Hello doctor, Two days ago I came down with right ear pain, swollen lymph node and ear lobe of the right ear, sore throat, tender glands and jaw pain that was all on one side. At first, I thought it was a jaw issue because if I opened my mouth too wide my throat and jaw would start hurting like crazy. At one point it got so bad I had to put my face in a pillow and use hot and cold compresses. After seven days of sitting in pain and no improvement, I went to an urgent care facility. They gave me a strep test and I tested positive for strep pharyngitis. I was put on 300 mg of Clindamycin three times a day for 10 days. It is now the eighth day and I am still in pain. The pain did ease up compared to when I first got it, but how long will it take for the tongue soreness and occasional sore throat to stop? Some of my glands are still swollen. This morning I had tongue soreness on the left side of my tongue in the back. Now I am having some tongue soreness on the right side again. It seems like the throat soreness and tongue pain keeps switching sides. What do I do? I did go to my doctor last week and told her that I am still experiencing pain since starting the antibiotics and told her about my tongue soreness. She said sometimes strep can cause tongue soreness. She even retested me for strep to see if the antibiotics were working and I tested negative. She looked at my throat said it looked raw. She also said that the antibiotics will work slowly. Since I am allergic to Amoxicillin and Azithromycin it was my final choice. I am still having throat issues. I can eat and drink no problem, but the medicines also cause me to have dry mouth. The tongue tenderness at the sides and back worrying me the most.
Hello. I looked into the photographs you have sent. (attachment removed to protect patient identity).  Correlating it with your complaint and history I conclude that you have resolving pharyngitis. There is only mild congestion in your throat specially the pillars and soft palate which is a sign of healing of the infection. The antibiotics are working. In order to accentuate the healing and to relieve you of the bumps and associated complaints, you need some supportive treatment as follows. However, the following is a suggestion based on the conversation we had and is not a substitute for actual office consultation. To reduce pain and soreness: take tablet Paracetamol 650 mg twice a day for two days and thereafter once when it pains. To reduce the inflammation and edema take tablet combination of Trypsin, Chymotrypsin, Bromelain, Rutopside taken once or twice a day half an hour before food for two to three days. To reduce small oral ulcers: these usually arise during the course of antibiotics due to vitamin deficiency caused by the antibiotic. Antibiotic destroys the friendly bacteria in the gut that produces a lot of B-complex vitamins. Hence take multivitamin supplements and also probiotics lactobacillus tablets, saccharomyces tablets or powder. To soothe the throat: take warm saline gargles. Mix two teaspoons of salt in 200 ml hot water and gargle the throat thrice a day. To soothe the neck at the region of gland: do hot fomentation of the area to help reduce the pain and soreness due to the gland enlargement. In normal course, these supportive measures help immensely and you will feel just fine within three or four days. However, in the event, if you do not find relief or develop fever or develop any lump in the throat, you need to visit your otolaryngologist for an office consultation.