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A member asked:
I have a very sore throat, (several days)and it hurts to swallow. im starting to see white spots on my tonsils but can't be sure. tonsillitis or strep?
5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Could be both: "tonsillitis" is a nonspecific term for inflammation of the tonsils. "strep" refers to a specific cause of tonsillitis. But you can get strep without having tonsils and you can get tonsillitis without having strep. Only a throat culture/rapid test can discern if strep is present. Usually there is fever, swollen glands without cold symptoms in strep infection. Important to treat strep - see doc.
Answered 4/8/2015
5.2k views
Does it matter?: Either way you need to see your medical doctor right away for proper treatment. Untreated throat infections can lead to a whole host of other problems. Don't wait!
Answered 12/10/2013
5.2k views
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