health anxiety!!

hi, I have been having a cold, for about a week, with white patches on my throat. I have a cough, still but the runny nose is gone. the problem is there's white spots in my throat. I got tested for strep and it was negative, so should I be worried? help I'm terrified :( (age 16)

Hi Shay,

Sorry to hear you are sick! :(

I have had a throat like you describe many times! You are probably dealing with a virus, and it will clear on its own with time and rest.

Strep can cause those white patches...but usually not. Strep is predominantly a red throat with pink 'strawberry patches' as they call them.

A virus can go into a secondary infection...that is sometimes called tonsilitis, and will produce a lot of white stuff (dead whited blood cells) in the back of the throat and on the tonsils themselves.

If you are running a fever, or are getting worse not better...you should go in for an evaluation of whether or not you need antibiotics.

For now, a tsp of salt in a glass of warm water makes an soothing and antiseptic gargle.

I hope you feel better a.s.a.p. Let us know how you are soon.

Rest and recover!

S.C.