IF you’ve beaten strep throat once, you certainly don’t want to deal with it again.

Yet, if you or your child are among those who develop recurring strep throat, know these five things:

• Strep throat is a highly infectious disease.

• Children are more susceptible to strep throat, which strikes millions of people, young and old, worldwide each year.

• Science researchers are making discoveries about what causes the condition.

• Treatment methods are available to prevent your strep throat from developing into a more serious condition.

• You can take steps to help prevent strep throat or to soothe your irritated throat.

What is strep throat?

As the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains, strep throat is named after the bacteria responsible for the illness: group A Streptococcus (GAS). These bacteria live in the throat and nose tissues. They can easily spread between people through talking, coughing, sneezing, kissing, and other airborne and saliva-sharing ways.

While a sore throat that comes on quickly is a common sign of strep throat, be aware of these other symptoms:

• Painful swallowing

• Inflamed or swollen tonsils (sometimes dotted with white pus-filled spots)

• Swollen neck glands

• Small red dots on the roof of your mouth

• Fever

• Headaches

• Aching muscles

• Rash

• Nausea or vomiting

• Stomach pain

Additionally, infants with strep throat might develop a pus-like discharge from their noses and refuse nourishment.

Your sore throat might be a virus, not strep, if it’s accompanied by a runny nose, cough, hoarseness, or pink eye. But it’s always best to have your doctor conduct a GAS bacteria test to determine if it’s strep throat or just a sore throat.

It’s important to know that some people who aren’t suffering from strep throat might still test positively for GAS. This can occur if a person is a GAS carrier.

Who gets recurring

Children most commonly develop strep throat, but it can affect people of all ages. The bacteria can spread through settings in which infected and healthy people are in close quarters, such as schools and day care centres.

If you or your child get strep throat and undergo a successful treatment plan, unfortunately, you’re not immune to the GAS infection. And even if you avoid people with strep throat symptoms, you could be exposed to a GAS carrier. This is a person who’s asymptomatic but can still infect you.

But why are some people more susceptible to recurring bouts of strep throat than others? Researchers found factors that, if working together, can lead to recurrent strep throat: genetics, certain cells going haywire, and an inability to produce the necessary antibodies to build strong immunity.

Treating recurring

Though the research noting the cause of recurring strep throat might be the first step towards a vaccine, a cure is well in the future.

For now, a course of antibiotics is usually an effective treatment for strep throat.

A physician or paediatrician might recommend a long-term course of antibiotics to prevent recurrent infections until the end of the school year.

The important thing is getting treatment ASAP as untreated strep throat can develop into more serious conditions. And it’s essential to tell your doctor if your strep throat symptoms don’t improve after taking all the antibiotics prescribed.

Soothing your throat at home

While at-home remedies should not replace professional treatment from your doctor, you can try some things to help soothe pain or inflammation caused by strep throat.

Some helpful ideas that are also good for a non-strep sore throat:

• Get plenty of rest. Sleep is a wonder drug.

• Drink chicken soup or warm tea with honey or lemon.

• Suck on ice pops or drink iced beverages.

• Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt or baking soda in 1 cup warm water, then gargle every few hours.

• Use a humidifier to moisten your living-space air, take a hot shower and breathe in the humidity.

• Take over-the-counter pain medication per package directions.

• Adults only: Suck on throat lozenges or hard candies.

• Avoid dehydrating and irritating items, such as caffeine, alcohol, and smoke.

Preventing strep throat

Good hygiene practices can help prevent strep throat infections and other infectious diseases. These practices include:

• Washing your hands frequently (and for 20 seconds each time) with soap and water, especially before preparing meals or eating. Carry around an antibacterial hand rub that’s alcohol-based just in case you’re nowhere near soap and water.

• If you sneeze or cough, covering your mouth and nose with a tissue and then putting the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue handy, sneeze into your upper arm or inner elbow — not your hands.

• When caring for someone suffering from strep throat, washing their used utensils, plates, and glasses thoroughly.

If you recognise strep throat symptoms in your child or yourself, please see your doctor right away despite following prevention methods.

However, if any member of your family gets strep throat time and time again, have a heart-to-heart with your doctor about the best course of action for recurring strep throat.

Dr Sharon Robinson, DDS, has offices at Dental Place Cosmetix Spa, located at shop #5, Winchester Business Centre, 15 Hope Road, Kingston 10. Dr Robinson is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, School of Oral Health Sciences. She may be contacted at 876-630-4710. Like their Facebook page, Dental Place Cosmetix Spa.