Can you have strep, without having the symptoms?
343698
yes, take your medication as directed until you finish it. some people develop inner ear infections and dont know that they have strep throat until they pass out or develop severe nausea and vertigo, infections do not always produce in convienient symptoms but they do cause damage whether you feel it or not.
353829
only your doctor can tell you if it is viral or bacterial, either way you should see him/her.  If it is bacterial, you need to be prescribed an antibiotic.  You don't want it to get worse, especially if it is strep throat.  Untreated, strep throat can cause all kinds of ugly problems.  \nViral illnesses cannot be treated with antibiotics, but you can probably find something over the counter to help with the symptoms while you ride it out.  Hope you feel better, and call a doctor. (p.s. usually strep throat comes with swollen tonsils, white patches on the back of the throat, and bad breath.)
331744
Do not listen to the people saying you have to take antibiotics. That is for bacteria. Viruses can not be killed with antibiotics. \n\nYou can not get rid of mono. Once you are infected, you are infected. It is a latent virus. It will always be there, even if you feel okay. I caught it in December and I still have my good and bad days.\n\nAlso, mono symptoms do not present for a few weeks after infection. So if you are showing symptoms now, sounds like a bacterial infection, like strep. Just go to the doctor, and let them sort it out.\n\nTo Courtney: people will secrete the virus in their saliva from time to time, even after they are feeling good. As I said above, it usually takes a month for symptoms to show...and with some people, they don't even know they had mono, because the immune system catches it before it can overwhelm it. It all depends. You could've caught it a couple months after she came down with it and you shared a cup with her or something. It's that easy!
260865
no, and your throat shouldn't be itching, perhaps you have strep throat
641204
There is no cure for the flu, the symptoms can be treated.  As for strep throat, it is treated with penicillin.  Penicillin was first discovered in 1929.
1167438
my mother is the same way. she constantly has strep. she is older, so tonsil surgury is dangerous and she doesn't want to have it.  Her doctor said if you have strep over 3 times in 3 years, you should have them removed.  My step-dad has his removed for the same problem, and one tonsil actually grew back!!! ugh!  I've had strep, and I feel your pain!!! I hope you find something that works soon!\n... i don't recommend trying this without asking your doctor:::: but, the last time I had strept, I did not go to the doctor. I decided to let it ride out it's course.  I got very sick, and it took longer to go away, but it eventually did, and I haven't had it since (2 years ago).   if that built up my immunity, I don't know.  but it's a thought.   HOWEVER, that said, my body had no energy to fight off anything after the strept and I got an extremely painful canker sore (couldn't open my mouth at all), and I broke out in hives.  So there's definitely a price to pay!! \ngood luck!
647474
first of all, a WBC count of 12 is not way, way high. it is slightly elevated (way way high is in the 20s-30s). \n\nas far as what's wrong with you, none of us know what the ER doc saw on exam. there is a quick test for strep, he might have done it if he put a q-tip in the back of your throat. \n\nanother possibility is cat-scratch disease (bartonella henselae). for normal, healthy individuals this is really of no consequence. it is usually treated with any of a number of antibiotics. there is a specific blood test that can be done, if the doctor thinks you might have it.
914147
first off-if your sore throat is so severe that you are having extreme difficulty swallowing anything (this includes liquids) or it hurts to breathe AND/OR you have white patches at the back of your throat-get in to see your dr asap-these are both signs of strep throat-it's highly contagious and you'll need antibiotics to treat it.\n\notherwise try these steps:\n\n-gargle with warm salt water (2 tsp of salt to 8oz of water)\n-suck on ice or hard candies\n-drink hot tea with honey (i like peppermint best)\n-put a warm mist humidifier in your room while you sleep at night (this will help keep the air moist so when you breathe-your throat won't dry out and become irritated)\n-use sore throat lozenges\n\nif the sore throat persists longer than 48-72 hours-make an appt with your dr. you could have an infection or chronic allergies which will cause your throat to be constantly sore-in this case you might need allergy medications to stop it.
912919
The most common symptoms of strep throat are a sudden, severe sore throat; pain or difficulty swallowing; fever over 101° (38.3°); swollen tonsils and lymph nodes; and white or yellow spots on the back of a bright red throat. Strep infection may also cause a headache and abdominal pain. Less commonly, strep throat can cause a red skin rash, vomiting, loss of appetite, and a general feeling of discomfort or illness.
303273
Strep throat is an infection. With some infections your body has to use a fever to fight them. That is why you get a fever.
610536
If you have a virus, it can be influenza or a cold. There are hundreds of different types of each. The flu can include congestion, and a cold can include nausea, so it's possible that you can give your flu virus to someone resulting in them experiencing congestion. Some flu viruses are caused by the same strain as strep throat. As a preschool teacher, I used to get strep when others at work got the flu! My doctor told me this. :o)\n\nAll in all, I think that if you have the standard old flu with vomiting, fever, etc. but no congestion, it's not real likely that you gave it to a person who is congested and sneezing but has no other symptoms.
201979
This sounds like a simple question but in practice it can be very difficult to know if a person is suffering from a viral or bacterial infection.  \n\nPharyngitis (sore throat) for instance is more likely to be bacterial if the person has pus on their tonsils, swollen, tender glands, and a fever over 100 F.  With those three symptoms the likelihood that it is strep throat is about 75%.  There is a quick strep test that can be used to further establish whether group-A strep is present in about five minutes.  These tests are supposedly 90-95% certain.  Finally a sample can be taken and cultured and in three days the results available (but by then the person has had strep throat for three days!).  Therefore, sometimes instead of delaying testing you make a judgement about how sick the person looks and sometimes there is a distinctive smell to strep throat - and you treat with antibiotics based on your knowledge and judgement.  \n\nEvery illness has its own presentation and your medical provider can determine if your illness is likely to be viral or bacterial.  You might feel awful with some illness but there might be good indications the illness is viral and an antibiotic is not going to be helpful (as antibiotics only kill bacteria).  The flu for instance is viral and does not require antibiotics.
1098771
You could have Strep throat, Mononucleosis, or several other things going on.  You need to see a doctor in case you need antibiotics!
738572
strep throat is circulating. go see the doctor for a strep test. you may need a antibiotic for a bacterial infection.
180643
If it's really strep, only antibiotics will do it. Definitely go to the doctor to get the test done and get antibiotics.... people used to die from strep before they were in existance, and most cases really will not clear up any other way.\n\nYou'll also probably be in need of a fever reducer, lots of fluids, cough suppressants, and --- if you're anything like me --- a lot of hot tea.
151290
See a doctor!  Sounds like strep throat, which is high contagious and can lead to heart problems if left untreated for a long time.  In meantime, gargle with hot salty water (as hot as you can tolerate and quite salty).
343893
yah this is how strep throat starts, if you dont go to the doctor and get medicine soon.  It will get very sore and you will be lucky if you can swallow water.  I had this 3 times before :(