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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.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
I believe I currently have strep, and so far I haven’t done much more than drinking some good tea with honey, and shoving ibuprofen down my throat every once in ahwile. I’ve noticed the white going away so I’m hoping it’s improving on its own, but it’s definitely still sore, but not unbearable. Just rather uncomfortable. Weird thing is, I thought I had an immunity to it because I had taken care of my ex three times, even to the point where the last time I didn’t really worry about transmission and we still kissed and such. (this was like a year ago) but now, I suddenly have it, out of nowhere.
At 20 I got strep. It started on a Saturday. I had to wait until Monday to go to the doctors. When Monday came I was feeling better so I didn’t go. Two weeks later I was in the hospital. I could barely move. My strep didn’t go away it got worse in a horrible way. When I read articles about how rare complications happen I cringe. It happened to me. I’m pretty normal. Instead of deciding on your own, maybe going to a doctor so they can monitor and make sure the person is actually over the strep and not getting worse. All the turmeric in the world wouldn’t have helped me.
Strep throat, when diagnosed in children should never be left untreated. The complications, although rare can be great. Not to mention the spread when that untreated person is potentially contagious for a much greater period of time. Antibiotics are to be used only when necessary, yes. A child with strep would be one of those times.
I just stumbled across this article while currently having strep and honestly good for you for forgoing meds but you’re definitely right about that not being for everyone. I went for about 7 days untreated because I was sick but I didn’t know it was strep so I was just trying home remedies until it kicked it up a notch and I started running a fever for a 2 days off and on. Then I got this whole myriad of other issues where I actually thought I was going to die because I was in so much pain and was sick for too long. Finally went to the doctor and found out I not only had strep(which really surprised me), but a sinus infection (which I thought was the only thing I had), and an ear infection. So they put me on antibiotics And I finally feel human again. I definitely got a rough bit of it.
This didn’t cure her sore throat, but it did made an amazing improvement on my 5 year old, so I’ll be interested to hear if you’ve ever used or heard of using: PEPPERMINT essential oil mixed w/ oil (forget what kind, coconut??) and applying to outside of throat. My daughter’s throat was so sore that it hurt to swallow. Did this for a day/night and she woke up and said it wasn’t bothering her. Unfortunately, we didn’t further using it since she said she was fine and a sore throat reappeared again 2 weeks later. Now, at the same time in my other daughter’s prek, kids had been out right and left due to illnesses, and it felt like we were getting something every 3 weeks but with different symptoms. We were recovering (I used oil of oregano, tumeric, cayenne and apple cider treatments while my husband used antibiotics) so perhaps my daughter got something different 2 weeks later?? My husband’s was concerned that it was never fully cured so we took her to doc immediately 2nd time, which of course, when you mention homeopathic remedies to the doc, they roll their eyes and gave my husband the impression that she probably had been suffering that whole time with strep. Also, my daughter had allergies which we didn’t know at the time (earliest appt wasn’t for 7 months!!!) So, not sure what happened, but will be trying the peppermint oil and your suggestion before visiting the doc if there’s a next time. Another thing about these antibiotics that isn’t always so well communicated — you have to take the entire prescription for the length they give it to you or else your body (this was what they told me) can build up a resistance and then next time you will need an even stronger one. With little kids and us all being sick, it’s sometimes hard to NOT forget about this when the kids better, back in school with activities, etc. So, if you don’t follow that antibiotic to the “T”, then you really are risking severer consequences. My mom wasn’t aware of this when I was younger and my sister REPEATEDLY had strep and ear infections and this went on for years oddly until they were ready to pull tonsils, then miraculously she stopped getting sick (just prior to removal). My mom said that she didn’t always finish bottles but my sister had been better for days. Some would say, shame on her, but the warnings/instructions on these bottles are actually quite scary so I think we comfort ourselves saying “that rarely happens” and for some that also means the rest of the instructions are not so important either, like: take this entire bottle or else!. So, you have to be careful either route you take!
“Have been taking Dayquil, Nyquil, Cough suppressants you name it”
Have you tried raw apple cider vinegar? Elderberry tea? Gargling warm salt water? Raw Garlic? Cayenne? Ginger? Turmeric? Honey?
All of the thing I mentioned are natural antibiotics and are designed by nature to strengthen our bodies support system.
All of the things you are trying are made to give your immune system backup support. If you have been sick for 3 weeks your body isn’t being giving the proper immune support.
I had strep a ton as a kid. Every time I had to have antibiotics. I got it more and more and more, every stinkin’ year. That bacteria really like me. Finally in my early 20’s I went to an ENT doctor. He said my tonsils looked like swiss cheese many episodes of it. LOL He decided it was time to remove them. Horribly painful to have that done at that age. More painful than my csections were. However, I have never had a confirmed case since then. I have had antibiotics for other things, but much less often than my teenage years. My children 5 & 9 are non vaxed, and rarely medicated for anything. They have had antibiotics for UTI’s but they have never had strep at all. I suspected it once about a year ago, but the tests were negative. So my experience is useless for your theory, however, given I rarely medicate my kids for anything and their immune systems are far, far stronger than mine or my husband’s…. I would buy into your theory possibly being right.
I think the Good Lord designed our bodies to heal a lot more than we give them credit for. Hard to prove though, since most companies are interested in profits mostly. Strep does make me nervous because of those potential complications. I would probably be inclined to give my kiddos extra time for their bodies to kick it naturally, but I would admittedly be afraid to go for too long. Typically my children kick bugs in 2-3 days though. I would have to take it case by case. But my experience is less meds and intervention is probably better, when possible. But that has to be done with great observation and care too.
A friend of mine just passed away after 3 years in a vegetative state because of an untreated strep infection. Had he sought medical treatment earlier, he’d still be alive today. He was a healthy adult male in the prime of life. Yes, antibiotics should be avoided when possible but there are very real dangers. Strep should be treated immediately!
Sounds like it was internal strep not strep throat. Yes, if someone gets a strep infection from the hospital after surgery etc it can be a big problem! Strep throat, on the other hand, will resolve in a few days with or without antibiotics and medical doctors as cited in the Canadian Family Physicians journal are calling for a halt to automatic antibiotics for this type of illness.
Curious about the auto-immune risk you are referring to. My kids are healthy celiacs. One had strep but I only caught the tail end of it and didn’t do the anti-biotic. Both have never done anti-biotics.
Good for you for keeping your kids off antibiotics! They will surely thank you one day. There is always additional level of risk in forgoing meds if an autoimmunity condition is present. It’s up to you as a watchful parent to judge whether that additional risk is excessive or not based on what you know about your child’s medical history.
I’m glad that you are amongst the 20% of patients that do get better without antibiotics albeit with a few weeks of suffering. However, the majority end up with some sort of complications such as a Quincy, Septic middle ear, febrile convulsions, hospitalisation etc not to mention the additional cost and down time…
We consume more antibiotics daily from the foods we consume than getting the odd course of antibiotic a couple of times per year.
What a cynical point of view! Even WebMD admits that MOST strep patients get well without meds, so I have no idea what hat you are pulling that 20% number from!