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Tonsillitis and Strep Throat: What´s the difference?

You may have heard the terms tonsillitis and strep throat used interchangeably, but this is not accurate. You can have tonsillitis without having strep throat. Tonsillitis may be caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria, which is responsible for strep throat, but you could also get tonsillitis from other bacteria and viruses.

Keep reading to learn more about tonsillitis and strep throat.

Symptoms

Tonsillitis and strep throat have many similar symptoms. That’s because strep throat can be considered a type of tonsillitis. But people with strep throat will have additional, unique symptoms.

Causes

Tonsillitis can be caused by a variety of germs, including viruses and bacteria. It’s most commonly caused by viruses, however, such as: influenza, coronavirus, adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, HIV.

Tonsillitis is only one symptom of these viruses. Your doctor will need to run tests and review all of your symptoms to determine which virus, if any, is the cause of your tonsillitis.

Tonsillitis can also be caused by bacteria. An estimated 15-30 percent of tonsillitis is caused by bacteria. The most common infectious bacteria are group A Streptococcus, which cause strep throat. Other species of strep bacteria may cause tonsillitis as well, including: Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Chlamydia pneumoniae (chlamydia), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea).

Strep throat is caused specifically by the group A Streptococcus bacteria. No other group of bacteria or virus causes it.

When should you see a doctor?

You may not need to see a doctor for tonsillitis or strep throat. In most cases, symptoms will resolve within a few days of home care, such as rest, drinking warm liquids, or sucking on throat lozenges.

You may need to see a doctor, however, if:

symptoms last longer than four days and show no signs of improvement or have gotten worse

you have severe symptoms, such as a fever over 102.6°F (39.2°C) or difficulty breathing or drinking

intense pain that won’t subside

you have had several cases of tonsillitis or strep throat in the past year.

Treatment

Most treatments will relieve your symptoms instead of actually treating your condition. For example, you can use anti-inflammatory medications to relive pain from fever and inflammation, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin).

To relieve symptoms of sore throat, you can try these home remedies: rest, drink lots of water, drink warm liquids, such as broth, tea with honey and lemon, or warm soup, gargle with salty warm water, suck on hard candy or throat lozenges, increase humidity in your home or office by using a humidifier.

Tonsillitis and strep throat are both contagious, so avoid being around other people while you’re sick, if possible. With home remedies and lots of rest, your sore throat should clear up in a few days. See your doctor if your symptoms are extreme or persist for a long time.

(03/31/2021)
by Health Line

More Information: https://www.healthline.com/health/tonsillitis-vs-strep-throat

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