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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 agree that this was a case of letting the body strengthen it self instead of giving it a crutch. I have taken antibiotics for strep and kept getting it and now I took Smart Silver for it once and never got it again. I wrote a few articles about Smart Silver and have a description of what it is. Here is a link to the description, PART 1, PART 2, and PART 3 of my Smart Silver series.
We deal with strep in our house primarily with echinasea throat spray. Not all of my family can have it (allergic reaction to echinasea) but those that can when they start having that awful painful sore throat we spray our throats down 4 or 5 times daily and usually between that and the chicken soup it is gone within a day. It tastes terrible but it works. In all three of my kids only one has ever had to have antibiotics for strep that was stubborn to clear up. Strep can be serious, and I would not just leave it alone. But I don’t think that antibiotics are the only answer or even the best answer most of the time. Natural medicine is always given the first chance in our house and only after it does not correct the situation do we go with more powerful drugs.
I had Strep Throat with a touch of mono when I was 13, and almost every year since I would battle either strep, or severe sore throat. I would end up at the doctor getting a shot. Until I started taking Saba, I am now taking Saba for 5 years, and haven’t had Strep Throat since…
I haven’t read thru all the comments, but a wonderful alternative treatment is to gargle with cayenne powder. My hubby was bringing it home every month, with the resultant antibiotics for all 5 of us! I got guttate psoriasis as a secondary problem every time I had strep, so I know when a treatment works. Since we started using cayenne 6 years ago, we haven’t had a problem with strep since. We gargle at the first sign of sore throat. In fact, that’s what got me started on alternative health!
i have to chime in on a couple things. for one, the cayenne has worked for me too. that and some warmed raw acv and raw honey “tea.” i appreciate the attempt to not go to antibiotics for everything personally. i do think some of the commenters (not lorelei) seem misinformed. i did have strep b positive for 2 of my 5 pregnancies – all while eating completely whole foods and living a healthy lifestyle. also, i have had strep throat more than once even after fighting it off naturally with cayenne and riding it out with rest, so it definitely can come back (but doesn’t very often, last time was 5 years ago). i would highly recommend gargling cayenne as it is both high in vitamin c and a natural pain reliever (it numbs your throat so you can drink and even eat throughout).
Interesting… Are Antibiotics Necessary for Strep Throat? – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/L0Mdt1dX
Hi Sarah,
This post hits close to home, as my husband just had two bouts of strep within the last month and used antibiotics both times. We don’t live in an area with I can get or make good fermented dairy, so I’ve just been giving him homemade fermented vegi’s. So you reccomend any probiotics? Also, I was wondering if you’ve seen anything linking antibiotics to infertility?
Thank you for all you do!
Sarah, I have a question. The older I get, the more I stay away from medication of any kind and especially when I am sick, I let myself fight it off. But my son has gotten the same thing within 3 weeks. Not sure what’s causing it. One doc. said allergies, one said bronchitis… :S I really don’t want to give my child any meds but he was wheezing and breathing shallow the 1st time he got it and it freaked me out! My son also has eczema.. I am wondering if you would give your child antibiotics if they weren’t breathing well? Other times he’s been sick, I just let his body fight it and I’ve been able to handle it without being frightened..
Try getting a breathing machine. You can make homemade saline solutions. It dramatically helps my daughter when she starts to wheez. It actually helps my son tremendously. He got croup when he was very young. On occasion, a cold will cause it to flare up. Both of my kids, I let their bodies fight it. If they are getting worse (the way they act) then I’ll take them to the doctor. But I am a firm believer to let the body have first crack at it. Follow the instinct you have.
Remove wheat. Sounds like an autoimmune response, the lung restriction(bronchitis?) And exema. I know years too late but that’s what it seems like. Antibiotics will make the exema worse. As for what sounds like bronchitis, doctors can’t tell the different between viral and bacterial but prescribed antibiotics anyway >_>.
Having gotten Crohn’s taught me alot, namely trying to stay away from antibiotics and balancing my gut. Healthy guts and bodies don’t get streph or if you start to get it, zap it with oil of oregano and it’s gone. Repeated bouts of streph means your body immunity is low and you probably get colds and other illnesses too. I have been sick in 5 yrs. since I don’t eat carbs or sugar having been on the SCD diet for years by choice. Same for my 11 yr. old and my husband. Sugar is kill your immunity.
My family and I eat gluten free, organic and no processed foods, and I’ve had strep 4 times this year with no antibiotics as I’m allergic to cephalosporins as well as penecillin. It keeps returning, so all arguments made on the side of “ride it out, or eat helthy” are completely flawed.
I totally agree Lori, you can see my post way down at the bottom basically. Riding strep out once will NOT make you immune to it. There are over 100 subtypes of strep in the US so to actually become “immune” you would need to catch all of them, but you’d have to really be on a mission then ha.
Thank you for saying that.
How is your stress level? I find that even when I try to do all the right things: diet, natural cures/supplements, if I have a high stress load for one reason or another, I get sick. When I feel the sickness coming on (that initial achy, run down feeling, I eat my raw garlic and increase my vit c intake and am usually fine w/in 12 hours)
Are Antibiotics Necessary for Strep Throat? – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/xiVphty8
Hi Sarah,
Ive been following your post for many months, and have learned so much from your many videos on traditional food preparation. I do want to tell you of my experience with strep. At the age of 8, I went to the doctor after having strep symptoms. Prior to this, I had, had strep yearly for 3 years. Now this was 30 years ago, back in the day when they called if your strep test was positive, no call if negative. We recieved no call, my mother still called as I was still quite ill. They confirmed, no call, no strep. So life went on, that is, until I presented with large amounts of blood im my urine. The strep had settled in my kidneys. I was hospitalized for 9 days. Granted, I have never had strep again, but I was a very sick child. So many people, myself included respect and trust your take on things. This postion, I believe could be quite dangerous. I was hoping for a holistic alternative. That I would consider. Simply riding it out. Not my kids! That said, ironically none of my 3 biological children have ever had it so hopefully I there was passed immunity from my illness, Thanks for all you do, but please consider warning people that there are real dangers from strep, just as others and myself have posted.
Hi J Shealy, the post is pretty clear about the complications from strep including kidney damage. If you read through it, it in no way suggests the no meds approach for everyone.