If you have strep throat?

Strep throat is a bacterial infection affecting the throat. It can present with a sore throat, fever and swollen glands, but similar symptoms occur with viral infections. A clinician may examine your throat and decide whether a test is needed; symptoms alone do not confirm the cause.

Rest, drink regularly, and choose soft foods if swallowing hurts. Use pain or fever medicine only as directed and check suitability with a pharmacist. If antibiotic treatment is prescribed, take it exactly as instructed and do not share leftover medicine. Replace close-contact items according to clinical advice, wash hands, and avoid preparing food for others while acutely unwell.

Contact a GP if symptoms are severe, are getting worse, or are not improving after treatment begins. Seek urgent help for difficulty breathing, inability to swallow fluids or saliva, drooling, a muffled voice, severe dehydration, or swelling that is much worse on one side. These signs can indicate a complication requiring prompt care.

Ask whether a throat test is appropriate, when treatment should start, how to take each dose, when you can return to work or school, and what symptoms mean you need another review.