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Strep Throat and Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies can help a person with symptoms with strep throat
infections.
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What is Strep Throat?
Strep throat is caused by a highly contagious Streptococcus
bacteria, the Group A streptococcus bacterium.
The throat becomes inflamed and irritated, resulting in a sore throat, with a
sudden onset. About 15% - 40% of sore throats in children are related to
strep. Scarlet fever may occur and this is a strep throat accompanied by a
rash. Treatment of scarlet fever is no different from that of simple strep
throat.
Where
Does Strep Occur Besides the Throat?
Strep bacteria can also occur in the sinus, ears,
nose, lung, stomach, bladder, large intestine (gut) as well as the
throat/tonsils.
Contacting a Strep Throat
Hand to hand contact such as sharing personal items and touching objects
such as doorknobs, telephone receivers or pens can also transmit infection. The
infection is most contagious during the initial 24 to 48 hour
period.
Incubation Period For Strep
The incubation
period of an illness varies depending on the infection and can be anywhere from
a few hours to weeks, months or years. The typical incubation period for strep
throat is 2 to 5 days, with the average being 3 days.
Concerns About Strep Throat
The main reason for the concern about strep throats is that they can lead to
a more serious illnesses, including kidney inflammation and rheumatic
fever. The person with a kidney disease from a prior strep infection
becomes quite ill, but usually recovers without any permanent ill effects. On
the other hand, rheumatic fever can lead to permanent heart damage
to one or more of the valves of the heart. Rheumatic fever has become quite
rare, but it is still important to take it seriously. Rheumatic fever can be
prevented if all the strep germs are killed within the first ten to twelve
days of the infection. Various studies have
shown that even the proper use of orally administered penicillin
fails to eradicate strep bacteria
in up to 30% of those treated.
Other significant concerns are the onset of
PANDAS after a strep infection.
Watch
a video about getting a strep throat culture (About 2:26 min. - 2nd half
is about strep in wounds)
The diagnosis of strep throat is
based on the symptoms, physical examination and laboratory tests. Your doctor
will do a thorough examination of your throat and tonsils by checking for redness,
swelling, white streaks or pus. Tests that will determine the presence of
streptococcal bacteria include:
-
Throat culture
A sterile swab is rubbed over the back of the throat and tonsils to obtain a
sample of the secretions. The sample is cultured (grown) in a laboratory
with a waiting period of 24-48 hours before streptococcal bacteria may be
detected.
-
Rapid antigen test
A swab is used to take a sample of the foreign substances (antigens) from
the back of the throat. This test will be able to detect strep bacteria in
15 minutes. If the result is positive for streptococcal bacteria, treatment
may begin immediately. Not all rapid antigen tests are accurate and many
doctors may use throat cultures if the results of the rapid tests were
negative.
-
Blood Test - ASO Titer Test for Strep - read more about
this test on on PANDAS page
When you are exposed to harmful bacteria, your
body produces antibodies. These antibodies help
protect your body against future infections from the same bacteria. They are
specific to the bacteria they were produced against. These
antibodies can be detected using blood tests. One such blood test is an
antistreptolysin O titer
(ASO) test. The ASO test measures antibodies against
streptolysin O. These antibodies are made when you are exposed to
group A Streptococcus (GAS).
Many people don’t have symptoms. Therefore, their infections may not be
detected. Complications—referred to as post-streptococcal complications—can
arise if GAS remains in your body. The ASO titer test is
essential in detecting GAS.
Strep
Carriers
Mothers treated for strep at birth are strep carriers
and often given antibiotics for Strep.
This impacts the
newborn.
A
child who gets repeated strep infections such as ear infections, sinus
infections, swollen tonsils, sore throats, conjunctivitis (pink eye), and/or test positive for strep six
or more times in one year may have become a strep carrier.
Repeated strep infections can
happen even after antibiotic treatment.
This
indicates that antibiotics were
suppressive to the immune system and the body was not able to eradicate the bacteria completely
from the system.
We recommend homeopathy as a 100% safe
alternative to antibiotics for all strep infections!
About the Types
of Strep That Show in a Stool Test:
-
Alpha and Beta strep are
hemolytic, meaning they cause the rupture of red blood cells.
-
Alpha causes partial hemolysis,
and Beta causes complete hemolysis making Beta more pathogenic than
Alpha.
-
Gamma hemolytic strep does not
cause hemolysis but can cause a lot of trouble anyway.
-
The bacteria associated with Alpha
hemolysis are: S. pneumonia (streptococcinum) and S. viridans
(non-pathogenic, non-pus forming).
-
The bacteria associated with Beta
hemolysis are: S. pyogenes (group A, strep throat); S. agalactiae
(Group B, pus forming, pneumonia, meningitis, systemic bacterimia); and
Dysgalactiae (Group D, systemic bacteremia).
-
Bacteria associated with Gamma
hemolysis (no hemolysis) are the Entrococci (formerly known as
Streptococcus) E. faecalis, E. faecium, S. durans, S. avium, S. equinus.
