Do you really need antibiotics for that sore throat?
Before you run to the doctor for a strep test ask yourself these two questions: Do I have a fever? Do I have a cough? According to Dr. Andrew Fine, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Boston Children's Hospital, high fevers are a hallmark of strep infections. If you’ve had a fever in the past 24 hours, accompanied by a sore throat, get to the doctor.
That cough, on the other hand, is not a typical symptom of strep. Especially if there is no fever. It is estimated that as many as 70% of Americans who see a doctor for a sore throat wind up on antibiotics to treat it. Many experts think we’re overdoing it in that department and that only 5 to 15 percent of us will actually benefit from them.
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