What Causes Recurring Strep Throat
1. Antibiotic Resistance
Many people are diagnosed with recurring strep throat because the type of strep they contracted is resistant to the antibiotic the doctor prescribed. Or, the antibiotic failsto work due to incorrect dosage or allergy.
2. Weak Immune System
A large number of those with recurring strep will also have a weak immune system, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, diagnosed with AIDS or HIV, or those on a corticosteroid. With a weak immune system, people may find it hard to fight against the strep bacteria, therefore the strep throat will occur again and again.
3. Carry Strep Throat Bacteria
Other people have strep throat recur because they or someone they contact often carries the bacteria that causes it. Many people have these bacteria in their throat yet not showing the symptoms and they are known as carriers.
Tooth Infection Or Abscess
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus at the tip of your tooths root caused by a bacterial infection. An abscessed tooth can cause severe pain that radiates to your ear and jaw on the same side. The lymph nodes in your neck and throat may also be swollen and tender.
Other symptoms include:
- sensitivity to heat and cold
- pain when chewing and swallowing
- swelling in your cheek or face
What Are The Types Of Middle
Infections can affect the middle ear in several ways. They are:
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Acute otitis media. This middle-ear infection occurs suddenly. It causes swelling and redness. Fluid and mucus become trapped inside the ear. You can have a fever and ear pain.
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Otitis media with effusion. Fluid and mucus build up in the middle ear after the infection goes away. You may feel like your middle ear is full. This can continue for months and may affect your hearing.
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Chronic otitis media with effusion. Fluid remains in the middle ear for a long time. Or it builds up again and again, even though there is no infection. This type of middle-ear infection may be hard to treat. It may also affect your hearing.
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Is Earache And Sore Throat A Covid Symptom
While there are a few common symptoms between ear infections and COVID-19, such as a headache and fever, earaches are not a symptom of COVID-19.
However, one symptom of COVID-19 is a sore throat, with additional symptoms including dry coughs, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, chills, and muscle aches.
Can Allergies Cause Ear Infections
Allergies can also lead to the development of ear infections. People who have seasonal or year long allergies are more likely to experience ear infections than those without.
Environmental allergies can irritate the eustachian tube, which runs from the middle ear to the throat. The eustachian tube helps balance pressure between the outer and inner ear.
An allergy can cause swelling around the eustachian tube, which can prevent fluid from draining away from the middle ear.
If this fluid collects behind the ear drum, it increases the risk of bacteria and viruses growing in the fluid. These bacteria and viruses can cause an ear infection in the middle ear.
Symptoms of a middle ear infection can appear suddenly and may include:
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Virtual Appointment With Your Primary Care Doctor
You can also schedule a virtual appointment with the doctor that usually cares for you or your child. Theyll have the best information about your familys health and what treatments may be appropriate. If necessary, your childs primary care doctor can prescribe antibiotics and recommend additional treatments.
Keep in mind that if its only been a couple days since the ear infection started, you may not get a prescription for antibiotics. Your doctor will likely recommend treating the ear infection with OTC pain relievers and scheduling another appointment after a week or so. Its also possible that the doctor may want to see you or your child in person.
Drive Thru Strep Throat Testing
With many full medical offices and urgent care settings, safe and quick testing is valuable and important for timely care. Thats why we offer a drive-thru option so you can limit contact and get back into the comfort of home. After visiting a drive-thru testing location, your results will be sent to you that same day, usually within hours.
We have drive-thru flu testing clinics located throughout the Los Angeles area:
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Insight Into Relief For A Sore Throat
- What causes a sore throat?
- What are my treatment options?
- How can I prevent a sore throat?
Infections from viruses or bacteria are the main cause of sore throats and can make it difficult to talk and breathe. Allergies and sinus infections can also contribute to a sore throat. If you have a sore throat that lasts for more than five to seven days, you should see your doctor. While increasing your liquid intake, gargling with warm salt water, or taking over-the-counter pain relievers may help, if appropriate, your doctor may write you a prescription for an antibiotic.
Complications Of Strep Throat
While not very common, complications can occur from a strep throat infection. This can happen if the bacteria spread to other parts of the body, causing so-called invasive infection.
Per the CDC, complications can include:
- abscesses around the tonsils
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
Untreated strep throat can also cause rheumatic fever, a rare but serious infection which can cause damage to the heart , says the Mayo Clinic.
The link between strep infection and rheumatic fever isnt clear but it appears that the bacteria trick the immune system. The bodys immune system, which normally targets bacteria, attacks its own tissue instead, particularly tissues of the heart, joints, skin, and central nervous system. This results in inflammation or swelling that can last from a few weeks to several months, according to the Mayo Clinic.
