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More parents seem to be making an effort in recent years to limit antibiotic exposure for their children. This is due to concerns about how this may impact long term health or contribute to increased susceptibility to deadly superbugs such as C-Diff. Treating strep throat without meds remains a glaring exception to this trend.
It seems that whenever a doctor diagnoses a child or even an adult with strep throat, there is no question that they require an immediate round of antibiotics. Even those who typically avoid meds and follow a more holistic lifestyle seem to fall into this trap.
Strep Throat Symptoms
There is no doubt that strep throat is a serious infection. It is a bacterial infection and involves severe inflammation of the throat and tonsils. Typical signs of strep throat include:
- Sudden, severe sore throat
- Fever higher than 101°F/ 38 °C
- Pain when swallowing
- Pale colored spots on the back of a bright red throat
Some people suffering from strep throat will also get swollen lymph glands in their neck. Others experience vomiting or a red skin rash.
How Long Does Strep Throat Last?
Strep throat will only last 3 to 7 days with or without treatment. Doctors usually treat strep throat with antibiotics even though they will not make you well any faster. Strep throat contagiousness will continue for 24 hours once antibiotics are started. With no treatment, strep throat continues to be contagious until symptoms resolve.
In response to the persistent overuse of antibiotics for strep throat, the journal Canadian Family Physician states:
… symptoms caused by a bacterial sore throat [strep] fail to clear much faster when treated with antibiotics than they would if left alone.
It is certainly easier and quicker to hand out prescriptions every time than to explain and reassure. Each time we do this, however, we reinforce patients’ fears.
Do family physicians have to declare a conflict of interest in answering these questions? If we were to lower ourselves to examining the vulgar subject of money, it is certainly in our financial interest to keep many patients scared enough to rush to our offices whenever they get sore throats.
In view of the large number of antibiotics prescribed for sore throats, perhaps it is time to review whether we should be using such treatment for strep throat infections at all.
Is Strep Throat Overmedicated?
Mmmm.
Sounds like the idea of not administering antibiotics for strep throat may not be as crazy as it first sounds. Are doctors overmedicating strep throat just like they overmedicate ear infections, colds and sinus/respiratory infections?
A round of antibiotics has the potential to cause permanent damage to the gut flora. This, in turn, has a lifelong impact on overall immunity to both chronic and acute illness. Skipping those antibiotic pills altogether may prove in the long run to be the smartest approach of all.
Do You Have to Get Antibiotics for Strep Throat?
In light of the fact that every round of antibiotics potentially damages the gut in a manner than can never be 100% repaired, I think questioning the automatic use of antibiotics for every single case of strep is worth consideration. While some people clearly need meds, they are not necessary for everyone even if the suggestion may seem ludicrous at first.
The complications of strep throat are, after all, extremely serious. However, they are also rare especially for a healthy person with no autoimmune issues. Scarlet fever, inflammation of the kidney, or rheumatic fever which could permanently damage the heart are all remote possibilities.
I dated a guy in high school who was deaf in one ear from Scarlet fever (who is ironically now a MD). I am in no way kidding myself about how serious complications from strep throat can be by questioning whether antibiotics are truly needed for this type of infection.
My Experience with Untreated Strep Throat
My serious doubts about the wisdom of using antibiotics for strep throat go back to my one and only experience with this infection the summer I turned 15. Strep was by far the worst sore throat I’ve ever had and the pain when I swallowed was almost unbearable to endure.
My Father, a Family Physician, made the decision not to put me on any antibiotics and let me ride it out under my own power. My Dad wasn’t into herbs or anything so I didn’t have any alternative treatments administered either.
The infection lasted over a week … my memory remembers a full two weeks but it might have been a few days shy of that.
I lost several pounds during that illness as I could only endure swallowing liquids the entire time. I pretty much subsisted on vanilla milkshakes from the ice cream shop down the road for the duration of that awful infection and I still got well under my own power with no complications.
The interesting thing is that I seem to have developed an immunity to strep ever since. I’ve never had strep throat ever again in 35+ years. This is despite repeated exposures at close range. During college, I even had a roommate with strep and didn’t get sick. This despite eating pretty rotten cafeteria food and lots of sugary foods. This no doubt suppressed my immune function considerably.
Is it possible that allowing the body to fight off strep throat naturally on its own confers partial or total immunity?
I’ve often considered this possibility over the years. My personal belief is that yes, it is very much possible to develop an immunity to strep throat. Certainly, though, my anecdotal story does not in any way provide sufficient evidence.
I can say with certainty that if and when any of my children (or myself) ever came down with strep throat, hands down I would without question skip the antibiotics.
