A sore throat is irritation or inflammation of the throat caused by a bacterial, viral infection, or injury. Many sore throats are associated with the common cold and go away after a day or two of rest and drinking a lot (mostly water) to flush out toxins. Some sore throats are more persistent and are a sign of viral or bacterial infections, such as mononucleosis or strep throat. In this article, you will find general advice, "home" remedies and procedures recommended by doctors.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Try home remedies
Step 1. Gargle
This helps to reduce the swelling and relieve the discomfort or pain. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in 250 ml of lukewarm water. Gargle with your head slightly back, then spit it out. Repeat once every hour.
Optional: Put a teaspoon of lemon juice in the solution and gargle as usual. Without swallowing, however
Step 2. Use throat lozenges for pain relief
Many herbal lozenges that you can buy freely contain pain relievers like lemon or honey.
- Some throat lozenges are safe, effective, and contain a medicine (local anesthetic) that numbs the throat for pain relief.
- Try not to consume lozenges that contain anesthetics for more than three days, as the anesthetics may mask a serious bacterial infection, such as strep throat (strep throat) that requires medical intervention.
Step 3. Use throat sprays
Like lozenges, such sprays help relieve pain by numbing the lining of the throat. Follow the label directions for proper dosage and consult a doctor or pharmacist for information regarding the use of other drugs or remedies.
Step 4. Soothe your sore throat with a warm compress
You can soothe the pain in your throat with hot tea, throat lozenges and sprays, but how about attacking the pain from the outside? So place a hot item on your throat. This could be a hot water bottle, a hot water bottle, or a hot, damp cloth.
Step 5. Make a chamomile tea poultice
Make an entire teapot of chamomile tea (or simply steep 1 tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers in 1 or 2 cups of boiling water and let it steep). Once the tea has cooled enough to touch it, soak a clean towel in it, wring out and apply it to the neck area, repeating as many times as needed.
Step 6. Make a plaster with sea salt and water
Mix 2 cups of sea salt with 5 to 6 tablespoons of lukewarm water to create a moist mixture, but not runny. Put the salt in the center of a clean tea towel. Then roll it up lengthwise and wrap it around your neck. Cover the plaster with another dry cloth and leave to act as long as you want.
Step 7. Use humidifiers or steam treatments
A hot or cold mist passing through a humidifier can help soothe your throat, although you should be careful not to make your room cold or damp and therefore uncomfortable.
Steam with lukewarm water and a tea towel. Bring 2-3 cups of water to a gentle boil and remove from the heat (optional: steep chamomile, ginger or lemon tea in the water). Let sit for about 5 minutes. Then check with your hand whether the steam is too hot or not. Then, pour the water into a large bowl, put a clean tea towel over your head, and place your covered head over the steam coming out of the bowl. Breathe deeply through your mouth and nose for 5-10 minutes. Repeat as many times as needed
Step 8. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen
For pain relief, it is acceptable to take acetaminophen and ibuprofen, but children under the age of 20 should be avoided as aspirin as it has been associated with a serious infection called Reye's syndrome. Follow the dosing instructions exactly on the package leaflet.
Method 2 of 4: Follow general health practices
Step 1. Get plenty of rest
Try to sleep during the day, if possible, and keep your number of hours of sleep at a normal level during the night. Plan to get about 11 to 13 total hours of sleep each day for the duration of symptoms.
Step 2. Wash or sanitize your hands frequently
It is well known that our hands are vectors of bacteria: we touch objects, other people, as well as ourselves, which increases the likelihood of the bacteria spreading. So wash your hands frequently if you have a sore throat or cold to avoid bacterial transmission as much as possible.
Step 3. Drink plenty, especially water
Water can help thin secretions in the throat and warm fluids help soothe irritation in the throat. Hydrating your body will help it fight infections and heal a sore throat quickly.
- It is recommended to drink about 3 liters of water per day for men and 2 liters for women to get rid of a sore throat quickly.
- Drink chamomile or ginger tea to soften your throat.
- If you have a cold or show signs of dehydration, avoid drinking large amounts of coffee. Above 5 cups a day, coffee is a diuretic, which means it dehydrates the body. But recent studies suggest that drinking coffee in a reasonable amount does not inhibit the body's ability to retain fluids, which means that with less than 5 cups, you won't have to worry about possible dehydration.
