Untreated strep throat looks like a severely red, swollen throat with white patches/pus on tonsils, tiny red spots (petechiae) on the roof of the mouth, and swollen neck glands, often accompanied by fever, headaches, and difficulty swallowing, potentially developing into a sandpaper-like rash (scarlet fever) or serious complications like rheumatic fever or kidney issues.
Strep throat accounts for only a small portion of sore throats. If untreated, strep throat can cause complications, such as kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can lead to painful and inflamed joints, a specific type of rash, or heart valve damage.
Symptoms of strep throat occur quickly
“You can also have headaches, and bellyaches or abdominal pain with it as well,” Dr. Patel said. “But at the back of your throat where your tonsils are, you can notice redness. Sometimes you can have white patches of exudates, which is kind of like pus or streaks of that as well.”
Rheumatic Fever
It can develop if strep isn't properly treated early on and can cause nosebleeds, abdominal pain, heart problems, swelling, and twitching.
Scarlet fever is an illness that can happen in kids, usually 5–15 years old, who also have strep throat or strep skin infections. The strep bacteria make a toxin (poison) that causes a bright red, bumpy rash. The rash spreads over most of the body and is what gives scarlet fever (also known as scarlatina) its name.
One to 2 days after the illness begins, a red rash usually appears. However, the rash can appear before illness or up to 7 days later. The rash may first appear on the neck, underarm, and groin (the area where the stomach meets the thighs). Over time, the rash spreads over the body.
Yes, strep throat can often resolve on its own, as the body fights off the Streptococcus bacteria, but it's generally not recommended to skip antibiotics because untreated strep carries serious risks like rheumatic fever (causing heart damage), kidney inflammation, and abscesses, and antibiotics quickly relieve symptoms and stop spreading the highly contagious infection. While symptoms may improve in a few days without treatment, the bacteria can linger, causing complications and making you contagious for longer (up to three weeks), whereas antibiotics clear the infection within about 24 hours.
Strep Throat Symptoms
Symptoms can be many and can include:
Symptoms of a head infection include: Severe headache. Changes in personality or behavior (e.g., confusion, irritability) Seizures.
Symptoms of strep throat
Tonsils that are red and swollen, sometimes with white spots or streaks. A fever, typically above 101°F. Headache or body aches. Some individuals with strep throat may develop a specific rash called scarlet fever.
Strep throat causes the body to initiate an immune response against the infection. Certain patients produce antibodies, called auto-antibodies, that also attack the individual's healthy brain cells. Previously, scientists did not have a strong understanding of how these autoantibodies entered the brain.
6 complications of untreated strep throat
There are additional risks to letting a strep infection go untreated. Bacterial infections that resist the body's own immune response are likely to spread to other areas. Other possible complications of an untreated strep infection include: Infection spreading to the ears, tonsils, sinuses or lymph nodes.
PANDAS is a specific type of PANS that is believed to be caused by a strep infection. When the immune system fights the infection, it may mistakenly attack healthy areas of the body—including the brain—which can lead to the sudden development of OCD, tics, and other symptoms of PANDAS.
Symptoms of sepsis
Fast, shallow breathing. Sweating for no clear reason. Feeling lightheaded. Shivering.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is a rapidly progressing infection involving shock and multi-organ failure. Diagnosing STSS can be difficult and patients are often misdiagnosed. Treatment focuses on addressing issues with shock and specific organs that are failing.
Group A Streptococcus, also called group A strep, is a bacterium that can cause many different infections. These may cause sepsis. Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is a life-threatening emergency that happens when your body's response to an infection damages vital organs and, often, causes death.
Most patients with strep throat feel worse for 2-3 days before they begin to feel better. Strep throat typically resolves on its own within 7-10 days. Typically, strep throat can last for 7- 10 days. Strep throat symptoms improve between the third and fourth day.
Visible Signs of Strep Throat
Red, swollen tonsils. White patches or spots, or streaks of pus on the tonsils or back of the throat. Tiny red spots (petechiae) on the roof of the mouth. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
Get a new toothbrush after 2 or 3 days, but before finishing the antibiotics. Otherwise, the bacteria can live on the toothbrush and reinfect you when the antibiotics are done.
As mentioned before, allowing strep throat to run its course without the use of antibiotics may cause a higher risk of complications, such as rheumatic fever, especially in children.
Foods to Avoid when You have Strep Throat
8 Foods and Drinks to Soothe Your Sore Throat