Why?
Developing Strep Throat Immunity (yes, it’s possible!)
The reason is that folks who take antibiotics for strep throat seem to get it over and over and over again. Sometimes they get strep throat again within mere days or weeks from the previous infection. Have you noticed this vicious cycle too?
Wouldn’t it be a far better and healthier approach to fight it off one time and be done with it possibly for the rest of your life?
My retired MD Dad is of the philosophy that if you give the body a crutch every time it gets ill, it will always expect and demand that crutch. This results in immunity getting weaker over time. I have witnessed the truth of this philosophy through observation. Those who have the tendency to over-medicate their illnesses whether it be with antibiotics or (gasp) even natural remedies can unwittingly experience a downside.
Attempting to squelch illness at the first sign of a sniffle, for example, is not a wise approach in my opinion even if nontoxic.
The immune system stays strong when it is allowed to fight and defeat an illness with no interference. Ideally, rest and nourishment only (including frequent mugs of homemade bone broth or soups made with it) should be provided.
Now, I do think that much consideration needs to be given to the health of the individual before forgoing the meds. A child with autoimmune issues who is not eating well in the first place probably should just take the antibiotics.
On the other hand, a robust healthy child with no autoimmune illness who is consuming an excellent diet has a superb chance of handling the infection well with no intervention.
My Daughter’s Experience with Untreated Strep Throat
Recently, my preteen daughter came down with strep. She is my youngest child, and this was the first time any of my three children had ever had strep throat.
Given that she is healthy with no underlying health issues, my husband and I decided to ride it out. We treated her with natural antibiotics only.
The result?
She recovered completely within 48 hours. In fact, the white spots on her throat disappeared in less than 12 hours once we started treatments. We used garlic, raw manuka honey, and turmeric several times a day.
It will be interesting to see if she ever gets strep throat again. My bet is that she won’t. She will likely develop partial or total lifelong immunity just like I did when I recovered at age 15 from untreated strep.
UPDATE
It’s been nearly four years including a very bad flu season with no recurrence of strep for my daughter. It’s looking good for her having developed natural immunity.
Have you recovered from strep throat with no antibiotics needed? Did you develop a strep throat immunity afterward? Please let us know your experience in the comments section.
References
Canadian Family Physician, Should we treat strep throat with antibiotics?
More Information
How to Repair Your Gut After Antibiotics
Why Antibiotics Today Could Threaten Your Life Tomorrow
I’d love to know any alternative treatments for strep if you know of any. Thanks!
I know folks who have used colloidal silver (not sure if they gargled with it or swallowed it .. probably both would be helpful) with great success.
HI Sarah,
As always, an interesting and thought provoking post. It brings to light the age old dilemma of the risk vs. benefit in treating a patient. What you are saying is that people and doctors need to really think long and hard about the consequences of either decision — not just to rely on the easy written prescription. There are potential consequences to both and patients and care givers need to take more responsibility to decision making. Thanks for this great post!
I know this comment is 2 years old now but I couldn’t agree more. To bad it is almost impossible to find a doctor where I live who does anything other than push pills.
The era of small town doctors is gone, at least in my area. With no health insurance seeing a doctor sets one back anywhere 100-300 dollars here per visit. To then only be told here take meds. I have spent thousands of dollars seeing doctors different ones as well. All and I do mean all only recommend medication, even when brought up concerns about medicating. So.. Until something drastically changes in how America’s health care system works I don’t see this going away. I was about to go yet again to get meds, but thanks to Sarah I think I will fight it out and never take a antibiotic again.. I do mean never. I am sick ever month from something or another. I wonder why I never made the mental connection of the meds over counter and prescription. The poor nutrition I am working on, I grew up on eating nothing but fast food and junk food.. .literally nothing else. Strange thing is my father who eats this way is healthy as a horse, I am sick and majorly obese. Then again he never goes to the doctor for medication other than b.p. meds as his work requires him to.
John,
It’s not too late to repair your health! What a great start to recognize your background of terrible eating (I have the same) and then to swear off antibiotics. We are doing the same and I have slowly come out of a very unhealthy state. When we get sick now, even if it’s a sinus infection which doctors ALWAYS told me that cannot be fought alone, you must have antibiotics, we just figure out a way to rest, eat well, and we also use some natural antibiotics like Grapefruit Seed Extract. You almost have to be your own Doctor if you can’t find a good one, which we cannot. Still looking though!
