Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Inflammation Looks & FeelsDifferent CausesFinding ReliefConsidering AntibioticsComplications
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Inflammation Looks & Feels
Different Causes
Finding Relief
Considering Antibiotics
Complications
It can be tricky to tell the difference between “regular” sore throats and strep, but the appearance of your throat and pain severity may help you decide whether to let it run its course or see a provider for testing and treatment.
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Strep Throat vs. Sore Throat vs. Normal Throat
Throat and Inflammation Appearance
A healthy throat is pink, moist, and not painful. When you have a sore throat, the inside of your mouth, throat, and the lymph nodes around your head and neck can become inflamed and swollen. Sometimes, the inside of your mouth may also appear swollen and red from inflammation.
Strep throatcan appear similar, but tiny red spots calledpetechiaeon the roof of your mouth or white patches on your tonsils are telltale signs of a strep throat infection.
Sore throats can develop suddenly from injury or irritation, and viral sore throats can develop throughout an illness, such as a cold. In the case of strep throat, you will usually start to notice symptoms between two and five days after exposure to Group A strep.
Sensations and Pain Intensity
How your throat feels can also give you clues about what’s causing it. A sore throat often develops with a cold and improves in about a week.
In comparison, strep throat usually appears very quickly with painful swallowing. Instead of noticing differences in pain and sensation, you might notice symptoms in other areas of the body when you have strep throat.
Sore ThroatDrynessHoarsenessPainful swallowingScratchy feelingStrep ThroatFeverHeadacheNauseaPainful swallowingRashStomach painSwollen lymph nodes and/or tonsils
Sore ThroatDrynessHoarsenessPainful swallowingScratchy feeling
Dryness
Hoarseness
Painful swallowing
Scratchy feeling
Strep ThroatFeverHeadacheNauseaPainful swallowingRashStomach painSwollen lymph nodes and/or tonsils
Fever
Headache
Nausea
Rash
Stomach pain
Swollen lymph nodes and/or tonsils
How Strep Throat Is Diagnosed
Viruses are the primary cause of sore throats, but allergies, a dry environment, and smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke can also trigger them.
You may also experience a sore throat after straining or overusing your voice or from a traumatic injury, such as swallowing hot liquids or foods that scratch your throat.
Strep, on the other hand, has just one cause: Group A strep. Group A strep is highly contagious, and symptoms usually appear two to five days after exposure to the bacterium.
How to Relieve Throat Pain With Strep vs. Soreness
There are many home remedies and self-care options to soothe a sore throat, including:
OTC Medications to Soothe a Sore Throat
When to Consider Antibiotics
If you think you have strep throat, go to urgent care or schedule a sick visit with your primary care provider for resting. They will swab the back of your throat and use that sample to determine if Group A strep is present. If so, you’ll need antibiotics to treat the strep throat infection.
You can develop antibiotic resistance when you take antibiotics for nonbacterial conditions. When this occurs, bacteria build up an immunity to the drugs designed to kill them, and they don’t work as well over time. Without careful prescribing and use of antibiotics, superbugs resistant to many antibiotics will become more common and dangerous.
Sore Throat, Strep, or Something Else?If you have tried home remedies,tested negative for strep, and continue to have a sore throat that isn’t improving, a healthcare provider may check for other conditions that could appear with a sore throat like:AllergiesCOVID-19Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)InfluenzaTonsillitisIt’s important to identify the actual cause of your sore throat to prevent ongoing infection and complications.
Sore Throat, Strep, or Something Else?
If you have tried home remedies,tested negative for strep, and continue to have a sore throat that isn’t improving, a healthcare provider may check for other conditions that could appear with a sore throat like:AllergiesCOVID-19Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)InfluenzaTonsillitisIt’s important to identify the actual cause of your sore throat to prevent ongoing infection and complications.
If you have tried home remedies,tested negative for strep, and continue to have a sore throat that isn’t improving, a healthcare provider may check for other conditions that could appear with a sore throat like:
It’s important to identify the actual cause of your sore throat to prevent ongoing infection and complications.
Post-Infection Complications
A sore throat that is left untreated or takes a long time to resolve can lead to a wide range of complications—often due to the cause rather than the sore throat itself.
These complications may include things like:
Group A strep can cause lasting complications, too. Complications of untreated or ineffectively treated strep throat include:
Summary
A sore throat is a symptom of many infections and some chronic conditions. If your sore throat is severe and unrelenting and causes spots to appear on the roof of your mouth or tonsils, you should see a healthcare provider to be tested for Group A strep (strep throat). Group A strep requires antibiotic treatment to prevent dangerous complications, but sore throats can often be eased with supportive care like cold liquids and lozenges.
10 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.
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