Name: Strep Throat: What is it? | Condition | Healthwords
Creator: Dr Roger Henderson
Published: 2020-09-04T15:42:22.475Z

If you have strep throat, you are not fit for work.

Am I fit for work?

Most sore throats are caused by viruses and will not respond to antibiotics. However, Strep Throat is normally caused by bacteria. Find out what this means and how to treat it.

Strep Throat: What is it? | Condition | Healthwords

If you are concerned that you may have strep throat, with symptoms of fever or severe sore throat, then you should book an urgent appointment to see your doctor.

If you have a [fever](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/high-temperature-fever) and suddenly feel very unwell, if you have difficulty swallowing saliva or speaking at a normal volume, or your symptoms are getting worse quickly, you should urgently speak to your doctor, or call 111 for advice over the phone. If you are concerned this is a medical emergency, attend your emergency department.

When should I see my doctor?

Bacterial infections such as'strep throat' are contagious, and can be passed on like most infections via respiratory droplets from the nose throat or mouth. You can wear a mask, avoid close contact with others, and maintain strict hand-washing to avoid spreading the bacteria to others.

Is it contagious?

Panadol Extra Soluble (24 Tablets)

Anadin Extra (16 Caplets)

Nurofen Meltlets Lemon 200mg (12 self-dissolving tablets)

Covonia Throat Spray (30ml)

Difflam Spray (30ml)

Strepsils Honey & Lemon Lozenges (24)

Strepsils Strawberry Sugar Free Lozenges (36)

Antibiotics from your doctor will kill the bacteria, but here are some additional products that can help with some of the symptoms whilst you're getting back to your best self;

1. Pain relievers such as those containing [paracetamol](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/paracetamol) or [anti-inflammatories](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs-nsaids-what-you-need-to-know) containing either [aspirin](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/aspirin) or [ibuprofen](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/ibuprofen-316).

2. Anaesthetic lozenges or sprays to numb the pain locally such as [Strepsils](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/strepsils-lozenges), [Tyrozets](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/tyrozets-and-alternatives) or Covonia throat spray.

3. A localised anti-inflammatory spray or throat rinse such as [Difflam](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/difflam-513).

4. Gargling with salt water may give some temporary symptom relief.

Healthwords pharmacists' top tips

**Group A streptococcus** (or **group A strep**) is a type of bacterium (germ) that commonly lives on our skin or in our nose and throat. Many of us carry this bacteria but never become ill. Strep A infections vary in severity from very mild - such as throat infections - to severe such as pneumonia, but fortunately most can be treated with antibiotics.

## How do I catch Strep A?

Many people carry group A Strep without realising it - it causes no problems and they remain well and don’t develop any illness. It can be passed from person to person by close contact with someone who has Strep A such as by kissing or from skin to skin contact.[ Strep A ](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/strep-a-368)can also sometimes be spread through food if someone infected with group A strep prepares or serves food which is then shared.

## Who’s most at risk from Strep A?

Although most people exposed to Strep A have either no symptoms or mild ones, you’re more likely to be at risk from it if you:

- have close contact with someone with Strep A
- are older than 65
- are [diabetic](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/diabetes-in-a-nutshell)
- have heart disease or cancer
- have recently had chickenpox
- have HIV
- have a weakened immune system or take long-term steroids

Strep A

Tonsillitis occurs when a viral or bacterial infection causes the tonsils – immune-fighting glands at the back of the mouth – to become inflamed. You get a sore throat causing pain on swallowing and possibly earache, and you may be able to see or feel that one side of the throat is larger from the outside.

Your tonsils will likely look red, possibly with some white dots (pus) on them. You might have a high temperature and [headache](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/headaches) and feel generally pretty unwell.

Children and young adults are more likely to suffer tonsilitis. Most infections are viral and therefore don’t respond to antibiotics – they get better on their own after about a week. Viral tonsilitis can often go with general symptoms of a [cold](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/common-cold-655), such as a runny or [blocked nose](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/blocked-nose-and-nasal-congestion) and a cough.

