Its probably your glands that are swollen, not your nodes. If it is your nodes that pretty much says for sure its a virus, not bacteria iirc (it may be the other way around LULZ).
Ibuprofen is a good start, but it will only help with the inflammation created by the infection. You need to see a doctor for the fix. Are there urgent cares? emergency rooms? ERs arent allowed to turn people away, period. What you have could still classify as Strep, but youll wanna keep a look out for the following if you are worried about scarlet:
In addition to the symptoms of strep throat, a red rash appears on the sides of your chest and abdomen. It may spread to cover most of your body. This rash appears as tiny, red pinpoints and has a rough texture like sandpaper. When pressed on, the rash loses color or turns white.
There may also be dark red lines in the folds of skin. You may get a bright strawberry-red tongue and flushed (rosy) face, while the area around your mouth remains pale. The skin on the tips of your fingers and toes often peels after you get better. If you have a severe case, you may have a high fever, nausea, and vomiting.
Strep can typically cause:
If you have strep throat infection, you will have a red and painful sore throat and may have white patches on your tonsils.
You also may have swollen lymph nodes in your neck, run a fever, and have a headache.
Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain can occur but are more common in children than in adults.
and why you need to get treated soon:
Untreated group A strep infection can result in rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN).
Rheumatic fever develops about 18 days after a bout of strep throat and causes joint pain and heart disease. It can be followed months later by Sydenham's chorea, a disorder where the muscles of the torso and arms and legs are marked with dancing and jerky movements.
PSGN is an inflammation of the kidneys that may follow an untreated strep throat but more often comes after a strep skin infection.
Both disorders are rarely seen because of prompt and effective treatment of most cases of strep throat.
and here's some home remedies to get you through the weekend:
Chamomile tea is one of the best natural remedies for strep throat. Its analgesic properties can provide rapid relief for throat pain and headaches. Administered every few hours, chamomile tea can also reduce fever and prevent dehydration. A very strong natural remedy, sage can reduce inflammation, protecting the soft tissues of the throat and respiratory system. Sage can be used either under the form of tincture or under the form of capsules. Thanks to its antibiotic properties, garlic is also an appropriate home remedy for strep throat.
Gargling with salt water can fight against bacteria and can reduce throat inflammation and pain, while saline nasal sprays can help decongest the airways clogged with mucus. When suffering from strep throat, it is very important to maintain a warm temperature in your bedroom and to increase the air humidity by using mist humidifiers. You should avoid exposure to chemicals or irritants such as cigarette smoke and alcohol vapors. You should keep away from any substance with strong, persistent odor in order to prevent further inflammation of the respiratory system’s soft tissues and membranes.
It is recommended to avoid drinking cold or very hot beverages, as they can cause throat irritation and pain, slowing down the process of healing. Also, keep away from spicy and irritant foods, as they are not tolerated well by an inflamed throat. When suffering from strep throat, you should only eat soft foods such as soups, yogurts, mashed potatoes, and non-irritant fruits.
