Difference between Strep Throat, Sore Throat and Tonsillitis

With changing weather or certain foods people many times develop the feeling of irritation, pain or any other likewise sensation in their throats. Because the throat comprises of many structures it might not be clear to a common man that where the problem actually lies? So for a quick understanding let us tell you the most common things about the common throat problems like Strep throat, Sore throat and Tonsillitis.

What is Strep throat?

Strep throat is an infection caused by streptococcus bacteria yet just around 1 in 10 grown-ups who look for medicinal administer to a sore throat really have a strep disease.

Streptococcal pharyngitis, otherwise called strep throat, is a contamination of back of throat together with the tonsils brought on by gathering A streptococcus. Common symptoms incorporate sore throat, fever, red tonsils, and extended lymph hubs in the neck. A nausea, headache, vomiting might be occur.

What is Sore throat?

A sore throat or throat agony is torment or disturbance of throat. A typical physical manifestation, it is normally brought on by intense pharyngitis or aggravation of the throat, in spite of the fact that it can likewise show up as a consequence of injury, diphtheria, or different conditions.

The sore throat is therapeutically knows as “Pharyngitis”, and the most common cause is viral contamination.Also, sore throat is one of the manifestations of Strep throat.

What is tonsillitis?

It is the infection of the tonsils alone. That maybe bacterial or viral. Causing inflammation of the lymphoid tissue and if gets complicated may spread to the side organs along with causing some other complications that we have discussed in the later part of this article.

Strep Throat VS Sore Throat VS Tonsillitis

In this article we are going to discuss the differences between these three types of infection.

Meaning:

Strep throat brought on by a gathering A streptococcal infection, and contamination created by a kind of Streptococcus bacteria.

A sore throat is actually just irritation and pain of the throat as a consequence of different causes.

Tonsillitis means inflammation of the tonsillar membrane.

Known as:

Strep throat is also known as streptococcal tonsillitis, Streptococcal pharyngitis, or streptococcal sore throat.

Sore throat is also known as irritable throat and throat pain.

Tonsillitis maybe Bacterial tonsillitis or viral tonsillitis depending on the cause of the inflammation.

Causes:

Strep throat mainly caused by the “Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus bacteria”.

Sore throat mainly caused by bacterial, viral, physical damage, intense pharyngitis that is aggravation of the throat, influenza, cold in some cases even as a consequence of injury or diphtheria.

Tonsillitis maybe caused by the bacteria or the viruses. However, Streptococcus Pyogens remain the most common cause.

Symptoms:

The major symptoms of strep throat are chills, high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle ache, abnormal taste and pus on tonsils.

The major symptoms of sore throat are swollen throat, redness, fever, inflamed tonsils and pain in swallowing.

The most common symptoms of Tonsillitis include, pain in throat, difficulty in swallowing, fever, voice changes mostly referred to as “Throaty voice”, bad breath, etc.

Contagious:

Strep throat is always extremely infectious.

The contagiousness of sore throat mostly relies on upon cause.

Tonsillitis is not contagious mostly.

Cough:

In strep throat, patient is not suffering from any kind of cough.

In sore throat, patient often suffer from cough.

Less likely to happen in tonsillitis.

Aches:

In strep throat, many aches are there in throat, muscles and in head of patient.

In sore throat, aches are there in throat of patient.

Patient often feels aches in his throat/tonsils.

Fever:

In strep throat, patient usually suffers from high fever.

In sore throat, patient does not suffer from fever.

Fever is one of the main symptoms of tonsillitis.

Complications:

There are many complications in strep throat that include infection might spread, rheumatic fever and abscess.

There are mainly no complications in sore throat but still it relies upon on cause.

The tonsillitis if not treated on time may get complicated, the complications include, Quinsy, Acute Sinusitis, Acute glomerulonephritis, Acute Rheumatic Fever, Acute Otitis Media, etc.

Treatment:

The treatment of strep throat is prescribed antibiotics that normally include amoxicillin or penicillin.

The treatment of sore throat is throat tablets, saltwater swish, and anti-toxin or pain medicines.

Treatment of tonsillitis depends on the cause and severity of the infection. The origin of the infection decides the medicine (viral or bacterial). If the infection is severe and recurring, then tonsillectomy maybe indicated.

But, we request you to not take medicines without the doctor’s prescription.

Conclusion

From the above article we can conclude that strep throat is more contagious as compare to the other two.  In strep throat, patient suffers more than in the rest of the two problems. However, the severity of the infection decides which one is more dangerous. In medicine, we can not all the time refer to one disease as more serious than the other. Which is more severe in your opinion?

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tonsillitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20378479

Diseases of ear, nose and throat by PL Dhingra and Shruti Dhingra.