Strep Throat vs. Virus

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hello. I am trying to decide if I should go to the doctor. I don't want to go, just to find out I have a virus and I simply need to wait it out. The thing that concerns me is that I have had a sore throat for a week. Here are the symptoms I have had: fever (1st 24 hours only), chills, sore & achy body, get tired easily, sore throat, congestion (started as nasal, then went to lungs), goopy & blood-shot eyes and a cough. The mucus is yellowish, green. I have done all the typican home remodies such as drinking tons of liquids, getting extra rest and taking extra vitamins (C, especially). Today marks one week since I first got the fever.

Dear Sophie: I realize your concern about your current condition. If the person that told you that you had a viral infection is a Health care provider, he or she should have also told you that usually a sore throat caused by a viral entity could last form one to two weeks until full recovery.

Certainly there are cases in which a viral infection could turn into a bacterial infection with the necessity of prescribing antibiotics in such cases. If you notice any pus on your throat and the pain increased tremendously even when passing saliva plus spiking fever you might want to consider a visit to your physician to rule out bacterial infection with a quick Strep Test.

If the symptoms are decreasing in general, the chances of them to improve in the next days would be even better. Viruses need to finish their process and could take a week more for you to feel completely recovered. I wish you a prompt recover.