Waking up with a sore throat is never fun, but is it just a cold—or something worse? Strep throat isn’t your average scratchy throat; it’s a bacterial infection that comes on fast and doesn’t play fair. It can make swallowing feel like torture, bring on a fever, and leave your tonsils looking like a disaster zone. Unlike a cold, it doesn’t come with a cough or runny nose, making it hard to tell apart from other throat troubles.
If left untreated, strep throat can lead to serious complications, but the good news? It’s easily treated with antibiotics—if you catch it in time. This quiz won’t replace a doctor’s visit, but it can help you figure out if your symptoms sound like strep or just a passing irritation. Ready to find out if you should grab some lozenges or call your doctor? Let’s get started!
History Lesson
How Strep Throat Was Treated Before Antibiotics
Before the discovery of penicillin in 1928, strep throat wasn’t just an annoying sore throat—it was a potentially dangerous infection with limited treatment options. Doctors and patients relied on home remedies, folk medicine, and sometimes bizarre methods to ease symptoms and prevent complications.
One of the most common treatments was gargling with saltwater or vinegar to soothe the throat and kill bacteria. Herbal remedies like honey, garlic, and licorice root were also popular for their supposed antibacterial properties. Some physicians recommended bed rest, warm broths, and plenty of fluids, while others resorted to more extreme measures, such as applying leeches to “draw out” the infection. In severe cases, tonsillectomies were performed to prevent recurrent throat infections—an approach that was more of a last resort than a cure.
The lack of effective treatments meant that strep infections could spiral into dangerous complications like scarlet fever or rheumatic fever, which could lead to permanent heart damage. It wasn’t until the widespread use of penicillin in the 1940s that strep throat became a manageable and routine infection rather than a serious health threat.
Quiz Writer
Gennie dances through life with the grace of a leaf caught in a playful gust. That is to say, she continuously finds herself moving to the ever-changing rhythms of the world around her. She often shares stories of swaying to the melodies of Vivaldi and Chopin and a touch of Ella Fitzgerald during her early years. Gennie never misses a beat, whether she's penning evocative stories that resonate deeply or solving intricate puzzles that challenge the mind. Currently, she's weaving words for her upcoming book, a title she playfully keeps a secret. Dive into a conversation with her, and you'll quickly find yourself captivated by her tales, riddles, and the vibrant energy she brings to every encounter.
Did you know?
Your Pet Can’t Give You Strep (But You Can Give It to Them!)
Strep throat is a human illness, but did you know you can pass it to your furry friends? While dogs and cats don’t typically carry Group A Streptococcus, rare cases have shown that infected humans can transmit the bacteria to their pets. However, animals don’t usually develop symptoms the way people do. Instead, they can become silent carriers, potentially passing it back to their owners later. So if you’re battling strep, it’s best to keep cuddles to a minimum—at least until the antibiotics kick in!
How to Play?
Our personality quizzes are set up a little differently than your basic trivia quiz, but you’ve probably seen their kind around. Rather than having to choose the right answer from a list of multiple choice options, in this case, there is no “right answer”! (Two plus two will always be four, but every Golden Girls character is equally awesome.)
So, stop stressing. Just click on the answer that suits you best, and enjoy the ride. These quizzes are just for fun but who knows – you might just learn something about yourself along the way!
About Heywise
Get knOwledgeable! Heywise is where entertainment and trivia meet, like a turducken of fun. Anytime. Anywhere. Since 2017, Heywise has been a leader of quizzes on the web, on mobile devices, and across social media.
We explore a broad range of topics – from sports to history, language to pop culture, personality to health. Our quizzes motivate readers to test their knowledge and learn new and exciting facts.
We’re inspired by food and unique destinations around the globe. We love movies and TV shows, but most of all we love having the opportunity to share these passions with you.
Have you ever wondered what color represents your personality? Do you know which Hogwarts House you belong to? Are you a Pessimist or an Optimist? Our unique personality quizzes will help you find out! We want to share the knowledge of all things awesome with you.
We’re the best quiz site on the internet. That might be our opinion, but it’s pure fact that we get up in the morning expressly to share awesome, eye-opening knowledge with you. So, come get your brain pumping.