If your elderly loved one has started to complain about a sore throat to you or her elder care provider, you might find yourself wondering if some simple gargling with salt water and sucking on lozenges will be all your loved one needs or if you need to bring her into her doctor for an evaluation and possible medication.

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that will make the throat feel scratchy and itchy but it can also have many other symptoms. If left untreated, it can become more dangerous and create some serious side effects in other parts of the body. Strep throat can cause kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can then lead to painful joints, a bad rash, and even heart valve damage.

While it is most common in children, your aging loved one can come down with strep throat, especially if she has been around someone else who has it like grandkids. If someone she is in close contact with, such as her elder care provider, has it but doesn’t exhibit symptoms, your loved one could also catch it from them.

Many of strep throat’s symptoms are similar to other common illnesses. Here are symptoms your loved one may or may not exhibit if she has strep throat.

• The most tell-tale symptom of strep throat is red and swollen tonsils, They can be covered in white patches or streaks of pus. Use a flashlight to peek at your loved one’s tonsils and the back of her throat as soon as she complains of any pain. Your elder care provider could also do a quick check if you aren’t around.
• If you don’t see the tell-tale white patches, you may see tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth. So look for both when checking the throat.
• With strep throat, the throat pain usually comes on quickly and is quite intense. Sore throat pain that occurs due to post-nasal drip (such as from a cold) usually comes on slowly and increases as more irritation occurs.
• Strep throat will also often cause painful swallowing. It’s not only the sore throat that causes the pain but swollen tonsils and glands can also make swallowing painful.
• Swollen, tender lymph nodes in the neck.
• A fever and a headache are both common with strep.
• While many don’t think of looking for a rash, it can be quite common in strep.

If any combination of these symptoms are occurring along with the sore throat, you should plan a medical visit so that you’re loved one can be examined and given an antibiotic if needed. Strep is usually easily treated and your loved one will be back to feeling better in no time.

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Elder Care in Largo, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.