Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFrequent SymptomsRare SymptomsComplicationsOther Causes of Throat PainFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Strep Throat GuideCauses and Risk Factors of Strep Throat
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Frequent Symptoms
Rare Symptoms
Complications
Other Causes of Throat Pain
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Strep Throat Guide
Strep throatis a bacterial infection with a number of classic signs and symptoms, such as:
All of these can occur with bacterial or viral infections, so the signs and symptoms alone cannot be used todiagnose strep throat.
If you have signs and symptoms of step throat, your doctor will determine if strep testing is necessary.
This article explains common symptoms and complications related to strep throat and when to get emergency medical attention.
© Verywell, 2018
Frequent Strep Throat Symptoms
The most common signs and symptoms of strep throat include:
Strep throat is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. Symptoms of strep throat in children are similar to those in adults, but children are more likely to experience headaches, stomach pain, and/or nausea and vomiting.
It will take a few days after you are exposed to the bacteria before you begin to feel sick. The time between exposure and the development of symptoms is called the incubation period.
Strep throat typically has anincubation period of 2-5 days, and you can begin to be contagious during this timeframe.
4 Reasons You Can Get Strep Without Tonsils
You might experience less common symptoms of strep throat. Their presence does not necessarily mean that your infection is more dangerous or more likely to cause serious complications.
Urgent Signs and Symptoms
Strep throat is not usually dangerous, but it can cause medical emergencies, though this is rare.
When to Seek Emergency CareIf you have strep and experience the following symptoms, seek medical care right away.Trouble breathing or shortness of breathDizziness, feeling faint or passing outBlue or pale lips or fingersTrouble swallowing
When to Seek Emergency Care
If you have strep and experience the following symptoms, seek medical care right away.Trouble breathing or shortness of breathDizziness, feeling faint or passing outBlue or pale lips or fingersTrouble swallowing
If you have strep and experience the following symptoms, seek medical care right away.
Complications of Strep Throat
Strep throat can cause a number of serious complications, though they are rare. These are more likely to occur if your infection is not treated or if you have a weak immune system. Sometimes, however, serious complications can occur without an obvious reason.
The complications of strep throat are typically divided into two main categories:suppurative(pus-forming) and non-suppurative (non-pus-forming).These classifications mean more to doctors than to patients, but the distinction will dictate yourtreatment.
Pus-Forming Complications
These may require an intervention such as surgery to drain the pus.
The three most common pus-forming complications that can occur after strep throat are:
Non-Pus-Forming Complications
These are often treated with oral or intravenous medication that works to treat the whole body.
Common non-suppurative complications that can occur after strep throat include:
Other conditions areeasy to mistake for strep throat, such as the common cold. In fact, the most commoncause of throat painis typically a virus. Common symptoms of viruses that you shouldnotexpect to experience if you have strep throat include:
Mononucleosis is another condition that can be similar to strep throat. Both cause sore throat, but mononucleosis does not cause enlarged tonsils or red and white patches in the throat. People with mononucleosis also experience extreme fatigue.
Viral infections normally improve on their own. The antibiotics used for treating strep throat are not beneficial if you have a viral infection. Strep throat can only be diagnosed with a rapid strep test or throat culture, so it is best to see a healthcare provider if you or your child have a sore throat that does not improve after 48 hours.
Strep Throat vs. Sore Throat: Which Is It?
Summary
Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes a sore throat, fever, and swelling of the tonsils or the back of the throat. It can also cause symptoms like bad breath and red spots on the roof of your mouth, or white patches in the back of the throat.
Strep throat can cause complications if it’s left untreated, including scarlet fever and uncommon complications such as toxic shock syndrome.
A Word From Verywell
If you have a sore throat that doesn’t seem to be getting better after a few days of rest, or if you have a fever and a sore throat without any of the classic symptoms of a cold, such as runny nose and cough, make an appointment with your healthcare provider.
No. Strep throat can cause abdominal pain and nausea, but if you havediarrheawith strep throat, it’s likely due to another cause, such as a different viral or bacterial infection.
Treated withantibiotics, strep throat symptoms begin to go away within the first two doses. After 24 hours, you should no longer be contagious.Remember that even if you are feeling better, it is important to take your entire course of antibiotics.
While it’s possible for strep throat to clear up on its own, it takes significantly longer, and you’ll remain highly contagious for about three weeks. Untreated, you also risk serious complications such as scarlet fever and rheumatic fever.
