Group A Streptococcus bacteria are associated with a range of illnesses including impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat. Infections generally occur in children, though occasionally also in adults. In most cases symptoms are mild and short lived. In rare cases, the infection enters the bloodstream (known as Invasive Group A Strep), resulting in more serious illness.
The bacteria can be found in the throat and on the skin, even in individuals who are not unwell. Problems can occur when the immune system is weakened, making the individual more vulnerable. In this situation, infection can be passed on by coughs, sneezes or via broken skin.
Typical symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Aching muscles
- Sore throat
- Red, swollen tongue (sometimes called ‘strawberry tongue’ due to its bumpy red appearance)
- Rough itchy rash on the skin
- Nausea and vomiting
The usual medical approach to Group A Strep infections is with a course of antibiotics. If you are concerned about the symptoms of a family member, consult your medical practitioner for advice.
Homeopathy can be a highly effective support in acute illness, and has a successful track record in epidemics, including scarlet fever: for example, Dr Hahnemann achieved fame in 1799 for his highly effective treatment of a scarlet fever epidemic that was sweeping across Germany.
The advantage of using homeopathy as part of your family treatment plan for scarlet fever (and other Group A strep infections) is that it boosts the body’s natural defences, allowing the body to mount a swift response to the infection, reducing symptoms and restoring health and resilience.
Homeopathy works by matching the symptoms you are experiencing to a specific homeopathic remedy. Here are some of those typically indicated in strep throat and scarlet fever.
Apis
Throat swollen and fiery red, tonsils may be swollen and ulcerated. The throat feels constricted, with stinging burning pain. There is typically a sensation as of a foreign body (eg fishbone) in throat. The tongue is red, shiny and swollen, with a burning sensation, as if scalded. The symptoms feel better for cold drinks.
Belladonna
Burning heat, redness and swelling of throat. Constant desire to swallow, with constricted sensation. Dryness of throat. Symptoms are typically right sided. The tonsils are dark red, swollen and ulcerated. The face may be flushed and hot.
Lachesis
Symptoms begin on the left side of the throat, and extend to the right side. Throat feel swollen, with a sensation of a lump, or of a foreign body that needs to be swallowed. The throat may be dark red or purple. The neck and external throat are characteristically sensitive to touch (even of clothing), and throat pain often extends to the ear. Hot drinks aggravate the symptoms, and they feel worse after sleep. The tongue is often swollen, red and dry.
Merc Sol
Throat feel sore, raw and burning. There may be a bluish red swelling, with painful dryness of the throat. The tongue feels as if burnt. Increased salivation, and constant desire to swallow. Offensive or metallic taste and odour. Stitching pain in ears on swallowing.
Phytolacca
Dark red or bluish red swelling of throat, with white spots at back of throat. Sensation of dryness in throat with swollen tonsils. Lump in throat on swallowing, worse for hot drinks. Tongue blistered, with red tip.
Finally, two remedies which are sometimes used in the professional treatment of scarlet fever:
Asimina triloba
This remedy is sometimes prescribed as a specific for scarlet fever. It bears some similarities to Belladonna. The symptoms are: sore throat with marked redness and swelling, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, bright red rash. There is often hoarseness, with a desire for cold drinks.
Merc iodatus ruber
This remedy is a Mercury compound which is used in the treatment of scarlet fever. The symptoms which call for it include: redness, swelling and ulceration of the tonsils and back of the throat, with a sensation as if the throat is scalded. Pain on swallowing. Symptoms are more characteristically left sided.
I offer acute treatment via Zoom: https://karenleadbeater.co.uk/work-with-me/
You can also join my Facebook community for home prescribing support and homeopathic learning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/704728214194146
Is it true that strep is contagious for 1-3 weeks if not treated with antibiotics and allowed to heal naturally?
Hi Sara, thanks for your question. Yes, assuming you are in the UK, the NHS website provides this information. Scarlet fever is an acute illness, this means that it will eventually resolve itself naturally without treatment, and for most people this happens after 2-3 weeks. Using homeopathic treatment will speed up the natural healing process if correctly administered. Best wishes, Karen
Hello
I have a 4 year old granddaughter and unfortunately for her ages tested strep A and had been admitted into hospital home now with a prescription 5 days in haven’t seen any improvement high temp her little throat very swollen and sore high temp on and off and the typical step A over night dry mouth and basically looks worse in the morning hasn’t got a great appetite and even fluid intake isn’t good . Could you recommend homeopathic please regards Tina
Hi Tina, I am sorry to hear that your granddaughter is so poorly. I am happy to see what I can do to help, although the symptoms listed here (high fever, swollen throat, dry mouth) do not give me a clear and individualised symptom profile which will allow me to point you to remedies to read up on. In homeopathy we get the best results from matching the exact way the symptoms are experienced to a remedy with the same symptom profile. Did you have a read through the brief profiles listed in the article? This should give you an idea of the type of symptoms needed to match a remedy. Perhaps read Belladonna and see if this matches her symptoms. Alternatively, you could seek an urgent acute appointment with one of the online homeopathy services for urgent treatment – email me if you need details. I hope she feels better soon. Best wishes, Karen
Hi my 8 year old has high faver n cough sometimes..tongue little like strawberry but not that swollen. Eating n drinking ok..
Hi, see which one of the listed remedies matches your child’s symptom profile most closely. As ever, if you are concerned and don’t see improvement with self selected remedies, consult a homeopath or your usual healthcare provider. Best wishes, Karen
What is the time line for hepar sulph 200 taken twice a day for treating strep throat? When should there be signs of improvement?
Dear Nancy, homeopathic dosing is best done using minimum dose principles, rather than routine dosing. 200c is quite a high potency for home prescribing, and as a general rule I suggest beginning with 30c. In an acute throat infection, once you have matched a remedy to the person’s symptom profile, give a single dose regularly (from every 30 minutes to every four hours, depending on intensity of symptoms), and *stop the dose* as soon as there is improvement in symptoms. Then watch and wait. If symptoms subsequently begin to return, resume dosing, again stopping as soon as there is improvement. If there is no change at all after 4-6 doses and perhaps 12-24 hours (again depending on individual case), the match is not quite right – reconsider remedies and start over. Best wishes, Karen
My daughter has had exposure to both Covid and strep. She started with a fever of 102 and a really bad stomach ache and sore throat. The stomach pain went away, but the sore throat has lasted for nine days now. She is also having ear pain and even congestion in one eye. I feel like we have tried everything and I am feeling helpless and concerned. She has been on high dose, vitamin C, taking elderberry, turmeric, and honey, as well as belladonna and Nux vomica. We’ve also tried colloidal silver drops in her ears. She started to feel better about two days ago and then had to miss her nap as I fell and hurt my foot and now seems to be feeling miserable again. She has tons of weight all over both sides of the back of her throat.
Dear Angela, thanks for your question which I have only just approved (as I have been away from the office for the last two weeks). I hope you were able to find the support you needed for your daughter, and that she has recovered well. For future reference, if you need urgent acute treatment options there are several online clinics that offer urgent appointments, in both the UK and US. You are welcome to contact me again for details in case this information may be helpful. Best wishes, Karen