Wow, Sarah!!! I wish I had read this 25 years ago! I got strep from friends that had it. I took antibiotics and within 10 days of being off the full course of antibiotics, I got strep again. And the cycle continued for more than a year! It turned out their cat was a carrier with no symptoms! But from that cycle of continuous strep, I continued to get sicker and sicker. My immune system never completely recovered. I started getting sinus infections, which I never had. I started getting bronchitis and even walking pneumonia. And this cycle continued until 1998, when I decided that the ways of the doctors were NOT working! They were only treating my symptoms, not getting to the root of the problem. I have only gone to the doctor once since 1998 – and that was a waste of time and money. During those first few years, i got sick continually, but the duration of the sicknesses became shorter and less severe. Now, I go to a Nutritionist and I’m eating healthy (something the doctors never mentioned). I’m recovering from poisoning I got from my new house (long story). My Nutritionist has greatly helped me and now, I am around people who are sick and I don’t get sick! Incredible! So, all that to say, I agree with you!
THANK YOU, Sarah, for all you do!!!
Fantastic story Sandi! Thanks for sharing and kudos to you for breaking the vicious cycle of overmedication of illness.
I just started reading your blog and I really enjoy it so far. I would just like to comment, though, that my grandmother had untreated strep when she was a little girl and it gave her severe kidney problems.
Welcome to the blog A Commenter! I am sorry to hear about your Grandmother’s complication from strep. Yes, it is a serious infection. I wonder if there were other factors that played into the complication she experienced such as poor diet or other physiological issues that dragged her immunity down.
Most likely other causes that attributed to the kidney problems, like too many toxins in the body. She probably had them before she acquired the strep, as strep is just your body’s way of getting rid of stored up toxins.
I’ve been researching it all day since I have it and am in bed. Here is some valuable information about the historical nature of the illness. It’s been four days, but I’m much much better. 🙂 This is from a homeopathic assocation. http://www.centerforhomeopathy.com/strep-throat/
“The urgency is no doubt rooted in the historical fact that acute rheumatic fever, which would often result in damaged heart valves, was once a common complication of strep throat. But that has not been the case for going on a half-century. Cases of rheumatic fever started dropping before antibiotics were available, and by the 1970’s it was virtually eradicated. According to some medical researchers, those strains of bacteria are not occurring anymore and, interestingly, most of the few cases of rheumatic fever that do occur are not preceded by a sore throat.
Nevertheless, there is this historical memory that compels most medical professions to treat strep aggressively. So, it is also not uncommon that a report about the ‘necessity’ for a course of antibiotics given a child otherwise under my care is presented to me, often after the fact. A suggestion that the next time perhaps it would be best to discuss treatment beforehand is often met with doubt, angst or, at best, a regretful “It didn’t even come to our minds to treat it homeopathically”.
Hi Sarah,
I completely agree with you. However, one interesting thing to note… As a child I had repeated strep throat infections despite never being given anything for them. One winter, I think I had it four or five times! I have no doubts as to why this was so, my mother was the daughter of a pharmaceutical chemist and was not very well herself, thus I inherited little healthy bacteria due to her overexposure to antibiotics and then not having much healthy flora to pass on. Due to her own experiences, she had a strong desire to not medicate me at all. Without my mother’s insistance on not giving me any kind of medication I do not think my health would be as good as it is now (and I am still working on it).
What a blessing to only have experienced strep throat once. I would not wish it upon anyone! Thanks for this. It is nice to hear of others who feel similarly concerning medication and illness.
My mom had untreated strep that moved to her whole body. It was bad. I think if you have never had strep and you are otherwise healthy and can rest and let your body work fully on healing it is possible to get better without antibiotics. I, however, think if you have been treated for it before with antibiotics you should probably not risk it as your body is probably waiting for more antibiotics to take care of it for you. There is no answer to this one that will fit everyone’s needs, as you said. If you have a healthy, robust child who comes down with strep throat, they probably can recover. If your child is always sick their immune system probably won’t be able to fight it off, so I wouldn’t risk it.
Laura, the reason kids are sick all the time is because they’re over medicated. Too many parents treat for every cough and sniffle and sore throat. Too many don’t let a fever do it’s job and kill the infection that’s going on, they’re too worried about getting the white blood cells down vs letting them fight as they’re meant to. Our bodies were not created to just sit by and let antibiotics do the fighting, but was created to fight. Not sure how old your mom is, but ultimately those growing up from the 50’s on, have been over medicated and raised to believe that’s what’s best.