According to the CDC, acute rheumatic fever is exceedingly rare in the continental United States, with 0.04 to 0.06 cases per 1,000 children each year. The rate is higher in Hawaii, with as many as 0.1 cases per 1,000 children each year, and an even higher rate among Hawaiian residents of Samoan origin.
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What To Do When You Have An Earache And Sore Throat
- What to Do When You Have an Earache…
An earache and a sore throat can mean a number of thingsbut the combination of both may send you to the doctor.
Because an earache can indicate that you are dealing with strep throat or an ear infection, its important that you take the two seriously.
To help determine if you have strep throat, its imperative that you see a doctor. He or she can also help treat the illness with antibiotics before complications arise.
Heres everything you need to know about an earache accompanied by a sore throat so you can get back on the road to recovery quickly.
Sore Throats And Ear Infections In Children
Experts say that the anatomy and physiology of young childrens ears make them vulnerable to infection. The ear has three parts: the inner ear, the outer ear, and the middle ear. For infants and toddlers, the tube that leads from the nose to the middle ear, the Eustachian Tube, is different compared to an older child or an adult. This tube is horizontal, wider, and shorter in children. The shape of the Eustachian Tube in children makes it easier for germs to travel into the middle ear. When the tube is blocked, as is typical from the congestion of a cold or flu, the fluid that normally drains from the middle ear cannot exit. Bacteria or a virus can incubate in this build up, ultimately leading to an ear infection. The fluid that pushes on the eardrum is what causes ear pain. The younger a child is when he had his first ear infection, the more likely he will have repeated infections in the future. In general, more boys get ear infections than girls do.
Here are some symptoms to watch for in your children regarding sore throats and ear infections:
- Pain and tugging on the ears.
- Head shaking, especially when coupled with a fever.
- Problems sleeping .
- In addition, since sucking and swallowing are painful when a sore throat is present, your child may have trouble eating.
- In infants, sometimes irritability may be the only clue. Frequent crying and nasal discharge are also clues to look for when trying to diagnose a sore throat or ear infection in babies.
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What Is Acute Otitis Media
Acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear, generally caused by bacteria. In acute otitis media , pus and infected fluid accumulate in the middle ear space.
The tympanic membrane appears inflamed, reddened, and often protrudes outward. Usually, an ear infection begins after the eustachian tube has become swollen, congested, and closed, most commonly resulting from an ongoing viral respiratory infection.
Acute otitis media should not be confused with: 1) external otitis -a painful bacterial infection of the superficial skin of the ear canal, or 2) otitis media with effusion -an accumulation of non-inflamed fluid behind the eardrum. Otitis media with effusion is not considered infected, and most doctors do not treat it with antibiotics. This uninfected fluid in the middle ear is a remnant in 50% to 60% of resolved ear infections. It is frequently a mild complication of colds, respiratory illnesses, or nasal allergies.
Why Does Your Throat Hurt On One Side
If your throat pain comes from only one side, it could be a sign of a different condition or unique illness.
As your body helps to fight germs , it can cause the lymph nodes to swell up and become sorewhich can result in pain on one side of the throat.
Postnasal drip is another cause of throat pain. As mucus and fluid drain down the back of the throat, it can lead to the feeling of soreness, specifically on one side.
Inflammation of one or more tonsil, more commonly called tonsillitis, is another common cause of one-sided throat pain. Fever, difficulty swallowing and noisy breathing are symptoms that typically accompany the illness.
If you experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERDa condition in which the contents of the stomach back up into the food pipeyou may experience throat pain as well.
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Medical Issues To Consider Before Tonsillectomy
Before doing a tonsillectomy, your doctor will give you a complete physical check-up. The tonsil pad has a large blood supply, and special note will be taken whether you have any abnormal bleeding tendencies. Your doctor will check to see if your tonsils are actively inflamed and, if so, will prescribe antibiotics for a few weeks to control the infection before the surgery.
What Research Is Being Done
The most important recent development to potentially reduce the frequency of ear infections is a new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. A study from Northern California suggests that this vaccine could prevent about 7% of overall episodes of ear infections, and up to 23% of recurrent ear infections.
The new pneumococcal vaccine contains 7 of 90 types of pneumococcus, which are the most common and the most resistant bacteria. Elimination of these resistant types could have an impact on the number of antibiotic failures in children. This also could mean a reduction in the placement of tubes, possibly by one-fourth, as observed in the California study.
