Facebook Pixel

Soothing a Sore Throat

By HERWriter
 
Rate This

The dry, scratchiness and painful swallowing of a sore throat can make you miserable. In fact, sore throats are one of the most common reasons people go to see the doctor. Some sore throats are caused by bacteria that can be treated with antibiotics. But most sore throats are caused by viral infections that will clear up on their own.

Sore Throat Symptoms
The basic symptoms of a sore throat are dryness, scratchiness, or swelling in the throat, and pain when swallowing, breathing or talking. In many cases, sore throats happen in conjunction with another illness, like a cold, that has its own set of symptoms.

If your sore throat is accompanied by any of these symptoms, you see your doctor to find out if special treatment such as an antibiotic is necessary.

• Severe throat pain or a sore throat that lasts longer than a week
• White patches or pus on the throat or tonsils
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Tender or swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Skin rash
• Hoarseness or cough lasting over two weeks
• Blood in the saliva or phlegm
• High fever – over 101 F in babies under 6 years, over 103 F in older children and adults
• Signs of dehydration including sunken eyes, severe weakness, or decreased urine output
• Sore throats that keep coming back
• Excessive drooling in young children

Sore throat causes
Most sore throats are caused by viral infections, like a cold or the flu. Some sore throats are caused by bacterial infections such as strep throat or tonsillitis. Other causes of sore throats include:

• Allergies – The same allergens that trigger your nose to run or your eyes to become red and swollen can also make your throat sore. Sinus drainage from allergies can make a sore throat feel worse.
• Dryness – Dry indoor air can make your throat feel scratchy, especially in the morning when you first wake up. Breathing through your mouth can make this worse. Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air, especially in the winter when heaters can dry the air inside your home.
• Pollution and irritants – Indoor and outdoor air pollution can irritate your throat. Cigarette smoke is a common irritant that can cause a sore throat. Smokeless tobacco, alcohol, and even spicy foods can also be a source of irritation.
• GERD – Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is caused by acid in your stomach that backs up into your esophagus and then gets into your throat. This can cause a sore throat that doesn’t go away since the acid causes repeated irritation. GERD is more common in adults than it is in children. Losing weight, avoiding foods that trigger GERD, and avoiding eating before going to bed can help ease GERD symptoms.
• Muscle strain – Excessive yelling, such as at a concert or sporting event, can strain the muscles in your throat and make them sore. This condition is often accompanied by a hoarse voice.
• HIV infection – people who are HIV positive may develop a chronic sore throat due to a secondary infection that their immune systems cannot fight off.
• Tumors – If you smoke or abuse alcohol, you are more likely to develop tumors in the throat, voice box, or tongue. These can cause sore throat and difficulty swallowing.

Sore throat treatments
Most sore throats can be managed at home without seeing a doctor. Try these tips to ease your symptoms:

• Drink more fluids – Water, juice, tea, and warm soup are good choices to help replace fluids lost during mucus production and fever. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
• Gargle with warm salt water – Mix ¼ teaspoon of salt in half a glass (4 oz.) of water. Gargle with the salt water then spit it out. This will help soothe the throat and clear out mucus.
• Honey & Lemon – Mix honey and lemon juice to taste in a glass of hot water. Let the water cool to room temperature before sipping the mixture.
• Lozenges or hard candy – Sucking on a lozenge helps promote saliva production, which can soothe your throat.
• Add humidity – Help your mucus membranes stay moist by using a humidifier to add moisture to the air, especially at night while you are sleeping. Make sure to change the water daily and clean the humidifier every three days to prevent mold and bacteria from growing.
• Pain remedies – Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can relieve painful symptoms. Do not give aspirin to anyone under 16 years old.
• Avoid irritants - Stay away from cigarette smoke and other pollutants.
If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, be sure to follow all instructions and take the entire dose of medication, even if your symptoms go away before you run out of pills.

Sources:
Mayo Clinic
American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy
Denise DeWitt
HERWriter View Profile Send Message

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.