3 Ways to Control Strep Throat

1. Antibiotics Cure Strep Throat

If you or your child contract a sore throat that may be caused by a bacterial infection, you'll need to visit your doctor for an examination. The doctor will make a visual inspection and take a sample of any bacterial growth present in your throat. A strep throat diagnosis can be confirmed in a relatively short period of time.

After your doctor is sure strep is the cause of your sore throat pain, you'll be prescribed antibiotics to control the infection. Many kinds of antibiotics are used to cure strep throat, including amoxicillin, azithromycin and cephalosporin. Sometimes antibiotics need to be delivered by injection, if your strep throat symptoms are making it too difficult to swallow pills properly.

2. Supplement With Painkillers

You'll often have a fever along with strep throat, and you can use over-the-counter painkillers to soothe the pain and control your fever symptoms. Adults can use any form of pain remedy, but it's important that you give your child only acetaminophen for pain. There is a risk of aspirin causing a rare but serious condition called Reye's syndrome in children who take it to treat viral and bacterial infections. In fact, it's best to consult a doctor before giving your child acetaminophen or any other painkiller, because large, continual doses of acetaminophen come with significant risks as well. Never exceed the daily recommended maximum dosage of any type of over-the-counter pain remedy.

3. Soothe Pain With Lozenges

If your case of strep throat is moderate, you can also treat pain symptoms by dissolving lozenges in your mouth as directed on the packaging. However, antibiotic treatments usually cure strep throat very rapidly, with relief from your symptoms starting between 24 and 48 hours after you begin using the drugs, so supplementary treatments are usually not needed for very long.