Christy, what about people like me, and 2 of my 3 children… You see, we have Osmodic Spherocytosis. Its a blood disorder that destroys your organs…mostly, your spleen. As most people with a chronic case of this disease, we’ve had our spleens removed. As soon as we start the slightest little sinus infection, or something, they need to get us on antibiotics fast, or it goes into something more serious. Just this past January, I went from a simple kidney stone to in a coma with a severe blood infection in just hours and found myself in ICU for 6 days, then still in the hospital another 4 before coming home. What do people like us do? I’m 49 years old, and have already gone through the gambit of antibiotics…not just ones I can’t use anymore, but ones I’m allergic to…lethally. I’ve changed our diet, our way of living…and even our way of thinking to more natural terms, however, I still can’t just “let it work its way out” as suggested. Any ideas? 🙂 They would be most appreciated! 🙂
organic garlic (chop it up and swallow it raw every 2 hours), tons of vitamin c (until you have diarrhea) and a consistently high level of daily vit D when unable to get 15 minutes of sunshine per day (depending upon where you live you may have to supplement Sept through May)
Please avoid the excessive use of Vitamin C if you have other health issues. Vitamin C can be toxic in large doses, though people generally believe this to not be the case. You can injury your kidneys with the abuse of Vit C dosages. The OP should definitely not be overdosing on ANY vitamin or mineral.
In response to Jenn:
Please try to be specific and refrain from giving misleading information. It is speculated – without positive experiments – that higher doses beyond recommendation can lead to the creation of kidney stones. In fact, no connection has ever been proven. Kidney stones are relatively easy to prevent as long as you don’t dehydrate yourself and drink water regularly.
Also, increased Vitamin C was shown to help protect the kidneys in experiments dealing with rats and hypertension.
It is ambiguous to say Vitamin C can be toxic in large doses, as that threshold has never been actually reached. A vitamin C overdose is estimated to be just under 12g/kg. This means 12,000mg per kilogram of weight. An 150 lb person would need to ingest 816,000mg of Vitamin C to reach that mark.
For perspective, that is almost two pounds of Vitamin C (1.79lb). You’d be hard pressed to ingest that much vitamin C in a short period of time.
Now, I can think of one way it can undoubtedly be toxic: Vitamin C increases blood absorption of iron. If someone has an iron overload disorder, high doses can trigger hemolytic anemia. In that case, yes, refrain from high doses, or consult a doctor.
Debbie, I feel for you that sounds terrible what you must go through. However I would like to share some tablets I use for my sons bouts of tonsillitis and strep throat. They are 100% natural homeopathic and work quicker and better than antibiotics (he has been on AB every month for 9 months out of 12). It is called Angin-Heel. The ‘Heel’ drugs also do loads of other remedies for other ailments. I swear by these they are amazing. Just google them to find your nearest supplier.
Good luck.x
Please have been dying from the complications of Strep Throat (Rheumatic Fever) for centuries, I don’t think here mom got ill because she was over medicated, she got ill because she didn’t get the antibiotics she needed it time.
That is the reason antibiotics were invented, because large numbers of children died from bacterial diseases on a regular basis before 1945. So the idea that if you just don’t take antibiotics, you will get stronger and develop an immunity to strep throat is false. You may develop an immunity, or you may develop a serious complications, which are actually the result of your immune system trying to fight off the bacteria. The heart damage in Rheumatic fever isn’t caused so much by the bacteria, but by the immune system trying to kill of the bacteria.
Penicillin and antibiotics were invented for a reason…being that people died and got seriously ill from common illness like Strep throat all the time back in the day. But all the health nuts can believe modern medicine is evil, not treat their kids or immunize them, and hope for the best. Hopefully, they don’t end up with heart damage or dead — but at least they won’t have Yeast over growth.
What about those of us who can’t take antibiotics because of IBS and such things? What are we suppose to do? Why do people always write off people using natural approaches as “health nuts”? I have used herbs, vitamins and supplements such as green food, etc for many ailments and had great success. I don’t take drugs because all you hear on TV are all the ads with side effects that sound worse than the original illness and ads from attorneys to contact them if you have taken this bad drug. Cranberry juice WORKS for UTI that I use to get alot and after using cranberry juice I haven’t gotten any since. Also Tart Cherry Juice as well as several herbs have done wonders for my arthritis. Why would we use these things if they don’t work. They do. Drug companies just want to make a lot of money that is why people are pushing these drugs.
I have strep throat right now and don’t intend to take antibiotics. I have gargled with salt water and eaten plain yogurt slowly to make it stay on my throat longer. Also have drank alot of herbal teas and honey. I love the suggestions about the garlic, honey and cayenne pepper as well as gargling with ACV. I am going to try that as well. Already my strep has improved since I started the natural approach. Thanks for your blog and great suggestions! Keep up the good work
Newish reader who has never commented before. I would be fully inclined to agree with you on this except that I just recently found out about a coworker who was hospitalized and out for three months due to untreated strep that moved into her brain. That sounds extreme but is “apparently” true. Point is I would like to further investigate this from both ends before I make the leap of not medicating my 10 year old every time he gets strep. And yes, he gets it often even after having his tonsils removed.
