Can Strep Throat Resolve on Its Own?

You’ve probably experienced a sore throat at some point in your life. Sore throats can be a symptom of a cold, allergies, or the flu. If your sore throat is from a virus or allergies, it’ll clear up once your body has successfully fought off the foreign substances. 

Strep throat is in a category all by itself. Even though it’s still a sore throat, strep throat isn’t a virus, but rather a bacterial infection of your throat and tonsils. 

But, the question remains: Can strep throat go away on its own? While strep throat can clear up without medical treatment, it may not be worth the risk of letting the infection run unchecked throughout your body. 

Because an untreated infection, such as strep throat, could potentially be dangerous to your health, our team at San Feliz Urgent Care in Glendale, California, wants you to understand strep throat better and why professional medical treatment is usually the best option.

Strep throat explained

Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called group A streptococcus. This particular infection is incredibly contagious and can be spread through the cough or sneeze droplets of an infected person.

While the sore throat portion of strep throat can mimic that of a cold or similar virus, strep throat also comes with its own set of unique symptoms that typically sets it apart from other illnesses. These symptoms include:

• Swollen glands
• Very high fever that comes on suddenly
• Chills
• White patches on throat and tonsils
• Nausea
• Headaches

You can also tell strep throat apart from a cold or the flu because it doesn’t present with any upper respiratory symptoms such as a cough or runny nose. In addition, typically with strep throat, your throat also becomes so swollen and inflamed that eating and swallowing becomes very difficult. 

What happens if you don’t treat strep throat? 

If you don’t seek medical help for your strep throat, you may find that your symptoms go away in about a week. However, not killing the infectious bacteria with antibiotics puts you at risk for serious complications such as kidney inflammation, rheumatic fever, abscesses, and scarlet fever.  

In addition, not getting treatment keeps you contagious for a much longer period, putting others at risk of exposure. 

Get your strep throat treated promptly

If you suspect that you have strep throat, don’t put your health at risk by delaying treatment. Our team can perform a throat swab to confirm strep throat and then prescribe a round of antibiotics to treat the infection. 

Once you’re on antibiotics and fever-free for 24 hours, you’re no longer considered contagious. 

To get started with strep throat treatment, schedule an appointment online or over the phone today.