Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
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.Â
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
The damage done by antibiotics is almost permanent and I have experienced that myself. With my youngest kid so far we have managed to go through the illnesses without ans she is 5 already.
Don’t risk you or your child’s health!!!
I do essential oils, herbal teas, have been a healthy vegetarian for over 20 years. But I always got sick. Very sick…strep, sinus, etc. Finally, last year, an allergist ran a simple blood test on me and found that my body does not produce the antibodies to fight off specific diseases. I was born that way. It is an inherited immune disorder. I was adopted, and know nothing of my medical history. The only way to treat strep when I get it is with meds, and even still my body suffers severely from the illness. I have to either get immunizations or blood transfusions for the rest of my life (or live in a bubble) to avoid getting sick.
Telling people that strep will go away or that everyone can build an immunity to it is dangerous!!!
Yes, this is my problem too. Evidently, my body struggles to fight off Strep, though I do not get sick with anything else, normally, and if so, I get over it quickly.
Sarah, I apologize for being quite late to chime in on this post……however, I wanted to ask your advice. In August my son was hospitalized for strep throat. It was just the ordinary strain, but it went deep into his throat and closed off his breathing so he had to be intebated (sp?) and was given intravenous antibiotics. I am a proponent of the “do nothing” approach so everything about this was more than upsetting. I fear that he will now have problems due to the antibiotics and as you said may be a victim later in life to the strep bacteria. Can you recommend a protocol that will repopulate his system with healthy bacteria?
They intubated your child because he couldn’t breathe because the throat has swelled to the point of closing.. To stop the swelling they had to give antibiotics. Not all strep resolves well or easily. Having had Rheumatic fever myself I can vouch for this firsthand.
Only an MD should give advice on how to treat such a serious strep infection and its aftermath. If my parents had gone with a natural do nothing method and not penicillin I would have died at 11 from heart damage as my infection was not self limiting and Rheumatic Fever can kill you. I am example of penicillin saves life. I repeat I would have died at 11 if my strep had been left untreated. It scares me to read articles like this. I am now in my 40s with kids. You can believe strep is not something I ever take lightly or hope will self resolve. Not my kids they will not go through what I suffered if I can possibly prevent it. Nothing is full-proof, but I’ll try my best.
I know the author is not trying to advocate medical device intentionally, but it is clear from many of the comments here that people are seeking it. She is not an MD or at least has not stated she is.
Now in my forties I am a huge advocate that people not take strep lightly. Some things need to be handled by an MD for a reason.
In case anyone is interested…
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000503.htm
A complication that was not mentioned is acute glomerularnephritis which is very serious and can lead to kidney failure and requires hospitalization. I would be curious to know if the people who took antibiotics finished the whole course of antibiotics as prescribed. Many people just take them until they feel better which leads to resistance. As a nurse I would not suggest not seeking medical attention for strep throat. However, it is good to know that so many people are concerned not only about the health and well being of themselves, but also that of their children. If only all parents were so vigilant and sought the knowledge to protect their children.
My daughter had a severe sore throat and was not tested for strep…Dr. felt the infection was “viral” and did not feel it necessary to run the test…sure the sore throat healed and she felt better…about three weeks later she started having involuntary arm and leg movements on her right side…this is called chorea…due to rheumatic fever because she had strep that wasn’t diagnosed thus not treated…cat scans…echocariograms…and low dose penicillin for the next ten years of her life….I’m thinking a week of antibiotics would have been soooo much better. Not really worth the risk if you ask me.
Ahaa, its pleasant conversation on the topic of this piece of writing at this place at this blog,
I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting at this place.
So I have strep throat now and the only thing I have taken is some nyquil to try and sleep, I am on day 4 now and I was just wondering if you could kind of tell when you would recover because I do not have too much pain when swallowing but my tonsils are still swollen and I have a very vusy next few days.that I really can’t afford to miss.
Thank you for this post and for your stand for natural healing. Thank God, through proper diet and rest our son was never really sick until after he started preschool at age 3. He’s pneumonia and his first ear infection. Both we treated conservatively and with some homeopathy to keep him comfortable. I was anxious about going against the flow when the Doc prescribed the antibiotics but SOOOOOO glad we never picked them up! He turned that ear infection around in no time and the mucus cleared in a couple of days. So much faster than any child I’ve seen who was on antibiotics. I know his immune system is strengthening and very glad to have you as a virtual “mom mentor.” 🙂
I understand the concern about antibiotics but please be conscientious about your decisions regarding your children. My 17 yr. old daughter was treated with antibiotics for strep but the strep was not completely killed. She was taken by ambulance to the ER with a temperature over 106 (I pulled it out and called 911 when it hit 106). She was given fluids and sent home. Several days later she begged me to take her to the hospital. Her oxygen was dramatically low and her kidneys had begun to shut down. Within 24 hours she was septic and on full life support. We watched our beautiful daughter losing her fight as they frantically tried to identify the illness. Without knowing the bacteria she was started on 3 antibiotics as a last ditch effort. One was penicillin which she had not been given because she had it earlier in the illness and they thought because it had not worked successfully it was not the medication needed. But it was. She had strep throat initially (tested positive) which caused a throat abscess allowing a normal mouth bacteria to get into her body and infect it throughout. Please look up Lemierre’s Syndrome, or Lemierre’s disease. It is very rare because of penicillin but has reemerged because people are not always treating strep. After 6 days on life support and a total of ten days in the hospital she was released and is now a relatively healthy 22 yr. old. She made it because she was a healthy teenager. Many are not so lucky. Interestingly, my Mom had surgery in 2003. She got C-diff and was gone within days. I have seen both sides of this issue. Please use common sense. Don’t hesitate if your child is not getting well. This is a good explanation:
http://www.hcplive.com/publications/Resident-and-Staff/2005/2005-03/2005-03_02