Subject: Re: Any herbal cures for Strep Throat?

From: [email-masked] (broomstick)
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 1994 08:21:25

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Scott Chapman) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (Scott Chapman)
>Subject: Re: Any herbal cures for Strep Throat?
>Date: Wed, 21 Dec 94 23:45:47 PST

>Hi again,

>I got strep throat and so did my 6 year-old son (his was quite bad).  
>Doctor prescribed broad spectrum antibiotics (as usual :-( )
>We used: (and chucked the pills!)

>  Echinacea - liquid form (20 drops for adults was recommended on the    
>  bottle/10 for 6yr old).  3 times a day.
>  Garlic - one clove minced 3 times a day (smaller cloves for kids).
>  Vitamin C - plenty (500mg 3 times a day for adults. 250 mg for kids    
>  3/day).
>  Lots of liquids.  Throat coat tea (available in drug stores) for throat 
>  relief. Lemon and honey tea for cough.

>It took about a week and it was all gone.  

>Let me know how it works for you.  

Folks, if you want to skip the antibiotics for strep, that's fine.  Fact is, 
if you did NOTHING AT ALL for step it would "go away" in about a week.  
Problem is, in a certain number of cases (depending on the particular strain 
of strep) in a couple of weeks either your immune system goes haywire and 
attacks your own body - rheumatic fever, which can lead to heart and kidney 
damage, among other things - or in certain varieties strep can become a 
chronic, low-grade infection.  A person can also become a carrier - they don't 
suffer the effects but they can spread strep to those around them without 
realizing it.  Granted, this is rare, but it can and does happen.  Antibiotics 
short-circuit these processes and prevent rheumatic fever and cure carriers.  
It is clearly a case where PROPER (i.e. responsible) use of antibiotics can 
solve more problems than they cause.  If you want to avoid ALL antibiotic use, 
fine, but at least be aware of the risk.  Ask your doctor about symptoms of 
rheumatic fever and nephritis so if you DO suffer from these side effects you 
will know early and seek treatment to minimize the damage.

By all means, use herbal remedies to treat other symtoms.  The one above 
sounds good and should I ever have the misfortune to catch strep again I will 
certainly give it a try.

Although strep is USUALLY a mild infection it can get out of control and 
should be treated seriously.  And don't forget, that lovely "flesh-eating" 
bacteria is ALSO a variety of strep - it CAN be quite serious, so let's be 
careful out there.

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			|
>---Broomstick---	| "If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains,
			| however improbable, must be the truth."
			|				-- S. Holmes
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From: [email-masked] (Scott Chapman)
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 94 23:45:47 PST

Hi again,

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From: [email-masked] (Camilla Cracchiolo)
Date: 24 Dec 1994 23:08:09 GMT

My father died of complications of rheumatic heart disease.  It's not
funny; and all the herbal remedies in the world won't do diddly against
rheumatic fever if you get it.  I also personally know a strep carrier.
At the very least, I think you should have that kid's throat cultured
to make sure the strep is gone.  Not only were you risking the kid's
health, you were risking the health of the community.

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           Camilla Cracchiolo, RN   [email-masked]

        Shrine of the Cybernetic Madonna BBS  213-766-1356
        "The Board that Hates Rush Limbaugh With A Passion"
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From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 1994 03:15:54 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (broomstick) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (broomstick)
>Date: Sat, 24 Dec 1994 08:21:25

Please, Please don't mess with Strep........I had a Strep infection that went 
untreated and ended up with a kidney transplant.  Antibiotics are often 
misused in this society ,I agree.  But don't try to treat yourself for 
strep....There's no herbal cure for complete kidney failure. Be careful :)