Sore throat: common causes and simple remedies
Hello everyone, greetings
Sore throat is one of the most common healtg problem we encounter. Most of us have experienced some form of sore throat till now.
But what actually causes our throat to become congested and feel painful ??? Let's discuss one by one.
Picture credits: Pixabay
What is a sore throat?
Sore throat simply refers to painful swallowing due to irritating and scratch in the pharynx. Although it is a minor health problem and usually do not cause harm, understanding the simple basics of sore throat and how to deal with them helps us to combat them easily and prevents the use of unnecessary medications during the episodes of sore throat.
Causes of sore throat
Viral infections: The most common cause of painful swallowing is the viral infection specially with influenza, corona, adenovirus and parainfluenza viral infections, They are usually self limiting and do not require the use of antibiotics and usually settle down on its own within 5-7 days.
Bacterial infections: Certain bacterias like streptococcus pneumoniae, streptococcus pyogenes and staphylococcus aureus may cause bacterial throat infections and this condition is quite painful than viral infections and require the use of antibacterial medications for 7-10 days prescribed by a health care professionals.
Allergies: Allergic episodes caused by dust, pollen, hairs, dust mites, danders may trigger the throat congestion and post nasal drip that may cause sore throat.
Vocal abuse: Continuous use of voice as in teaching and singing can cause strain of vocal muscles that may cause sore throat.
Acid reflux: Gastro-esophageal reflux disease can cause sore throat due to congestion of pharyngeal mucosa and constant irritation by the acid fumes to the airway.
Remedies*
a) Gargle with saline water: Gargling the pharynx with lukewarm saline water helps to reduce the congestion, swelling and throat irritation.
b) Drink plenty of warm water, soup and herbal liquids that soothes the pharyngeal mucosa and provides relief.
Picture credits: Pixabay
c) Stay in voice rest and avoid vocal abuse. Avoid shouting, prolonged speech and singing for a long period of time.
d) Keep a boiling water kettle or humidifier in the room to provide moisture to the air.
e) Avoid smoking and use of tobacco that may further trigger the airway irritation.
Picture credits: Pixabay
f) Can take the antihistamines like levocetrizine or fexofenadine during night time sleep to help relieve the airway congestion.
When to see the health care professionals??
a) High fever and chills.
b) Sore throat lasting for more than a week.
c) Difficulty on swallowing and breathing.
d) White patches or pus points in the pharynx and tonsils.
e) Recurrent episodes.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559007/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24589314/