When not taking antibiotics, bacterial infections and the sore throats they cause may last anywhere from 7 to 10 days. In some cases, a sore throat from a bacterial infection may be due to a more serious illness. Be sure to follow up with your doctor if you have a sore throat lasting longer than 10 days. Strep throat is from the bacteria Streptococcus group A streptococcus. Treatment from a doctor and antibiotics are often required in order to treat strep throat.
Once the antibiotics are started, the symptoms from strep throat should quickly be eliminated. Relief from symptoms may occur as quickly as a day or two. After starting antibiotics, the symptoms should be completely gone within about a week or less. Another possible cause for sore throats is a postnasal drip. Some of the most common causes of a postnasal drip include the following:.
In some cases, a sore throat which is due to a postnasal drip may be chronic. Meaning the sore throat may persist until the underlying cause is addressed. If intubation is required during a surgery, you may experience a sore throat upon waking up.
When patients are intubated, an endotracheal tube is inserted through the mouth and down the throat to the airway. Intubation helps patients to breathe with a ventilator when they are unable to breathe on their own, which is common with surgery.
The doctor did a strep test and suggested she take antibiotics. Amy started feeling better a few days later. I think antibiotics were the right way to go this time. My insurance doesn't pay for all of my medicines, so I try to make sure I really need the ones I do take. The last time I had a bad cold, my throat got really sore.
The pain made it hard for me to swallow. I called my doctor's office and the nurse said I could come in if I felt I needed a prescription. I thought I'd wait and see instead. I took ibuprofen and drank a lot of tea and honey, and in a few days I felt better.
I'm glad I didn't spend the money on a doctor visit and medicine. I'm pretty healthy most of the time, but this past winter I got sick.
I was down for 3 or 4 days. It turns out I had an infection in my throat and tonsils. The doctor thought I should take antibiotics because of my age and health. And I wanted to get over it as soon as possible so I could go back to my volunteer job at the local hospital. I think the medicine helped me get back on my feet just a little sooner than if I hadn't taken it. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
I want to take medicine even if there's only a chance it will help me get well faster. I'm worried about my sore throat turning into an ear infection or sinus infection. I'm not worried about my sore throat turning into an ear infection or sinus infection. I've had a sore throat for more than a week, and it's not getting better.
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Here's a record of your answers.
You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. I may not want to take medicine if it won't help me get well faster. Do antibiotics work if a sore throat is caused by a virus, such as a cold? Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you? Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
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Your options Take antibiotics for a sore throat caused by a bacterial infection. Don't take antibiotics. Try home treatment instead. Key points to remember People often think antibiotics will cure their sore throat. But most sore throats are caused by a virus , such as a cold. Antibiotics won't work for sore throats caused by a virus. Most of the time, sore throats go away on their own. To relieve the pain from a sore throat, you can take over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen, or you can try lozenges or nasal sprays.
Drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to shorten the time you are able to spread strep throat —which is caused by bacteria—to others.
Antibiotics will help prevent a serious but rare problem called rheumatic fever. Taking antibiotics too often or when you don't need them can be harmful and costly.
And the medicine may not work the next time you take it when you really do need it. This is called antibiotic resistance. What is a sore throat? How well do antibiotics work to treat a sore throat?
What are the risks of taking antibiotics for sore throat? Antibiotics may cause side effects, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin rashes. Antibiotics cost money. You will probably have to see the doctor to get a prescription.
This costs you time. If you take antibiotics when you don't need them, they may not work when you do need them. Each time you take antibiotics, you are more likely to carry some bacteria that were not killed by the medicine. Over time, these bacteria get tougher and can cause longer and more serious infections.
Some of the more serious causes of sore throat include tonsillitis , strep throat , and mononucleosis mono. Other causes include smoking, mouth breathing at night while you sleep, pollution, and allergies to pets, pollens and molds.
General anesthesia during surgery can cause a sore throat. Your doctor will do a physical exam. They will look at the back of your throat. Your doctor may swab the back of your throat. This is called a throat culture. It is done to collect a sample of bacteria.
This also is used in a rapid strep test. This is a quick test to diagnose strep throat. The results of a throat culture takes between 24 and 48 hours. If your doctor thinks you may have mono, they will probably do a blood test. The best way to avoid a sore throat is to avoid getting sick. Avoid catching or spreading the viruses and bacteria that cause a sore throat.
Wash your hands regularly. Avoid touching your eyes or mouth. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. If your sore throat is cause by the flu, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medicine. Most sore throats caused by a cold or flu-type virus go away in a week to 10 days. If your sore throat is caused by bacteria, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic.
You will feel better in a few days. It is important to take all of your antibiotics. This reduces the risk that your sore throat will return. Symptoms caused by mono can last for 4 weeks or more. The treatment for mono is rest and reduced exercise. If a sore throat is caused by allergies, your doctor may talk to you about allergy triggers. He or she may recommend medicine for the allergy. If your sore throat is caused by tonsillitis, you may need an operation.
This is called a tonsillectomy. The surgery removes your tonsils.
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