Why Do You Keep Getting Sore Throats

Having children means being constantly exposed to disease. On average, young children develop six to eight upper respiratory tract infections per year ; in practical terms, this means that you missed school a lot. One common disease circulating among young children is strep throat, which is caused by group A streptococcal bacteria and is highly contagious.

Strep throat is usually characterized by fever, sore throat, pain when swallowing, and swollen tonsils, but can also include symptoms such as abdominal pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Because strep throat is caused by bacteria, it can be treated with antibiotics . If left untreated, it can develop into complications such as scarlet fever or rheumatism , which are rare but serious illnesses.

Unlike some illnesses, when an infection builds up enough immunity to protect you from future infections, you can get a sore throat more than once . Here’s what you need to know if you or your children continue to have strep.

Strep infections are on the rise

If you or your child seems to be getting more sore throats, you’re not alone – since the end of 2022, cases of sore throats have skyrocketed . “We saw a huge spike in group A streptococcus late last year,” said Anthony Flores , pediatric infectious disease specialist at UTHealth Houston and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. While he hasn’t seen an increase in severe infections, “the overall numbers are much, much higher,” he said.

What’s most likely happening, according to Flores, is that many younger children simply haven’t been exposed to streptococcus before and are now spreading it to their classmates, who then bring it home to other members of their family. “Children are getting infected more often this year because the prevalence is much higher,” Flores said. In other words, your child is more likely to get strep simply because there is more of it, not because of a newer strain that is more contagious.

Although children are more likely to get sore throats, adults can also get sick, especially if they have small children at home or work in an environment with many children. As with children, the more adults come into contact with people with sore throats, the more likely they are to get sick.

Multiple streptococcal infections may require tonsillectomy

If you get strep several times a year, it’s time to see a doctor, both to treat the infection and possibly evaluate additional factors. Generally speaking, “if you have separate episodes [of strep throat] separated in time, then it’s possible that you’ve been re-infected” rather than an antibiotic, Flores said. This is especially true during surges when the number of cases is high, leading to multiple chances of infection. While dealing with one case of strep throat after another isn’t much fun, it’s usually not dangerous.

“In the absence of any underlying condition that predisposes you to these types of infections, it’s unlikely to cause serious harm,” Flores said. However, although the risk of serious harm is relatively low, it is still important to be examined and receive appropriate treatment.

If you continue to have a sore throat, one option is to remove the tonsils, where streptococcal bacteria predominate. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that tonsil removal be considered for seven or more cases of sore throat in one year, five or more cases per year for two consecutive years, or three or more infections for three consecutive years. However, removing the tonsils will not eliminate the possibility of contracting a sore throat , although it will reduce the chance of infection and reduce the severity of the infection.

Some people may be carriers of streptococcus.

Most people who develop streptococcus recover after a course of antibiotics and will not get strep—at least until the next infection. However, “there is a small group of people who are chronic carriers of strep,” said Mike Wren , a family physician at Baylor College of Medicine. Their bodies contain low levels of streptococcal bacteria without any symptoms. Unlike people who actively have a sore throat, carriers are much less likely to infect others and usually do not require treatment. However, as Wren noted, carriers can sometimes experience periods of stress, whether due to lack of sleep or other factors that can lead to the development of symptoms.

As Flores noted, if a person is a carrier of streptococcus but is not showing any symptoms, it does not necessarily mean they are contagious, and it is generally not recommended to treat asymptomatic carriers with repeated courses of antibiotics.