Some things make a sore throat or tonsillitis more likely to be bacterial, which may need antibiotics to help your body recover. If you have no symptoms of a cold such as a cough, if you have a fever higher than 38 degrees, swollen lymph nodes in your neck, white spots on a very large tonsil, or symptoms have developed quickly, within 24 hours, this makes a bacterial infection more likely.

When your doctor is deciding whether the cause is viral or bacterial, they will sometimes use evidence-based scores that help to decide the likelihood of bacterial infections. If the cause is likely viral, antibiotics won’t help - the infection will get better on its own.

The majority of tonsillitis cases will improve on their own however it is important to stay [hydrated](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/dehydration-and-heatstroke) and rest to help your body fight the infection. You can take over-the-counter pain relief to help with any pain and your pharmacist can advise you on this. Your pharmacist can also advise you on [lozenges](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/strepsils-lozenges) and [throat sprays](https://www.healthwords.ai/shop/search?term=throat+spray) to help with a [sore throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/sore-throat-treatment-relieving-pain-and-discomfort).

Tonsillitis

Sore Throat - Triggers and treatments to soothe and repair

A sore throat is hard to ignore, as it affects us when we speak, eat and drink – even simply swallowing can bring on pain. Sore throats are common, and most improve with time and without any intervention. It can be hard to know when to sit it out and when there's reason to worry.

First stop, you can assess your own throat, and it’s good to get to know it when you’re well. If you look in the mirror and open wide, perhaps with the help of a torch, you’ll see a high double arch at the back with a little boxing bag in the middle – this is the uvula, flanked on either side by the soft immune tissue of the tonsils. The black hole in the middle reaches the pharynx, the back of the nose and throat and extends down to the larynx (voice box) then onwards to both the airways and lungs, and to the oesophagus (food pipe) and stomach.

The back of the throat should be a uniform light to medium pink colour. If it’s red, or with bloody spots, white or yellow spots, this is abnormal. If one or both tonsils look enlarged and red, with the hole in the middle looking squished or smaller, it’s likely you’re fighting off an infection as part of your immune response. This is called [tonsillitis](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/tonsillitis).

You can’t see further than your tonsils – the pharynx, larynx and vocal cords are unseen in the very back of the throat, and only visible via a special camera on a wire, called an endoscope.

Dr Kim - Sore Throat

Parents are understandably anxious about the rise in Group A strep cases currently. *Streptococcus A* is a very common bacterial infection affecting those from 4 to 14 years old, and it usually causes a mild sore throat and fever. 

Concerns had been raised in late 2022 that cases are higher than usual at this time of year, with reports of deaths causing parents and teachers alarm.

Although rare, some children contract an invasive form of Group A Streptococcus (iGAS), leading to severe illness requiring hospital treatment and possible threat to life.

Advice from the public health bodies has emphasised presenting your child when they appear very unwell, but what does this mean? Let’s talk you through how to recognise the signs, when to seek help and when to worry.

Dr Kandi - Strep A in Children

Strefen lozenges have emerged as a prominent analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication available behind the counter. This medication, containing flurbiprofen, is solely formulated in the form of lozenges. It is a recent addition to the market and has gained popularity due to its efficacy in treating sore throats and providing pain relief. Despite being available exclusively in honey and lemon flavor, Strefen lozenges continue to be well-received by consumers.

Tyrozets lozenges have long been recognized as a reliable treatment option for minor [throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/sore-throat-treatment-relieving-pain-and-discomfort) and mouth irritations. These lozenges have traditionally been used to alleviate pain and irritation during the healing process following mouth or throat surgery. Tyrozets lozenges offer a dual-action approach by addressing throat pain while simultaneously combating infection. However, it is important to note that Tyrozets have been discontinued due to concerns raised by the regulatory body for medicines regarding their antibiotic properties in treating throat infections.

A sore throat is a pain, scratchiness or irritation of the throat that often worsens when your child swallows. It may come out of the blue if they’re fighting a viral or bacterial infection, and they may also experience cold symptoms like a runny or [blocked nose](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/blocked-nose-and-nasal-congestion), sneezing, a fever, coughing, headache, and they may complain of pain on swallowing. You might be able to feel the glands in their neck are enlarged and these can feel quite tender to touch.

