-kay Post Count: 268 |
Hey everyone.
Okay, so about four days ago I started having this really bad sore throat. Two days ago I was using one of those little ortho mirrors to see if I had anything going on because my glands were swollen and it turns out I had a blood blister on one of my tonsils. The next day, the swelling moved over to the other tonsil and now I have a blood blister type thing on both sides. There are also little white spots on the back of my throat. I also have a fever, but it isn't severe. From what I gathered from my master Google searching (:p), it could either be strep or tonsillitis. I have no insurance right this second (soon! Yay!), so I can't really go see a doctor, but I had a question for anyone who has had either: do you have any home remedies or over-the-counter drugs that helped? I started gargling salt water yesterday and I'm pretty much living off of broth/vitamin water because eating solids absolutely kills me. Other than that, I'm at a loss. Any info would help. Thanks everybody. :] |
Oprah Noodlemantra Post Count: 300 |
It sounds like strep, which I've had (unfortunately) a lot. Is there a free clinic or a physician's assistant you can see? Because untreated strep can really screw you up. Antibiotics, usually a Z-pack, is what's prescribed, but sometimes you need more than that. Either way, insurance or no insurance, you need to see someone. :(
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-kay Post Count: 268 |
I was afraid someone would say that!
I'm going to look into free clinics tomorrow. My friend is a nursing student and she pretty much told me I was a complete idiot for not going to the ER. Blah. Thank you, though. Are the blood things normal, too? That freaked me out more than the white spots. |
*Forever Changing* Post Count: 847 |
Chamomile tea helps a lot!
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Meghans Follie Post Count: 433 |
the good news is that MOST strep will clear up on its own eventually without anti-biotics. The bad news - it could take a long time and you be miserable in the meantime. It can also get worse and become a serious issue but from what they told me the last time my daughter had it - its pretty rare if you are in good health to begin with.
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~RedFraggle~ Post Count: 2651 |
The throat infection will resolve by itself eventually, but antibiotics are still a good idea for proven strep throat because of the risk of complications.
For a while here GPs were reluctant to prescribe antibiotics because of antibiotic resistance, and during that time I was a med student in paeds and we saw several previously fit and well kids with rheumatic fever has a result of strep throat. And rheumatic fever can have serious consequences for the heart and other organs. I have also seen more than one person who's ended up with chronic kidney failure and on dialysis as a result of post-strep kidney disease. |
queenbutterfly Post Count: 425 |
I had this same situation and had to go to the doctor. He gave me an antibiotic that helped within 24 hours!
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.xoxo Post Count: 263 |
Yeah I would go to a doctor, they have ones for people without insurance and can offer you payment plans and stuff like that. If you have white spots on the back of your throat, it's probably strep.
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Estella Post Count: 1779 |
Manuka honey is supposed to help strep throat: see here, yo!
I have just had a spoonful of it in hot water with some lemon too. It better fix my sore throat and cough! |
RealLifeComics Post Count: 571 |
I misread the title...
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*Forever Changing* Post Count: 847 |
I will also tell you DO NOT spray that chloraseptic spray on it that you can buy at the store...that's how I could always tell if it was strep or not, it burns really bad if you spray it on there.
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-kay Post Count: 268 |
I've been inhaling the chloreseptic and it has been burning like a mother.
YAAAY. :/ |
*Forever Changing* Post Count: 847 |
Stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol.
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HorrorVixen XO Post Count: 869 |
my aunt said u might wanna gargle with RC COLA. her co-wrkers daughter did it and it busted the puss pocket.
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Beautiful Lies Post Count: 402 |
bursting a puss pocket on your tonsil doesn't sound very fun. Are you supposed to do that?
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HorrorVixen XO Post Count: 869 |
not really.... but neither is going to the ER and them poking a hole in ur tonsils to drain them. thats what happen to my friend. her strep throat was sooo bad that they had to do that.
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HorrorVixen XO Post Count: 869 |
neither as is its not fun.
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~RedFraggle~ Post Count: 2651 |
They only do that if the tonsillitis is REALLY severe.
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& skull. Post Count: 1701 |
are strep and tonsilitis similar? we don't have anything called strep in australia.
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~RedFraggle~ Post Count: 2651 |
Strep is a bacteria. It can cause a generalised throat infection or tonsillitis.
It will be called strep in Australia too. |
& skull. Post Count: 1701 |
it's funny i've never heard anyone calling anything strep. maybe people just assume it's tonsillitis? how bizarre.
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~RedFraggle~ Post Count: 2651 |
Yes, I think the actual term 'strep throat' is probably used by the public more in America than in the UK or Australia where people are more likely to talk of a bacterial throat infection, but it's still the same thing, a bacterial throat infection caused by streptococcus.
And tonsillitis is just a focus of that infection on the tonsils. It's similar to how we use the term 'glandular fever' for mononucleosis infection. Americans say 'mono' which is actually more based on the technical name for the infection. |
& skull. Post Count: 1701 |
ok that makes sense. i've only ever heard people say throat infection or tonsillitis, so strep must be an american term like mono. it's funny how things like that get named differently in different places.
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Estella Post Count: 1779 |
What about pharyngitis, yo? Is that the same as strep throat? I know someone who has been diagnosed with pharyngitis, and I've never heard of such a thing, although I can deduce it is inflammation of the pharynx, which is surely just the same as inflammation of the throat, which is surely strep throat.
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~RedFraggle~ Post Count: 2651 |
Yes, the pharynx is part of the throat, and pharyngitis is inflammation (usually an infection) of the pharynx. It's pretty much all the same thing though. And like most throat infections, pharyngitis is usually viral (it could be bacterial though, i.e. strep).
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