The terms strep throat, sore throat, and tonsillitis often are used interchangeably, but they don’t mean the same thing. Many people don’t realize that there is a difference and often treat their symptoms without knowing what is wrong. Show Sore Throat A sore throat is a general term that can describe any type of pain, irritation, or scratchiness in the throat. A sore throat can be caused by many things, including:
If you have a sore throat, try sucking on ice chips, popsicles or lozenges, gargling salt water, or drinking warm beverages with honey. If the sore throat is the result of a virus, antibiotics will not work as treatment. Tonsilitis Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils, two lymph nodes located on each side of the back of the throat. Tonsillitis can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection. As mentioned previously, a sore throat is a symptom of tonsilitis and is usually accompanied by discoloration and swelling in or around the tonsils, as well as a fever. This infection is most common in children between the ages of five and 15, but it can occur at any age. It is more common in the winter and spring. Tonsillitis usually goes away on its own within a week, however, if sore throat remedies do not help relieve the symptoms and/or they reappear frequently, your provider may recommend having your tonsils removed. If tonsillitis is the result of a bacterial infection, an antibiotic may be prescibed. Strep Throat Strep throat is caused by a bacterial infection known as Streptococcus pyogenes, also called group A Streptococcus. Streptococcal bacteria are contagious. They can spread through droplets when someone with the infection coughs or sneezes, or through shared food or drinks. You can also pick up the bacteria from a doorknob or other surface and transfer them to your nose, mouth, or eyes. Symptoms include a sore throat, a fever (higher than with tonsilitis), swollen lymph nodes in the neck and throat, redness or white spots in the throat, fatigue, and body aches. Because strep throat is caused by a bacteria, it should be treated with antibiotics once diagnosed. If you suspect you or your child has strep throat, contact your primary care provider. Only a strep test can confirm strep throat diagnosis, and a diagnosis is required to recieve proper antibiotics. While strep throat, a common sore throat, and tonsillitis have similar symptoms, they are different conditions. If you are unsure of whether or not you or a loved one have a simple sore throat or something more, we encourage you to visit your primary care provider. You’ve been feeling under the weather the past few days and your main symptom is a sore throat. As you research all of your symptoms to narrow down the potential cause, you’ve found that they fall under two different conditions: strep throat and tonsillitis. While both of these affect the throat and have similar symptoms, there are some differences in what causes these conditions and how they’re treated. Let’s explore each condition individually and compare the two so that you can get a better idea of which one you might have. [availability_widget] Streptococcal pharyngitis, most commonly referred to as strep throat, is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and pain in the throat. You can contract the bacteria that causes strep throat through respiratory droplets from someone else by breathing them in, touching them with your hands and then your mouth or nose, or drinking from the same glass. The main indicator of strep is a sore throat that comes on very suddenly, but there are a number of other symptoms, as well. They include:
Most people have twooval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat called tonsils. Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils that is typically caused by a virus, but bacterial infections may also cause tonsillitis. The most frequent symptoms of tonsillitis include:
SimilaritiesReading through the symptoms of both strep throat and tonsillitis, it’s clear why many people have a hard time differentiating between the two. Technically, strep throat can be considered a type of tonsillitis since both conditions present a sore throat as the main symptom, and can affect the tonsils by making them swell and have some sort of white coating or patchiness. These and various other overlapping symptoms like swollen lymph nodes and fever are why many people confuse the two and potentially misdiagnose themselves with one instead of the other. DifferencesScientifically, the key differentiator between strep throat and tonsillitis is that strep is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria, while tonsillitis can be caused by viruses or bacteria. This is why strep throat can be considered a type of tonsillitis, but not the other way around. Group A Streptococcus bacteria is what separates strep throat and tonsillitis and causes the slightly different symptoms of each condition. For example, people who have contracted strep throat may experience additional ailments like body aches, nausea, and even vomiting. If these develop on top of the previously mentioned symptoms, there is a good chance that you have strep throat and not tonsillitis. Another major difference between these two throat conditions is how they are treated. Since strep is solely caused by a specific type of bacteria, it is treated with an antibiotic medication. This can also be the treatment option for tonsillitis caused by bacteria but not will not work on tonsillitis that’s a result of a viral infection. The treatment options for a viral tonsillitis include:
Receive the Right DiagnosisWhile you’ve hopefully gotten a clearer idea of how strep throat and tonsillitis differ, you shouldn’t use this guide to diagnose yourself with one or the other. It’s important to receive the right diagnosis from a medical professional so that you can know for sure and be put on the right treatment regimen. At DispatchHealth, we understand that with the ongoing presence of coronavirus and public health advice to stay home, you may be cautious about going to an urgent care or doctor’s office for a diagnosis and treatment of your potential strep throat or tonsillitis. You can avoid this by having DispatchHealth come to your home for comprehensive medical care. Not only do we have a team of highly trained medical personnel, but we’re carefully following all safety protocols related to COVID-19 to keep our patients protected. Contact DispatchHealth via phone or through our website or mobile app. SourcesDispatchHealth relies only on authoritative sources, including medical associations, research institutions, and peer-reviewed medical studies. What's worse tonsillitis or strep throat?Symptoms of strep throat are very similar to tonsillitis but tend to be more severe.
What is the difference between strep and tonsillitis?Strep throat is an infection caused by a specific type of bacteria, Streptococcus. When your child has a strep throat, the tonsils are usually very inflamed, and the inflammation may affect the surrounding part of the throat as well. Tonsillitis is inflammation (swelling) of the tonsils.
Are strep throat and tonsillitis treatment the same?Treatments and Prevention
Bacterial infections, including strep throat, are usually treated with antibiotics. For viral cases of tonsillitis, treatment is with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin).
Is tonsillitis and strep throat the same test?If your doctor suspects tonsillitis or strep throat, they will swab the back of your throat to take a sample. They can use a rapid strep test to determine if you are infected with strep bacteria.
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Is strep throat and tonsillitis the same
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