Re: online meds
This is pretty irrelevant to the subject of the post, but I found the following on webmd. My biased reading suggests that it is +EV for me to skip paying for a doctor's visit, strep culture, and medication:
Strep Throat
Treatment Overview
Antibiotics such as penicillin, cephalexin, or amoxicillin are used to treat strep throat. Antibiotics are effective only against bacterial infections such as strep throat and will not speed the healing of sore throats caused by viral infections such as colds or allergies.
Strep throat will go away in 3 to 7 days with or without treatment. Antibiotics are effective in relieving the symptoms of strep throat only if they are given within 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin. However, antibiotics are commonly used to treat strep throat because they:
· Kill the bacteria and shorten the time you are contagious. You are usually no longer contagious 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotics.
· Prevent rare complications. Although uncommon, strep bacteria can spread to other parts of your body causing ear or sinus infections or an abscess on the tonsils (peritonsillar abscess). Antibiotics may also prevent the infection from triggering your immune system to attack itself and cause serious conditions such as rheumatic fever.
· Relieve discomfort and speed healing to some degree.
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