If you look in the back of their throat, you might see one or both tonsils are large and red, causing the gap between them to reduce, and you may notice some white spots on the tonsils.

Scarlet fever is the name given to a distinctive collection of symptoms caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria, often called [**Strep A.**](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/strep-a-what-is-it) This bacteria is active every year and usually causes fever and a sore throat in children. [Strep throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/strep-throat-257) usually requires antibiotics.

It mainly affects children aged 4 to 14 and appears in late winter/early spring. In late 2022, an outbreak caused great alarm as cases quickly rose, and with this, a small proportion of children became very unwell or died.

The welcome news is that this is not a new strain and should respond to the usual antibiotics. Public health authorities have sought to reassure that most cases are mild and easily treated but warn to be alert to signs that any child may be becoming unwell. Let's talk you through what signs and symptoms to look for and when there is reason to worry.

Dr Kandi - Scarlet fever

Most of us have felt the effects of a common cold – adults catch one once or twice every year, and children up to six times a year. The symptoms of a cold are caused by a viral infection, with rhinovirus being the most likely culprit. Colds typically circulate in autumn and winter, especially among children at school or nursery.

There is no cure as such, your immune system will fight the virus and overcome it within 1 to 2 weeks. Antibiotics have no benefit for the common cold as they are only effective against bacterial infections. Treatments aim to relieve symptoms, but they won’t speed up getting rid of a cold.

Colds usually appear in autumn and winter, although common viruses have been thrown out of sync by the [COVID-19](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/covid-19-coronavirus) pandemic, where we weren’t mixing as usual, with lockdowns, limited social or work interaction and with mandatory mask-wearing.

It’s thought that our immune system needs to keep meeting these common viruses to keep us protected, and during the pandemic, this immunity was lost to an extent. So as doctors, we’ve been seeing [coughs](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/coughs-how-to-soothe-symptoms-and-when-to-worry-512) and colds during the summer in the last couple of years, when this would have previously been very rare.

Dr Kandi - Common cold

The larynx (your ‘voice box’) , is made up of two muscle bands – known as your vocal cords - that stretch across the windpipe in your throat (your trachea). If these vocal cords become inflamed or swollen, this is called laryngitis. This is usually caused by a viral infection and typically gets worse for the first 2-3 days before slowly going back to normal by itself within 1-2 weeks. Other causes may be allergies or [acid reflux](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/acid-reflux-heartburn-triggers-and-treatments-to-ease), [GORD, ](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/gastro-oesophageal-reflux-disease-gord)a strain on your vocal cords, or bacterial infections.

A common cold is an infection of your nose and throat, caused by viruses. Symptoms of a [common cold](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/common-cold-655) can include a [blocked nose](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/blocked-nose-and-nasal-congestion), [sore throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/sore-throat-triggers-and-treatments-to-soothe-and-repair-337), headaches, muscle aches (not always), [cough](https://www.healthwords.ai/treatment/coughs-how-to-soothe-symptoms-and-when-to-worry-512) (dry or chesty), sneezing, temperature (not always), loss of taste or smell.

Glandular fever is a throat infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, and is also known as infectious mononucleosis. It usually affects teenagers and young adults but can affect people of any age. It gets better by itself without treatment, usually after two or three weeks, although some people might feel extremely tired for many months after.

It presents like any other viral infection with fever, cough, [sore throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/sore-throat-triggers-and-treatments-to-soothe-and-repair-337) and feeling generally unwell. You may notice your tonsils enlarge, and the glands you can feel on the outside of your neck get bulky and sore.

Antibiotics will not help treat this condition, as they have no effect on viruses.

Dr Kandi - Glandular fever

Most of us have felt the effects of a [common cold](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/common-cold-655) – adults get one once or twice a year, and children up to six times a year. Less people have had the [flu](https://www.healthwords.ai/condition/flu-521), but it's another bothersome virus causing trouble. Symptoms can include a [blocked nose](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/blocked-nose-and-nasal-congestion), [sore throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/sore-throat-triggers-and-treatments-to-soothe-and-repair-337), [headaches](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/headaches), muscle aches (not always), cough ([dry](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/dry-cough) or [chesty](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/productive-chesty-cough-621), sneezing, [temperature](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/high-temperature-fever) (not always), loss of taste or smell.

