how do you know if you have streph throat

[aggie49]

i have a doctors appointment but i can't get in to see him till tuesday of next week my throat hurts and when i swallow it hurt's more and my tounge has a white thick coating on it i have a fever also i no it is contagious any ideas

[loulizlee]

The only way to know for sure is when the doctor does a throat culture.  Your symptoms sound a lot like strep, though.  I've had a lot of it in my family.

Common symptoms of strep throat in children and adults include:

    Severe and sudden sore throat without coughing, sneezing, or other cold symptoms.
    Pain or difficulty with swallowing.
    Fever over 101�F (38.3�C). Lower fevers may point to a viral infection and not strep.
    Swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
    White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and tonsils camera.
    Bright red throat or dark red spots on the roof of the mouth at the back near the throat.
    Swollen tonsils, although this symptom may also be caused by a viral infection.

[ssmsurvey]

Typically, it is the white spots on the tonsils/back of the throat with a fever, sore throat and really inflamed lymph nodes in your neck. But, of course, a doctor has to look at least, then do a culture if there is any doubt. My daughter used to get it alot while in pre-school and she always felt sick and was vomitting which are not the more prominent symptoms.

[loulizlee]

I urge you to be careful about strep, especially with children.  I had untreated strep as a child and developed Rheumatic Fever, was out of school for a year, and was left with a heart murmur.  Finally had to have a tonsillectomy.  My daughter had strep a lot, too, so I was very careful to take her to the doctor every time she got a bad sore throat that even looked a little like strep. 

[sak4kat]

I think the only way to know if you have strep is for the dr to do a throat culture.  If you have to go to the ER or a clinic  you may want to seriously consider the option.  I know two gals who were carriers of strep but didn't get it on there throats but on/in there vagina.  EEEK! As if in the throat wasn't bad enough.  In the mean time try and keep yourself as comfortable as possible.  IE: gargle with salt water, drink lots of tea...cold eeze losenges are linked to coating and comforting the throat for allergies so it wouldn't hurt to use them for strep or any other bacterial disease.  In the mean time take it easy rest as much as you can and feel better soon.

[alina6]

See if you can get into a walk in clinic to get the culture done. If you have strep the only way to cure it is through antibiotics.

[aggie49]

thanks everyone i had my tonsils out when i was a kid so i know its not that

[remediagirl]

You should definitely go to urgent care or walk in. God bless.   

[sak4kat]

My daughter had her tonsils out and she still get's strep....so if ya got it and it doesn't attach your tonsils I'm not sure which organ it will attack?

[Red02102002]

I got sore throat, and badly cold sometime!!!

[oonamas]

i have a doctors appointment but i can't get in to see him till tuesday of next week my throat hurts and when i swallow it hurt's more and my tounge has a white thick coating on it i have a fever also i no it is contagious any ideas

Your symptoms don't sound good, particularly the fever. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to have a throat culture done. I'd call your doctor back, explain that you're pretty sure, know you're contagious if so, and see if they can squeeze you in even if it's just with a nurse to do the culture. The culture itself takes mere minutes, and if it comes up positive then you can get a prescription called in right away.

[webe4angels]

I know exactly what you are going through.

I thought though.. for sure I had strep.  My throat and mouth hurt so bad.
Culture came back negative though.
Doctor put me on antibodics right away though.  He said if it wasn't strep, that it was some sort of bacterial infection. 
Most definitely not a good feeling.

Hope you are feeling better!!! 

[bretay]

definitely will have to have a strep test.But it is terrible.It hurts to swallow.It will feel like your entire throat is completely raw.Antibiotics is the only thing for it.Hope its just a bad sore throat instead of strep.Good luck at the drs