Well, that pretty much explains it. I live in China, so they can’t do anything about it. My throat is moderately sore, but there is white stuff on and around the uvula(there is one little white thing almost hanging off it).
It doesn’t seem super serious. I may be able to by Listerine or Chloraseptic if I shell out a bunch of money. What should I do? I have some anti-biotics and took some today.
I’m not a Dr. - but I’ve raised 3 kids. Strep throat causes white patches on the throat - that’s one of the means of diagnosis. I don’t remember seeing the uvula affected, but maybe. Strep is usually self-limiting, lasting about a week. It’s treated with antibiotics, but you live in the land of SARS, and taking antibiotics unnecessarily, or for too short a time makes bacteria resistant with sometimes extremely serious results.
If it were me, I would not take antibiotics, but just wait and see if it clears up by itself. If chloroseptic or listerine, etc. are too hard to find or too expensive, gargling with warm, mildly salty water will help - as will taking aspirin. You can also gargle with aspirin by dissolving it in warm water - I’ve found that helpful sometimes.
You do need to monitor yourself - if you feel that you’re developing a high fever, or other serious symptoms, please get help. Through the US Embassy maybe?
Good luck.
Do you have tonsils? Tonsilitis will result in pain, redness and (sorry) pus on your tonsils.
Strep is self-limiting? Does that mean it will run it’s course, then disappear without medical intervention, like a cold? Really? I never knew that. My doc and my pediatrician have always jumped on it pretty hard.
Either way, please seek treatment if you can, Yuck. Sorry.
From this site-
http://www.chclibrary.org/micromed/00065730.html
Sore throat caused by a streptococci or another bacteria must be treated with antibiotics. Penicillin is the preferred medication. Oral penicillin must be taken for 10 days. (underline mine)
And from here-
http://www.erlanger.org/e/winter_2004/q_is_it_a_sore_.asp
Ten percent of individuals with sore throats have group A streptococcus infection, also known as “strep.” The textbook version of strep includes a high fever, sore neck (from large lymph nodes), a thick mucous
covering on the tonsils (exudate), exposure to others with strep, and an absence of cough.
If not treated, some cases of strep throat infection can lead to kidney or heart damage. Treatment by antibiotics, however, greatly reduces the risk of this damage. Early detection can also reduce the length of the illness by almost a day.
If you have some symptoms of strep, visit your doctor as soon as possible. If your sore throat lasts longer than a week, other things might be wrong such as gastric reflux, postnasal drip, allergies, persistent cough, or mononucleosis.
Is there a doctor in the house?
Shoot. I read “vulva” instead of “uvula.” I thought I was going to find out about a really interesting venereal disease. Maybe yogurt will help 
From http://familydoctor.org/670.xml
How is strep throat treated?
Your doctor may give you or your child an antibiotic. Antibiotics kill bacteria, which helps strep throat go away a little faster. It can also prevent a few rare but serious conditions that people with strep throat might get. It is important to take all of the medicine your doctor gives you.
Should all sore throats be treated with antibiotics?
No. Not every sore throat is strep throat. Bacteria only cause about 5% to 10% of sore throats. The rest are caused by viruses or other problems, and antibiotics will not help. Your doctor can do a test to make sure it is strep throat.
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Antibiotics “help strep throat go away a little faster.” Bacteria only cause about 5-10% of sore throats. Which means that viruses, which are not affected by antibiotics, cause 90-95% of sore throats. The OP is in China without access to health care or medicines and has a limited supply of antibiotics - maybe not the proper kind, and maybe not enough for a full course of treatment. Treating for too short a time or with the wrong antibiotic can cause bacterial resistance which could really be bad if he gets a serious infection. Complications from strep throat are rare and IMHO, taking a wait and see attitude for a couple of days under the circumstances, is the prudent course.
Well, I was assuming that the OP would see a doctor before being given antibiotics, and would thus recieve a strep test.
If this is strictly a self-diagnosing thing, then obviously the odds are against strep.
Strep and tonsilitis always are accompanied by high fever. If fever is not present, there is a chance it could be thrush (a yeast infection of the mouth). Thrush can cause sore mouth and throat and leaves white patches inside the mouth, which bleed if scraped off.
Could it not just be mucous? I know that when I’m sick or due to allergies, the back of my throat and uvula become coated in a quite visible layer of mucous, which does take on a whitish hue.
[classic SNL]You know - It behooves ya
To care for your uvula![/classic SNL]