A cough is the body’s natural way of responding to irritation in your respiratory tract, causing muscles in the airways to contract and push out any irritant or infection in a burst of air. Your airways are covered in cells that produce mucus which aids in the removal of dust, bacteria, viruses and other debris.

When you get a chest infection, your body produces more mucus than normal as it tries to remove the virus or bacteria. The excess mucus, known as phlegm or sputum, causes you to cough more frequently and forcefully – phlegm is then brought up and spat out or swallowed, destroying the pathogen and helping you recover. We call this a [productive cough](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/productive-chesty-cough-621).

Most chest infections and productive coughs are caused by viruses rather than bacteria. As antibiotics only work on bacterial infections, this means that they won’t have any effect on most chest infections.

Earache and Sore Throat: Is there a link?

Experiencing an earache alongside a sore throat can be both uncomfortable and concerning. These symptoms often occur together, leading many to wonder if there is a direct connection between them. The relationship between the ear and throat will give you an understanding of the causes of earache and [sore throat](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/sore-throat-triggers-and-treatments-to-soothe-and-repair-337). This will help identify the underlying cause and find appropriate treatment. We will explore the common causes of these symptoms, their possible links, and how they might indicate various health conditions.

## The Link Between the Ear and the Throat

Conditions often affect the ear and throat due to their interconnected structures and shared nerve pathways. The tube connecting the middle ear to the throat allows inflammation or infections in the throat to spread to the ear. Shared nerves can transmit pain from one area to the other, leading to referred discomfort. Additionally, the “lymphatic system”, which includes “lymph nodes” in the neck and throat, can cause swelling and tenderness that radiates to the ear. This connection explains why symptoms can simultaneously impact both areas.

7 Pharmacy First Conditions: What You Need to Know

The NHS Pharmacy First service is a convenient and accessible healthcare option available in the UK, designed to help patients with minor ailments receive treatment without the need to visit their GP. This service is particularly beneficial for individuals who require quick and efficient care for common conditions, as it allows them to be seen by a pharmacist at their local pharmacy. By providing a straightforward alternative to GP appointments, the Pharmacy First service saves patients time and reduces the strain on GP surgeries and A&E departments. See if you have all the relevant information using our [chat](https://www.healthwords.ai/chat).

Dr Roger Henderson

Chief Content Officer

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, and will not respond to antibiotics. They need good self-care, pain relief, fluids and time to get better. Some sore throats are caused by bacteria, and these will tend to need a course of antibiotics to get better.

‘Strep throat’ is a colloquial term used to describe a bacterial throat infection caused by streptococcus bacteria. Group A Streptococcus ([Strep A](https://www.healthwords.ai/article/strep-a-what-is-it) is one of the causes of bacterial sore throat, and it usually produces more severe symptoms than a viral sore throat. You may have severe pain, fever, [swollen lymph nodes](https://www.healthwords.ai/symptom/swollen-glands-205) in the neck, an absence of other viral symptoms such as cough, and symptoms that last longer than a viral infection would be expected to last.

If your doctor suspects a bacterial throat infection, they may take a swab to check the bacteria. Or if they are confident, may start a course of antibiotics immediately.

Strep Throat

Doctor’s advice

Is it contagious?

Healthwords pharmacists' top tips

Pharmacist recommended products

Am I fit for work?

When should I see my doctor?

Related topics

Strep A - What is it?

Tonsillitis

Sore Throat - Triggers and treatments to soothe and repair

Strep A

Strefen Lozenges

Tyrozets and Alternatives

Sore Throat in Children

Scarlet Fever

Common Cold

Laryngitis

Medicine for Colds

Glandular Fever

Cold and Flu Tablets

Wet Cough

Earache and Sore Throat: Is there a link?

7 Pharmacy First Conditions: What You Need to Know