PS – Really find your blog interesting and informative.
Thanks for commenting BuggyV. This article is not to suggest never taking meds for strep but rather that the knee jerk response to always give them is not the correct way to go either. Thought must be given to each situation. As for me, I would not medicate my children but I feed them very well and they have no auto immune issues.
Interesting thoughts in the article and comments. I’ve often wondered at the general health of my children.
As a young child, I would often fall prey to colds, bronchitis and even pneumonia. My mom was a real believer in modern medicine and was always ready to give me baby aspirin and run me to the doctor’s for antibiotics. In third grade, I have already suffered bronchitis and pneumonia by November and a throat specialist recommended removing my tonsils (my older siblings had already had theirs removed as a matter of course, which had gone out of vogue by the time I was born). After my tonsils were removed, I was never again diagnosed with pneumonia or bronchitis.
In my teens I finally contracted Strep. I recall being very concerned because I remember my older (by 6 years) sister getting it years before and thinking how terrible it was. Many friends were getting it and I knew antibiotics were the usual treatment. I did not want antibiotics because they always made me feel bad and I hated the taste (they were mostly liquid back then). Given that was a good 30 years ago, I hesitate to be positive on the matter, but my recollection was that the doctor said my case was mild and maybe a wait and see approach was best. My memory tells me I received no antibiotics for it
[I hit submit by mistake.]
I think that was the case, because an impression was left because I did NOT receive antibiotics.
The whole point of this is to add my own casual observation. Through the years my sister’s children have repeatedly contracted Strep and have always been put on antibiotics. On the other hand, my 8 children (from 25 to 2) have so far never to my knowledge had Strep. I always wondered why. Was it lifestyle (we both homeschool, but there was a period of years her children went to school)? Where we lived (she lives in MN while I live where we grew up)? General habits (she, like our mother, usually went to the doctor for any ailments while I discontinued that habit by the time my oldest was 5)? This last one was the one that bothered me the most. Did my children ever get strep but I didn’t know it because I never got them tested? Could I have been on the verge of risking their long term health because of that? I would think strep symptoms would in no way go unnoticed and I would have done what was necessary. I do not recall my children having such symptoms. Sore throats, yes, but not strep.
This post encourages me that I have not somehow “missed” the signs, but that they have very well – as I suspected – never contracted the disease, with a possible reason I can look back to. Thanks. 🙂
Hey Buggy V, I used to have strep 3-5 times per year for a spell when I was 12-15. ( I got too grown to stay home and eat my oatmeal and codliver oil for breakfast as was my mothers custom in the winter. I opted instead for a cream cheese and jelly bagel like my friends. Prior to this change in breakfast I was only out of school for the chicken pox in first grade.) My mom alway got penicillin for me when I had it… (even convinced some well meaning doctors to prescribe it before the throat cultures came back, since she couldn’t take another day off of work to come back for a scrip. Little did she know the home cooked food she made for me and rest probably helped me more than the antibiotics). I got strep (when I was stressed and run down) occasionally until I was 29. I was suffering from psoriasis, candida and frequent UTI’s. The best thing that could have happened to me was that I was a temp and had no insurance. I was tired of waiting all day to pay cash for them to prescribe me more pills, that I couldn’t afford, that never solved the problem and usually made something else worse. The antibiotics made my candida unbearable. After some research, I decided to stay home for a week and ride it out with some probiotics, oil of oregano drops and collodial silver for relief. It’s been over 6 years, and I never got it again. I rode out my next UTI with no antibiotics, or pain killers… only pro-biotics and cranberry, and never got that again either. Eventually got rid of candida too, but that’s another story.
Correction. I got rid of candida and psoriasis (autoimmune), wheat and dairy allergies over the course of years. Nutrition, (WAPF, Cleanses etc ) and persistance under the guidance of a good Naturopath can get almost anyone to be robust and healthy. If it worked for me it can work for ANYONE.
Shaniqua –
I think it’s so wonderful of you that you responded when someone asked you to email them with more info on how you balanced your candida problem! What a blessing you gave! My story is similar to yours, and I’m 28 with candida that’s out of whack in my body. I would really like to hear how you were able to overcome candida and be more normal again. Your comments are from a while ago, are you still around??
“Over the course of years. Nutrition, (WAPF, Cleanses etc ) and persistance under the guidance of a good Naturopath ” This is how she got rid of it.
