- 1). See your doctor for a throat culture. An instant strep throat test can tell you if you have strep throat in less than 30 minutes.
- 2). Take antibiotics as ordered by your doctor - generally 250 mg of penicillin G orally every six hours. The penicillin family is very effective in killing the strep bacteria.
- 3). Check your temperature twice a day, to assess the severity of your infection. (See "How To Diagnose Strep Throat.")
- 4). Take aspirin, if you are an adult, to reduce fever and inflammation. Give acetaminophen to children as recommended by your doctor.
- 5). Suck on throat lozenges - especially those containing menthol, benzocaine or phenol, which will help numb the throat, if you are an adult. Give children cough drops or hard candy.
- 6). Gargle with mint mouthwash or salt water. (See "How to Gargle.") Rinse your toothbrush in mouthwash between brushings. Strep can live on your toothbrush.
- 7). Avoid cigarette smoke and other airborne irritants.
- 8). Drink ice-cold beverages. Try filling a glass half full of crushed ice, then pouring orange juice over the ice. Let sit for 10 minutes, insert a straw, and suck slowly, letting the icy juice rest a moment on the back of your throat.
- 9). Add moisture to the air with a humidifier, vaporizer or by sitting in a steamy shower or bath.
- 10
Get lots of rest.
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