This vaccine is administered to infants at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months of age. Side effects have been minimal, and it has been a very safe vaccine. It uses the same technology as the universally administered HIB vaccine.
ome new antibiotics are about to undergo testing in children with acute otitis media. In preliminary testing, these drugs appear to work against the resistant pneumococcus.
About the Author
Dr. Block is a full-time practicing pediatrician in rural Bardstown, Kentucky who serves on the clinical faculties at both the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics.
His pediatric practice is one of the leading pediatric research groups in the United States and, in fact, Dr. Block was awarded the American Academy of Pediatrics 1998 Practitioner Research Award.
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What Causes A Middle
The middle ear connects to the throat by a canal called the eustachiantube. This tube helps even out the pressure between the outer ear and theinner ear. A cold or allergy can irritate the tube or cause the area aroundit to swell. This can keep fluid from draining from the middle ear. Thefluid builds up behind the eardrum. Bacteria and viruses can grow in thisfluid. The bacteria and viruses cause the middle-ear infection.
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What Is Strep Throat
Strep throat is a type of bacterial infection characterized by sores in the back of the throat. It often causes a painful sore throat that may be accompanied by other symptoms. Strep can go away on its own within seven days, but taking antibiotics can speed up the process and reduce the risk of complications.
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A Tooth Infection Or Abscess
This is a pocket of pus at the tip of the tooths root. It is caused by a bacterial infection and can cause severe pain that radiates from your ear and jaw on the same side. You may also find that your neck or throat becomes swollen and tender, and that you have trouble chewing. You may even experience a fever in severe cases.
Can A Positive Radt Be Confirmation Of Strep Throat
Clinicians can use a positive RADT as confirmation of group A strep pharyngitis in children. However, clinicians should follow up a negative RADT in a child with symptoms of pharyngitis with a throat culture.
Are there any benefits to taking antibiotics for strep throat?
Benefits of antibiotics include: Someone who tests positive for strep throat but has no symptoms usually does not need antibiotics. They are less likely to spread the bacteria to others and very unlikely to get complications. If a carrier gets a sore throat illness caused by a virus, the rapid strep test can be positive.
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Diagnosing Sore Throat And Ear Pain
Based on your symptoms, you may be able to start narrowing down the root of your pain. Symptoms for sore throat and ear pain include:
- A dry or scratchy feeling in the back of your throat
- Pain when you swallow or talk
- Redness in the back of your throat
- White patches on your tonsils
- A popping sound in the ear
- Your ear feeling like its full
- Fluid draining from the ear
Once you have nailed down your issues, you may be able to pinpoint one of the following root causes.
Essential Oil For Strep Throat
Essential oils are distilled from the leaves, bark, stems, and flowers of plants. They may help promote healing by killing germs and reducing inflammation.
The medical benefits of essential oils are controversial. However, studies show the following essential oils can be an effective alternative to over-the-counter medications for treating the symptoms of strep throat:
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Alternative And Complementary Therapies For Tonsillitis
No supplements treat tonsillitis, although there is a lozenge that contains the probiotic BLIS K12 , that may help reduce the chance of getting tonsillitis, says Tod Cooperman, MD, the president of ConsumerLab.com, an independent organization that reviews supplements and other types of products that impact consumer health, wellness, or nutrition. Research, however, suggests the probiotic may not yet have enough evidence for how and when it should be used.
A 2019 review published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection concluded that K12 was safe and well-tolerated and may potentially be beneficial in protecting children from throat infection. According to the authors, further randomized controlled studies are needed to establish whether K12 could be an alternative to antibiotics, as it is not likely to be effective if given along with antibiotics or if the probiotic could be used as a preventive treatment for people who get frequent bouts of tonsillitis.
Always talk with your doctor before trying a supplement because it may interact with other medications you are taking or have other side effects you should know about.
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A Simple Test Gives Fast Results
Only a rapid strep test or throat culture can determine if group A strep is the cause. A doctor cannot tell if someone has strep throat just by looking at his or her throat.
A rapid strep test involves swabbing the throat and running a test on the swab. The test quickly shows if group A strep is causing the illness. If the test is positive, doctors can prescribe antibiotics. If the test is negative, but a doctor still suspects strep throat, then the doctor can take a throat culture swab. A throat culture takes time to see if group A strep bacteria grow from the swab. While it takes more time, a throat culture sometimes finds infections that the rapid strep test misses. Culture is important to use in children and teens since they can get rheumatic fever from an untreated strep throat infection. For adults, it is usually not necessary to do a throat culture following a negative rapid strep test. Adults are generally not at risk of getting rheumatic fever following a strep throat infection.
Someone with strep throat should start feeling better in just a day or two after starting antibiotics. Call the doctor if you or your child are not feeling better after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.
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