If your wanting free info, google WAPF, Cleanses. Just my suggestion.
I got ride of candida myself by not eating any processed foods. So veggies, fruit, chicken, eggs, and rice. Took 3 months for mine to clear up. Good luck.
I’m sure we all remember that Muppet creator Jim Henson died from an untreated Strep infection. Strep can be a serious infection that can invade your heart, kidney or brain. It is fine to wait a few days, using home remedies and give your immune system time to work, but if you still have symptoms (especially fever) after five days, you should consider antibiotics.
years ago before antibiotics many children died of scarlet fever which is a member of the strep family.
Yes, antibiotics are sometimes needed … but some people need antibiotics for a simple cold too (secondary bacterial infection)! Just because some people need meds, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to prescribe them for every single case. There is no free lunch with antibiotics … they do lots of damage to the gut environment that takes months or even years to repair and if the repair isn’t done, the imbalances can lead to worsening health down the road.
Are Antibiotics Necessary for Strep Throat? – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/esAH6zhI
Sarah! This is a really excellent and informative post. I love the whole “crutch” reference. It’s so true and I can feel it in my own body. Thank you for this. It’s being filed away in my arsenal of good material:)
Thanks Andrea. Many times the answers to our questions are right there if we can just open our eyes and observe the obvious.
Are Antibiotics Necessary for Strep Throat? – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/IZpza8M6
I went through a period in my early 40’s where I had strep throat repeatedly over a 6 month period of time. I was on several antibiotics and it kept coming back. Finally, in desperation, I searched the internet and was blessed to talk to an MD that told me if I had never had rheumatic fever or scarlett fever by the age of 40, then I would not get it. Basically, he told me, after age 40, you don’t need antibiotics. I believed him, threw away the antibiotics, and allowed my body to heal by itself. Looking back, I think I was actually allergic to the antibiotics and that is why my throat did not heal. I also learned that the strep bacteria out there now is not near as dangerous as it was 50 years ago. Not sure why.
Both of my kids had strep throat when they were little and I didn’t know any better and they took the antibiotics. I am not sure if I would do things differently with them back then if I had known what I know now. But, I have learned that adults are better off without the antibiotics.
This is also true about the tetanus shot. No way would I get one of those, and I have had puncture wounds in the recent years with gardening tools. I researched and learned that tetanus is so very extremely rare, even with those non vaccinated. The lesson in all of this is to research, research and research and then you can make an educated decision.
I was 41 the first time I had Rheumatic Fever AND I got RF because I chose not to treat a known strep infection based on Googling posts like this!
It was horrible.
I’ve had the exact same experience, I had strep throat many times when I was young in my teens and early twenties. The last time I had it, maybe I was 24, I was between jobs, and didn’t have money for a doctor and decided I would power through it without the antibiotics. Since then , I am 40 now, I have never had strep throat even after being exposed.
My wife had strep recently and was put on antibiotics, which made it go away, but then it came back with a vengeance three months later. Though the antibiotics had initially banished the strep, they caused her other health problems.
When the strep came back, I researched natural cures online and found a recommendation from experienced naturopath family practitioners to take a mixture of garlic, raw honey, and cayenne pepper with a spoon. After swallowing wait a while before eating or drinking so that it can coat the back of the throat. The garlic and raw honey kill the bacteria and the spicy pepper draws the blood to prevent healing. Another recommendation was to gargle with raw apple cider vinegar.
My wife did both and felt completely cured within 12 hours. It was almost miraculous how well it worked. I made about five ounces or so of the garlic/honey/pepper mixture and she didn’t even have to finish it to be better.
Can you please give me that recipe?? I need it bad right now!!
You sir, are an angel sent from heaven. I took 2 spoons of this mixture every 3 hours and like you said, dont eat or drink afterwards but when you do, follow it with the mix. i beat it in less than 24 hours. Crazy.
the CAYENNE pepper is extremely important, youll feel like youve been eating hot wings all day but its worth it.
May I please have the recipe also?
Excellent article. Confirmed my notion to not run to the drugs:)
I have strep right now… and I’m hoping I can overcome it without antibiotics. I’ve used them in the past for strep, and I kept getting it again and again. I will try using Apple Cider Vinegar… I have a good Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar in my fridge right now, thank God! Hopefully this is the last time I get this…
Hi Tiffany, did the apple cider vinegar work for your strep?
Yes, did the vinegar work. I am going on day 3 of a sore throat and took a big swallow of the vinegar and it burned by throat horribly. Will the cayenne pepper mixture burn as well? Help, I’m a teacher with a great immune system and not used to being sick….and it’s spring break!
