Help, strep throat?

[hootipatooti22]

I felt rubbish yesterday with a bit of a sore throat, congested head/nose etc. woke up in the night with horrific sore throat and this morning my throat is so swollen. Not my tonsils, for want of a better term - it's that little dangly thing in the back of my throat. It's huge, almost looks fluid filled but I'm not sure. It's making it hard for me to swallow and I'm talking funny.

When I looked online the first thing that came up was potential strep throat. I freaked out as I have young dc, one is only a year old. Could I pass it to them? We've all had colds so it's possible one has given it to me but although ds has a sore throat last week he wasn't complaining about it to the extent of how I'm feeling. Is this something I ride out with rest and fluids? Or should I worry?

This isn't DoctorsNet I'm afraid.

Check NHS website for any useful advice, if you're concerned about passing onto child then avoid kissing them and coughing around them. Wash your hands routinely.

Could you upload a photo of the back of your throat?

I know I just wondered if anyone else had had it and experienced similar symptoms.

Doctors can swab for it and get a very quick result. If it is strep you need antibiotics, which generally take a couple of days to work but then clear it entirely.

If you are having trouble swallowing, are drooling etc you should see a doctor. Quinsy is an abscess in your tonsil and is worse than strep and may need lancing.

I'm not a doctor though. I just get throat and tonsil ailments a lot. Really the only advice you should take from my response is to see a doctor

Also - worrying on it's own is a waste of energy (said with kindness). Don't panic, strep is really painful but easily treated with medicine. Don't let it get worse while you stay at home worrying. See a doctor, or if that's not possible where you live, a pharmacist. You'll soon be on the mend

I have those very same symptoms and put it down to pharyngitis (had it before) Salt rinses paracetamol/ibuprofen help as does drinking plenty to stop dry throat. It usually goes after 5:6 days.

Thank you guys. I don't think I can get to the doctors today. I am snowed under with work and kids commitments. However if it hasn't improved by tomorrow I will go get swabbed. I wouldn't have even thought of strep A if it hadn't been on the news recently. In the meantime I will gargle with salt water and try and keep the pain under control, it's actually not too painful it's just uncomfortable as the back of my throat is massive.