Can You Smoke Weed If You Have a Strep Throat Infection?

The Effects of Smoking Weed When You Have Strep Throat

It's not uncommon for people to turn to cannabis when they're feeling under the weather. But is lighting up actually helpful or advisable when you have a specific illness like strep throat? Let's take a closer look at the risks and considerations around smoking weed when you have a strep infection.

What Happens If You Smoke With Strep?

There are a few things that can happen if you smoke weed while also battling a strep throat infection:

• It may temporarily relieve pain and discomfort. Cannabis has known pain-relieving properties that may numb your sore throat for a short time.
• It will likely exacerbate coughing and irritation. Smoking anything can aggravate the tender tissues lining the throat, potentially worsening cough, swelling, or inflammation when you already have strep.
• There may be risks from coughing. Violent coughing can sometimes cause injuries like broken ribs or episodes of incontinence when your infection makes coughing unavoidable.
• It may delay healing time. Some data suggests that inhaling smoke, vape oils, or other irritants could slow the throat's ability to heal itself following a strep infection.

Is Smoking Weed a Good Idea When Sick?

Most doctors caution against smoking weed - or anything else - when you're dealing with a respiratory illness. The main medical view is that intentionally inhaling hot smoke will likely exacerbate symptoms even further.

However, others argue cannabis could provide symptom relief without major downsides. As always, opinions differ on the role medicinal marijuana can potentially play in healthcare.

Treating Strep Throat Infections

To better evaluate if and when smoking weed might be appropriate when you have strep, it helps to first understand how strep infections are conventionally treated.

Symptoms of Strep

Strep throat commonly produces pain, redness, inflammation, uncomfortable swallowing, fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and white patches on the tonsils. Symptoms tend to come on quickly and severely.

Diagnosing Strep Throat

Doctors can use a quick swab test called a rapid antigen detection test to confirm strep bacteria. These test results come back in minutes. Confirming strep enables prescribing the proper antibiotics to tackle the root cause.

Taking Antibiotics for Strep

If strep is positively identified, antibiotics are usually prescribed. Penicillins like amoxicillin and cephalosporins like cephalexin are common choices. These medications combat the infection for faster healing.

Antibiotics reduce risk of transmission and prevent rare complications like rheumatic fever or glomerulonephritis. Doctors generally advise taking the full course as directed.

Soothing Strep Discomfort at Home

OTC remedies help manage strep discomfort while antibiotics do their work. Rest, proper hydration, saltwater gargles, throat lozenges, OTC pain relievers, cool mist humidifiers, and soft foods can bring symptom relief.

Recovering in Just a Few Days

With antibiotics and supportive self-care, strep throat usually resolves in 3 to 5 days. Lingering fatigue and low energy may last longer even as other symptoms fade.

The Role of Smoking Cannabis with Strep

Cannabis could theoretically have a place in a supportive strep treatment plan. But due to associated risks with smoking, it warrants careful evaluation first.

Potential Benefits of Weed with Strep

There are a few proposed benefits that come from pairing weed with standard antibiotic strep treatment. These include:

• Soothing throat discomfort. Weed's pain-relieving qualities could temporarily numb sore throat to provide relief.
• Increasing appetite. Cannabis can improve appetite - helpful since sore throats often reduce desire to eat.
• Aiding sleep. Weed promotes sleep, allowing the body ample rest to direct energy towards healing.
• Relieving headaches. Cannabis is hailed as a natural headache remedy that could address secondary strep symptoms.

Potential Harms of Mixing Weed and Strep

Despite some possible upsides, risks associated with smoking weed may outweigh benefits. Potential issues include:

• Transmission risk from shared intake methods. Sharing joints, bongs, etc. spreads germs, risking reinfection.
• Aggravating cough and throat pain. Hot smoke on already inflamed, irritated tissues commonly worsens discomfort.
• Delaying throat healing. Smoke exposure could slow the throat's recovery time, prolonging discomfort.
• Counteracting antibiotics. Some early research hints cannabis could inhibit efficacy of certain antibiotics. More research still needed.

These cons need to be thoughtfully weighed before consuming cannabis products when managing a strep infection.

Safer Cannabis Consumption with Strep

Those set on mixing cannabis into their strep treatment regimen have a few options that may mitigate risks associated with smoking.

Vaping Devices

Vaporizing weed heats dried flower or oils below combustion levels, reducing or eliminating smoke exposure. This could be a safer inhalation method. However, strep sufferers should use the lowest heat setting to minimize further throat irritation.

Edibles and Oils

Cannabis edibles like gummies, chocolates, baked goods, and drink additives entirely avoid smoke exposure. Cannabis tinctures and oils placed under the tongue also reduce throat tissue irritation. The effects just take longer to set in compared to inhaled methods.

Cannabis Tea

Weed tea is made by steeping cannabis in hot water – akin to green or black tea preparation. When cannabis tea cools sufficiently to drink, it may provide symptom relief without needing to be smoked or inhaled.

The Final Verdict: Is Weed OK with Strep?

At the end of the day, medical opinion remains split regarding cannabis for strep. While some alternative practitioners greenlight it, most traditional physicians urge patients to refrain from risks associated with smoking during active infection.

The majority agreement is that even cannabis needs to be used carefully when managing any condition. If choosing to use weed for strep relief, limit risks by opting for edibles over smoking wherever possible.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.