I am not for using antibiotics for everything, but when I was 4 or 5 I got strep throat and my parents didn’t realize it, then a few weeks later I came down with rheumatic fever which damaged my heart. I still caught strep throat all the time after that episode and had scarlet fever, so riding it out definitely didn’t work for me.
Also, How do you know if was strep? I had strep many times and usually the sore throat is actual mild compared to when I had a sore throat from a cold, the headache is more pronounced, last time I had it, I thought I was sick to my stomach
It sounds to more more like the author had Mono, because this causes a very severe sore throat for 2 weeks that makes it hard to swallow, while strep is usual mild and has a mild fever, its the complications that are severe. Regular viral tonsilitis also causes a worse sore throat then strep. Unless you get test, there is no way to differentiate strep from viral sore throat, by 90% of the time it just a virus and not strep and a lot of viruses cause a worse sore throat then strep throat.
I disagree. I get strep ALL the time since I started working in daycare at the age of 19. I am 28 now, and have had it three times this year so far. It is the most horrible sore throat of any….even when I did have mono. That was a breeze compared to any experience with strep. The fevers I get too are just ridiculous, definitely not mild in any way. I’ll have the chills and shake until my whole body is tired. I have it again right now and it is horrible, but unfortunately I just started a new job, (this week!) don’t have insurance yet, and can’t afford a visit to the clinic so here I sit powering through it for the first time ever. I’ve always had to go right to the clinic so that I didn’t get any kids sick, but now with an office job its only myself I have to really worry about as long as contact with my co-workers is limited for the time being. Maybe this is what I need to start training my body to care for itself again, since as a child I was NEVER sick.
I agree. The doctor thought my strep throat was a viral infection and was very surprised to find the tests showed I had strep. You need to be tested before you decide that what you’re curing is in fact strep. Antibiotics will not cure a viral infection. I also had strep continuously while working in daycare (between 18 and 21). I finally had my tonsils removed and did not have another strep infection until I was 39.
I agree. The doctor thought my strep throat was a viral infection and was very surprised to find the tests showed I had strep. You need to be tested before you decide that what you’re curing is in fact strep. Antibiotics will not cure a viral infection.
Ahhh, I assume you’ve done a lot of research on this issue and hopefully not based this on your Dad’s opinion, and your one and only experience, and your children’s experience with strep yourself. We all have streptococcal (strep) bacteria on our bodies pretty much all the time. I’ve had it twice, (ten years apart) both when working 50 – 55 hours a week, and in a grade school environment at a time when it was running rampid in the office. Strep IS contagious when air-born. I was given anti-biotics, and it hasn’t returned since.
On the other hand, I was terrified the last time I got it because I passed it on to my 87 year old mother. Without antibiotics, she most likely would have died. I’ve seen enough strep to be able to recognize it in a friend. Iv’e had a friend who attempted to “ride-it-out” with out meds and ended up missing a whole week of her son’s “rite of passage” ceremony. She was a pretty healthy woman. Was in terrible shape until she let me take her into town to an MD…and get treatment.
I share this to say that I think it’s dangerous to make an assumption about the treatment of strep infections. I agree that we need to limit our use of antibiotics, but not when it comes to this infection. Especially if you are around Elders or children, or anyone with a compromised immune system. It’s one thing if I live alone. But if not – sometimes it’s not all about me.
Every situation is different, of course, but keep in mind that there are few things that will compromise an immune system more than an antibiotic. Antibiotics don’t just kill the “bad” bugs, but they kill everything in your gut, including the flora that are so important for a healthy immune system. Which is why you will often get sick again not long after taking them. You should read Dr. Robert Mendelsohn’s book “How To Raise A Healthy Child: In Spite Of Your Doctor.” It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Written before this country went drug crazy like it is today. He was a pediatrician for over 30 years and knows what he’s talking about.
I completely agree. This article is totally anecdotal and the author’s experience could equally have been cause by simply being lucky.
This is not how science is done.
Unfortunately, this is how science/pseudoscience is done on the blogosphere these days.
I question whether the people riding it out aren’t mistaking a viral infection for strep throat. I get what antibiotics can do to the intestinal flora, but strep can wreak its own havoc as well. As a parent I would never withhold medication for this infection without strong medical science to back the decision. I think that it’s abusive on many levels.
From what I’m reading, the main reason for giving antibiotics is not to clear it up faster, but to lessen the length of time you’re contagious. 24-48 hours after taking an antibiotic you are no longer contagious, while without it you can be contagious for weeks even after all symptoms have disappeared.
However, as my daughter was the one who gave it to me and I don’t have to worry about passing it on to her – who will in turn infect other children at school – and since I do not work outside of the home, I’ll be passing on the antibiotics.