Causes and Risk Factors of Strep Throat
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat: all you need to know.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Strep throat.Nasirian H, Tarvijeslami S, Matini E, Bayesh S, Omaraee Y.A clinical decision rule for streptococcal pharyngitis management: An update. J Lab Physicians. 2017;9(2):116-120. doi:10.4103/0974-2727.199635Martin JM.The Mysteries of Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Curr Treat Options Pediatr. 2015;1(2):180-189. doi:10.1007/s40746-015-0013-9Kenealy T.Sore throat. BMJ Clin Evid. 2007;2007Pathak H, Marshall T.Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis: where are we now. BMJ Case Rep. 2016;2016. doi:10.1136/bcr-2016-215552Pardo S, Perera TB.Scarlet Fever. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Andrey DO, Ferry T, Siegenthaler N, et al.Unusual staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome presenting as a scarlet-like fever. New Microbes New Infect. 2015;8:10-3. doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2015.08.002Arslansoyu Çamlar S, Soylu A, Akil İ, et al.Henoch-Schonlein purpura, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic carditis after Group A β-haemolytic streptococcal infection. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2018;38(1):73-75. doi:10.1080/20469047.2017.1284394Igarashi H, Nago N, Kiyokawa H, Fukushi M.Abdominal pain and nausea in the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in boys.Int J Gen Med. 2017;10:311-318. doi:10.2147%2FIJGM.S144310Shirasu M, Touhara K.The scent of disease: volatile organic compounds of the human body related to disease and disorder.Journal of Biochemistry. 2011;150(3):257-266. doi:10.1093/jb/mvr090Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.Additional ReadingMazur E, Czerwińska E, Grochowalska A, Kozioł-montewka M.Concurrent peritonsillar abscess and poststreptococcal reactive arthritis complicating acute streptococcal tonsillitis in a young healthy adult: a case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15:50. doi:10.1186/s12879-015-0780-8Muthanna A, Salim HS, Hamat RA, Shamsuddin NH, Zakariah SZ.Clinical Screening Tools to Diagnose Group A Streptococcal Pharyngotonsillitis in Primary Care Clinics to Improve Prescribing Habits. Malays J Med Sci. 2018;25(6):6-21. doi:10.21315/mjms2018.25.6.2
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat: all you need to know.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Strep throat.Nasirian H, Tarvijeslami S, Matini E, Bayesh S, Omaraee Y.A clinical decision rule for streptococcal pharyngitis management: An update. J Lab Physicians. 2017;9(2):116-120. doi:10.4103/0974-2727.199635Martin JM.The Mysteries of Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Curr Treat Options Pediatr. 2015;1(2):180-189. doi:10.1007/s40746-015-0013-9Kenealy T.Sore throat. BMJ Clin Evid. 2007;2007Pathak H, Marshall T.Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis: where are we now. BMJ Case Rep. 2016;2016. doi:10.1136/bcr-2016-215552Pardo S, Perera TB.Scarlet Fever. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Andrey DO, Ferry T, Siegenthaler N, et al.Unusual staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome presenting as a scarlet-like fever. New Microbes New Infect. 2015;8:10-3. doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2015.08.002Arslansoyu Çamlar S, Soylu A, Akil İ, et al.Henoch-Schonlein purpura, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic carditis after Group A β-haemolytic streptococcal infection. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2018;38(1):73-75. doi:10.1080/20469047.2017.1284394Igarashi H, Nago N, Kiyokawa H, Fukushi M.Abdominal pain and nausea in the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in boys.Int J Gen Med. 2017;10:311-318. doi:10.2147%2FIJGM.S144310Shirasu M, Touhara K.The scent of disease: volatile organic compounds of the human body related to disease and disorder.Journal of Biochemistry. 2011;150(3):257-266. doi:10.1093/jb/mvr090Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.Additional ReadingMazur E, Czerwińska E, Grochowalska A, Kozioł-montewka M.Concurrent peritonsillar abscess and poststreptococcal reactive arthritis complicating acute streptococcal tonsillitis in a young healthy adult: a case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15:50. doi:10.1186/s12879-015-0780-8Muthanna A, Salim HS, Hamat RA, Shamsuddin NH, Zakariah SZ.Clinical Screening Tools to Diagnose Group A Streptococcal Pharyngotonsillitis in Primary Care Clinics to Improve Prescribing Habits. Malays J Med Sci. 2018;25(6):6-21. doi:10.21315/mjms2018.25.6.2
