Strep throat is mostly treated with antibiotics, when symptoms do not disappear with home remedies. You shall get a complete information about the medication for strep throat from this article. Read on…
Strep throat is inflammation caused due to the throat or pharynx by a group of bacteria that belongs to group of Streptococcus. It takes place more often during seasonal changes or it could also be caused due to fever. The disease being contagious spreads to other individuals who come in close contact with the affected. Mild throat pain is usually treated with antibiotics but when the infection is severe, one is administered antibiotics for complete cure.
Strep Throat Medication
Throat pain is often associated with fever, infection of tonsil and swelling of lymph glands. If the symptoms persist for four to five days, then antibiotics are the sole option for cure. Not only do they cure, but they also make your body immune to further infection. They are either prescribed or available over the counter. Some such medicines are:
- Penicillin is the most widely used antibiotic for curing strep throat. It is usually prescribed for 10 days, during which you will observe improvement. Penicillin V is exclusively meant for curing strep throat. Penicillin also helps in curing peritonsillar abscess, that becomes evident when the infection is severe. The drug usually comes in the form of pills. Children often find difficulty in swallowing the pills and in such cases they are given injections.
- People who are sensitive to Penicillin are given Erythromycin and other types of macrolides, that have similar healing effect on strep throat. The antimicrobial spectrum of Erythromycin is broader than Penicillin and it is capable of curing other types of respiratory tract infections associated with strep throat. The drug is available in the form of suspension, capsules and tablets, that are taken in orally.
- Another class of antibiotics belonging to beta lactam group is Cephalosporin, which is also an effective medication for strep throat. They are bactericidal in nature and are mostly used for prophylaxis of bacterial infections causing strep throat. People who develop rashes and allergy on their body due to intake of Penicillin, are often administered Cephalosporin. Some mild side effects experienced while being under this drug are, headache, fever, dizziness and vomiting.
- Apart from these, there are a few other antibiotics for strep throat that are popular by their generic names. The mode of action is similar and the dosage is almost the same. They are Amoxicillin and Cephalexin. The choice of medicines depends on the severity of the symptoms and they are prescribed accordingly.
- On experiencing mild symptoms like sore throat, body ache and tonsil pain, you can take over-the-counter medications. The drugs are safe for consumption and you can take it after knowing the dosage from chemists. Some effective medicines include acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Considerable relief to throat is also offered by benadryl. Pain management analgesics, like paracetamol and other types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also administered. Aspirin is recommended only for adults.
Note: The medicines mentioned in this article are only for your information and they must be consumed only after being suggested by doctors.
You will observe improvement in condition after 3-4 days of taking medicines. You must tell your doctor if you are allergic towards antibiotics. While taking the drugs, you are more likely to experience fever, because it proves that the medicines are working on you. Antibiotics strengthen your immune system and you become less prone to infection. Initially, home remedies like gurgling with warm saline water and taking vapor are suggested.
Sometimes, sore throat sprays and drops are also given for instant relief. If they fail to cure the symptoms, only then antibiotics are recommended because they cause weakness in body. The dosage of antibiotics are fixed since presence of excess in body has damaging effects. I hope you have found the information on medicines for strep throat useful enough.
