Strep throat is more common with kids than adults, and it’s most common with children who are 5-15 years old. If your child has strep throat, they might also have symptoms like:

Headache

Nausea

Stomach pain

Vomiting

You might also see a red, sandpaper-like rash that starts in the face and neck area and then spreads to the rest of the body. This could be a sign of scarlet fever. You should call your doctor if you or a child in your care show any symptoms of strep or you see this rash.

What Strep Throat Isn’t

It’s easy to confuse it with other conditions, so it helps to know what it’s not:

It’s not a virus -- viruses can’t be cured with antibiotics.

It usually doesn’t come with a runny nose, a cough, or red eyes. These are usually signs of a virus or allergy.

It’s not life-threatening. But if you leave it untreated, strep throat can lead to more serious complications in some cases.

Strep Throat Transmission

The bacteria that cause strep are highly contagious. You can spread it by close contact -- including sneezes and handshakes -- or sharing someone else’s personal items.

Be sure to wash your hands often and be cautious about touching objects when someone in your house has strep.

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