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat: all you need to know.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Strep throat.Nasirian H, Tarvijeslami S, Matini E, Bayesh S, Omaraee Y.A clinical decision rule for streptococcal pharyngitis management: An update. J Lab Physicians. 2017;9(2):116-120. doi:10.4103/0974-2727.199635Martin JM.The Mysteries of Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Curr Treat Options Pediatr. 2015;1(2):180-189. doi:10.1007/s40746-015-0013-9Kenealy T.Sore throat. BMJ Clin Evid. 2007;2007Pathak H, Marshall T.Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis: where are we now. BMJ Case Rep. 2016;2016. doi:10.1136/bcr-2016-215552Pardo S, Perera TB.Scarlet Fever. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Andrey DO, Ferry T, Siegenthaler N, et al.Unusual staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome presenting as a scarlet-like fever. New Microbes New Infect. 2015;8:10-3. doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2015.08.002Arslansoyu Çamlar S, Soylu A, Akil İ, et al.Henoch-Schonlein purpura, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic carditis after Group A β-haemolytic streptococcal infection. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2018;38(1):73-75. doi:10.1080/20469047.2017.1284394Igarashi H, Nago N, Kiyokawa H, Fukushi M.Abdominal pain and nausea in the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in boys.Int J Gen Med. 2017;10:311-318. doi:10.2147%2FIJGM.S144310Shirasu M, Touhara K.The scent of disease: volatile organic compounds of the human body related to disease and disorder.Journal of Biochemistry. 2011;150(3):257-266. doi:10.1093/jb/mvr090Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat: all you need to know.
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Strep throat.
Nasirian H, Tarvijeslami S, Matini E, Bayesh S, Omaraee Y.A clinical decision rule for streptococcal pharyngitis management: An update. J Lab Physicians. 2017;9(2):116-120. doi:10.4103/0974-2727.199635
Martin JM.The Mysteries of Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Curr Treat Options Pediatr. 2015;1(2):180-189. doi:10.1007/s40746-015-0013-9
Kenealy T.Sore throat. BMJ Clin Evid. 2007;2007
Pathak H, Marshall T.Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis: where are we now. BMJ Case Rep. 2016;2016. doi:10.1136/bcr-2016-215552
Pardo S, Perera TB.Scarlet Fever. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Andrey DO, Ferry T, Siegenthaler N, et al.Unusual staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome presenting as a scarlet-like fever. New Microbes New Infect. 2015;8:10-3. doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2015.08.002
Arslansoyu Çamlar S, Soylu A, Akil İ, et al.Henoch-Schonlein purpura, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic carditis after Group A β-haemolytic streptococcal infection. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2018;38(1):73-75. doi:10.1080/20469047.2017.1284394
Igarashi H, Nago N, Kiyokawa H, Fukushi M.Abdominal pain and nausea in the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in boys.Int J Gen Med. 2017;10:311-318. doi:10.2147%2FIJGM.S144310
Shirasu M, Touhara K.The scent of disease: volatile organic compounds of the human body related to disease and disorder.Journal of Biochemistry. 2011;150(3):257-266. doi:10.1093/jb/mvr090
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.
Mazur E, Czerwińska E, Grochowalska A, Kozioł-montewka M.Concurrent peritonsillar abscess and poststreptococcal reactive arthritis complicating acute streptococcal tonsillitis in a young healthy adult: a case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15:50. doi:10.1186/s12879-015-0780-8Muthanna A, Salim HS, Hamat RA, Shamsuddin NH, Zakariah SZ.Clinical Screening Tools to Diagnose Group A Streptococcal Pharyngotonsillitis in Primary Care Clinics to Improve Prescribing Habits. Malays J Med Sci. 2018;25(6):6-21. doi:10.21315/mjms2018.25.6.2
Mazur E, Czerwińska E, Grochowalska A, Kozioł-montewka M.Concurrent peritonsillar abscess and poststreptococcal reactive arthritis complicating acute streptococcal tonsillitis in a young healthy adult: a case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15:50. doi:10.1186/s12879-015-0780-8
Muthanna A, Salim HS, Hamat RA, Shamsuddin NH, Zakariah SZ.Clinical Screening Tools to Diagnose Group A Streptococcal Pharyngotonsillitis in Primary Care Clinics to Improve Prescribing Habits. Malays J Med Sci. 2018;25(6):6-21. doi:10.21315/mjms2018.25.6.2
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