-
The most harmful are Beta hemolytic
Group A and B, but any bacteria that is allowed to overgrow is
potentially harmful.
Why Use Homeopathy for Strep
Throat?
-
In most cases, antibiotics are not necessary to
treat a strep throat or strep related illness. Antibiotics will always
kill beneficial bacteria along with the pathogens and disrupt the
immune system!
-
Studies have shown that when antibiotics are given for strep
throat, the infection tends to recur more often than when they are not
prescribed.
-
Many
antibiotics also tend to create resistant strains of bacteria and do not
work effectively when they are really needed.
-
One of
the most complicating issues is that strep bacteria typically do not
disappear completely following a course of antibiotics. The bacteria will
persist even after signs of the infection have disappeared. Some children
will be always positive for the bacteria, which means they chronically
“carry” a small amount of strep bacteria. Taking another antibiotic even
though there is no active infection disrupts your immune function further.
Homeopathic Remedies For Strep
Throat
Homeopathy is a successful, helpful way to treat strep throat in
an effective, holistic way
without the use of suppressive antibiotics
-
Apis
Stinging pains in the throat,
with swelling. Throat feel constricted. Pharynx has a shiny
appearance. Blisters in throat, with much swelling inside and outside.
-
Arsenicum
Sore throat with chilliness,
thirst, and restlessness. Throat pain relieved by warm drinks. Throat pain
is burning. Pain worse from swallowing in general, cold drinks or
exposure to the cold.
-
Belladonna
Great
dryness and brightness of the throat. Worse on the right side.
Glazed appearance, the fauces
(the narrow passage from the mouth to
the pharynx) are inflamed. Tonsils are swollen and enlarged.
Constant desire to swallow. Constricted sensation
in the throat. Worse from swallowing - sometimes liquids and even food are
ejected through the nose. Great soreness from the swelling and of the
throat. Aversion to drinking with the sore throat.
-
Hepar Sulphur
Ulcers in throat, sensation of splinters or fish bone in throat. Pain
extends to ear, worse on yawning and swallowing and turning the head. Better
by warm drinks (like Lycopodium).
Chillness especially in dry cold winds, or cold
east winds. Fever with sweating and a desire to be covered up.
Profuse perspiration, but wants several blankets to cover. Worse from
drafts, open doors and windows. Used for discharges of pus in throat, tonsillitis and an
abscess
-
Lachesis
Sore throat that is left-sided or
left to right. Sensation of fullness of neck, difficult breathing, choking
ongoing to sleep or swallowing. Throat symptoms worse from warm
drinks. Unable to swallow. Pain worse empty swallowing. Purple throat.
Sensation of a lump in the throat, which seems to go down when
swallowing, but returns again. Constriction of throat and difficult
breathing, worse waking from sleep or after sleep. The throat is
sensitive externally. Throat is bluish-red and the pain is greater than the appearance of the parts would warrant.
Irritable mood, and nervous sore throats. Deep-seated chronic inflammation of the glands of the pharynx.
-
Lycopodium
Sore throat that is right-sided remedy of right to
left. Relieved from swallowing warm drinks (opposite to
Lachesis with no aggravation during sleep and no constriction of throat
like
Lachesis). Pain
extends into ear like in Belladonna,
Hepar Sulphur,
Lachesis,
Cantharis and
Phytolacca.
-
Mercurius Solubilis
Sore throat that is spongy, feels full and
with stiffness of neck. Throat dry, swallowing is difficult. Bad odor, marked, tongue, thickly coated, takes imprint of teeth,
glands
enlarged, dark red throat. Prostration, weakness. Offensive sweat. Worse
at night, trembling of limbs. Dryness and great soreness of the
throat so that the person will feel like they need to swallow constantly,
Very sore with swelling of the glands. Throat is raw and burning, red and swollen.
Sore throat change of the weather. An offensive
breath is a guiding symptom.
-
Phytolacca
More right sided sore throats with glands swollen, thick tenacious mucus.
Worse at night. Worse
from hot drinks. Aching in all bones, body feels bruised and
sore, bed feels hard. Mouth is fetid, tongue coated. Pain better with cold
drinks. Worse with warm drinks (like Lachesis).
Pain and stiffness in the cervical region. Throat is dark
in color, the tonsils are dark red, the parts feel sore. Pain
on swallowing is at the root of the tongue. General aching
in the back and limbs. Constant desire to clear the
throat of phlegm or a sensation of a hot ball.
-
Rhus Toxicodendron
Sore throat pain better by warm drinks and warmth in general. Restlessness,
must move including in sleep.
Symptoms begin after straining the voice or from cold, wet weather. Thirsty
for sips of water. Dry mouth, dry sore throat. Body aches and pains while lying
still. Worse when first starting to move, but get better with continued
motion.
-
Sulphur
Lingering sore throat. Discomfort from warmth; general lethargy. Sensation of a lump,
splinter, or hair in the throat. Offensive breath, offensive
perspiration and discharges. Burning pain in throat pain with dryness of the mucous
membranes. Better from drinking warm liquids.
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