So just keep in mind when you’re “riding it out” that you’re also exposing everyone you come in contact with.
unless you have work and you need to get over it before 2 week
As a child, my mother never took us kids to the doctor when we were sick. I recall one particular time when I was very young. I laid in bed for days with strep. I’ve never taken antibiotics for strep (and rarely for anything else) and I continue to get it every other year or so when my kids bring it home. Perhaps we’re all just different whether we take antibiotics or not.
How do you know you have strep throat if you didn’t go to the doctors and get tested for it? There are other infections similar to strep. I think people are so hilarious when they self diagnosis and treat themselves.
I just came down with strep two days ago and went to the doctor yesterday. I prefer not to take pharmaceuticals but thought that was the only way to get rid of it. I took the first round of antibiotics yesterday, but now after reading these testimonials i don’t want to finish the course. Can anyone offer guidance here? are there any potential complications with starting the antibiotics and then stopping?
You should never stop taking antibiotics without your physician telling you to do so. This is why there is an antibiotics problem. People don’t take their full course, for varios reasons, many because they feel better before they are done taking them, thinking they no longer are infection, but this isn’t true. This is how the very bad, antibiotic resistant bacteria have formed over time, and can also cause bacteria in your body to become resistant, and could have worse implications for you later down the road.
If you have scarlett fever one time. as I have, you will change your opinion above. I also have a dear friend who at 18yrs old had a heart attack outside her work from untreated strep. She now has a permanent heart condition.
Do it naturally or with meds that is your question right? Awnser is simple weight the options. No meds means complications can occur. Serious ones at that. Life altering. Meds can damage your stomach ( very rare like one in billion ) my opinion to you dont listen to any crap off the internet. Go to the doctor and ask them what if I use meds what can be the risks? What if I dont what are the risks? I’ve had Streep twice in my life 18 – and now at 27 I used meds both times. Why because I can live with changing my diet if the unexpected happened. I dont want to change my lifestyle if I dont take meds and end up with more than my body can handle. Than your gonna be taking meds anyways unless your nuts enough to beilive in that self healing crap. Sorry to say to all the nature nuts and feel good hippies humans are not living longer because of letting our immune system fight off infection. Its because of medical advances thank you and good night
People are not living longer – current generations have life expectancies shorter than those of their parents – and we are an over-medicated society.
As an MD, I really like this article. It is one that is not actually written from bad misinformation from the media or hype that tends to go around about antibiotics or other medical practices. This is very well put. I just wanted to add that the younger a person is, the higher the chances are for complications to develop, or immune systems to not to recover, and to spread to other parts of the body. So when a younger person gets this infection, a general estimate of 12 or younger, most like to be safe and treat with antibiotics. However, this type of infection, if left untreated, is very contagious, even with the best precautions taken, and can be infections for quite a long time after symptoms disappear, up to weeks for some individuals. Most people cannot miss days to weeks of school or work because of something like this, and it is just completely irresponsible to go out in public if not being treated with antibiotics for at least 5 days after symptoms go away. The great benefit of antibiotics is that almost all people are no longer infections 24-48 hours after starting the regimen, which allows thm to return to their lives without the irresponsible risk of infecting others.
My moms dad wouldn’t let her have antibiotics when she had strep throat when she was little. She ended up with rheumatic fever. She had heart complications all her life. She had a heart valve replaced when she was in her early thirties. She was always sick because her heart was always in atrial fribulation, the valve didn’t help with that. We lost her a little over a year ago at the ripe old age of 57, the other half if her heart went into fribulation. Her father was an herbalist and a naturalist. They never were unhealthy. I don’t think anyone should die that young.
Can an adult with an autoimmune disease (thyroid) skip antibiotics as well?
I appreciate this article. Thanks for the information. I wish that I had a doctor like your father when I was growing up…too many doctors are all too happy to give out drugs for instant relief…our medical system has become a convenience store where we seek to find quick answers, when in actuality our bodies are not meant to run on quick answers but a balanced healing process… thank you again. You have encouraged me to not forgo antibiotics with strep, in which my daughter has a mild case right now, but I decided to seek advice first because my gut was telling me not to jump over to the clinic.
Yes, I’m allergic to quite a few classes of antibiotics, one type anaphylactically. So when I got strep throat last winter, and also the winter before, I used raw garlic, each time the infection lasted only two days, with two cloves of raw organic garlic minced and put into empty capsules. I didn’t get strep throat this year yet. I sure hope it stays that way! I was so glad to be able to get rid of it without risking my life with antibiotics, and also that they cured it so quickly!