- Drinking electrolyte-rich sports drinks will help your body replenish the necessary salts, sugars, and other minerals it needs to fight a sore throat.
Step 4. Take a hot, steamy shower
You will need to do this every morning and every night. Showering will help cleanse your body and allow the steam to soothe your throat.
Step 5. Take vitamin C
The latter acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells against damage caused by free radicals. These are compounds that are formed when our bodies convert the food we eat into energy. The scientific evidence as to whether vitamin C specifically helps a sore throat is controversial, but it won't hurt your sore throat anyway.
Other foods rich in antioxidants include: green tea, blueberries, cranberries, beans (pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans), artichokes, prunes, apples, pecans and many more others
Step 6. Make garlic tea
It can be effective, garlic is indeed a natural antibiotic.
- Cut the fresh garlic into small pieces (medium slices).
- Put the pieces of garlic in a cup. Fill it with water.
- Put the mug in the microwave. Boil for two minutes.
- Remove the cup. While the beverage is still hot, remove the pieces of garlic.
- Add your favorite tea bag (preferably a flavor that will overcome the smell of garlic), such as vanilla tea.
- Add a little honey or other sweeteners (enough to make the drink tasty).
- Drink! The drink will taste very good thanks to the tea bag and a little sweetener. You can drink as much as you want.
Method 3 of 4: Avoid Certain Foods for the Duration of Symptoms
Step 1. Avoid dairy products such as milk, butter or cream
In some people, dairy products increase the production of mucus.
Step 2. Avoid foods that are too sweet
These are mostly cakes. This is because they can irritate the throat. Ice cream, preferably sugar-free, is okay because it can help allay the ailment.
- If you're craving something sweet, grab a natural smoothie or some fruit. For your breakfast, eat warm oatmeal.
- A soup or a hot broth can help you feel better.
Step 3. Avoid cold foods and drinks
Don't let the cold feeling fool you: you want to keep your body warm. So try drinking lukewarm water, even if it doesn't taste very good.
Step 4. Avoid citrus fruits
Fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, and tomatoes can hurt your throat. Preferably consume grapes or apple juice which are refreshing, have flavor, but are not sour.
Method 4 of 4: Identify symptoms requiring medical attention
Step 1. If your sore throat lasts more than three days, see a doctor
Better to be safe than sorry. Your doctor can examine your throat, discuss your symptoms, and perform tests that will hopefully get you on the road to recovery quickly.
Step 2. Check for signs of strep throat
Your sore throat is probably just a simple ailment. But sometimes what you thought was just a sore throat is actually strep throat or some other potentially dangerous infection. Therefore, watch for the following signs of strep throat:
- a severe and sudden sore throat without the usual signs of a cold (coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc.),
- fever above 38 ° C. Low fevers suggest an increased likelihood of viral infection, not strep,
- swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck
- white or yellow spots on the throat and tonsils,
- a bright red throat or dark red spots on the upper part of the mouth, on the back, near the throat,
- scarlet spots in the neck area or on other parts of the body.
Step 3. Check for signs of mononucleosis
Mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, and typically affects adolescents and young adults, since most adults are immune to the virus. Symptoms of mononucleosis include:
- a high fever, ranging from 38 ° to 40 ° C, with chills,
- a sore throat, with white spots on the tonsils
- swollen tonsils and swollen lymph nodes all over the body
- headaches, fatigue and lack of energy,
- pain in the upper left abdomen, near the spleen. If your spleen is painful, see a doctor immediately, as this could mean it has burst.
Advice
- If your sore throat does not improve after 2-3 days, it is advisable to see a doctor.
- Drink hot broth or soup.
- Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water.
- Take your temperature every 24 hours when you have a sore throat. If at any point your fever rises above 38 ° C, see a doctor, as this could be a sign of a viral or bacterial infection such as mononucleosis.
- Wear a warm scarf if you are going outside.
- Wash your hands often.
- Take 2-3 ibuprofen every 4-6 hours.
- Drinking Throat Coat tea helps a lot with sore throats. It provides almost instant relief!
- Take a little lukewarm water and mix in a little honey.
Warnings
- Avoid sodas, foods and drinks high in sugar.
- Do not smoke cigarettes or cigars.