What to do if your throat hurts
Almost everyone experiences a sore throat at least once a year. In the autumn-winter period, this complaint is one of the main ones at the reception of therapists in polyclinics. This is due to the fact that sore throat is most often a sign of SARS. In this case, the pain is accompanied by general weakness, sore throat, fever.
Many people mistakenly believe that sore throats occur only in unhardened people with hypothermia. This is not true. Any cold is nothing more than a manifestation of a viral infection in the body.
However, it is not just the virus that hurts your throat.
Sore throat causes
- Infection with viruses: influenza, parainfluenza, infectious mononucleosis, measles, etc.
- Bacterial contamination. Sore throat is typical for diphtheria, chlamydia, mycoplasma infection, streptococcal infections, gonorrhea.
- For other reasons:
- allergic reactions;
- overstrain of the throat muscles;
- gastroesophageal reflux;
- low air humidity.
Persons prone to sore throat
- tobacco smokers. Moreover, passive or active smoking is equally harmful;
- persons who do not follow good oral hygiene;
- allergy sufferers;
- people with chronic diseases of the oropharynx and oral cavity;
- persons staying in poorly ventilated rooms, as well as in a room with dry air;
- children and adolescents;
- often sore throat after exposure to chemical irritants. Moreover, if a person works in hazardous work, this complaint can become chronic;
- people with reduced immunity.
What to do if your throat hurts
First of all, you need to ask yourself the question: "Is this sore throat really a cold?" If you are firmly convinced of a positive answer, then it is worth starting treatment.
At home
- Home mode. With an increase in body temperature - bed.
- Ventilate the room regularly and try to maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the house. This advice is especially important in winter, when the heating is on, because low humidity in the room can independently provoke a sore throat. If you have an inhaler at home, it is useful to carry out steam inhalation with herbs or mineral water. This is especially useful if a child has a sore throat.
- Sufficient warm drink. The most effective is tea with raspberries or lemon. Besides vitamin C, which you get with tea, raspberries have antipyretic properties. However, if a child is 1-2 years old with a sore throat and ARVI is accompanied by a temperature, then you should not give raspberries to drink. This can negatively affect liver function. It is also useful to drink green tea, non-acidic juices, fruit drink.
- Gargling. This procedure is very helpful. Rinsing should be started as early as possible and carried out as often as possible. In some cases, even one rinse over several days can lead to recovery. And if your throat hurts during pregnancy, gargling may become the only available and relatively harmless treatment. What can be used for rinsing? Currently, there is no shortage of medicines used for gargling in pharmacies. However, proven folk remedies are also not worth rejecting. From such means, first of all, it is worth noting gargling with infusions of herbs: chamomile, sage, eucalyptus. Also, a positive effect is noted from rinsing with a warm solution of sea salt. Do not forget the proven and beloved furacillin. It is not only cheap, but also quite effective.
- Use of lozenges and sprays to irrigate the throat. In most cases, these drugs contain a topical antiseptic or antibiotic. They must be used according to the instructions. Often, this treatment for sore throat is sufficient to prevent further development of the inflammatory process. Do not use multiple drugs at once. Overdosing them can also lead to discomfort and sore throat as side effects of the drug.
When to see a doctor if your throat hurts
A doctor's consultation is mandatory in the following cases:
- sore throat for more than 5-7 days;
- sore throat accompanied by difficulty swallowing;
- labored breathing;
- an increase in body temperature up to 38 ° C and above;
- the presence of plaque in the throat;
- sore throat combined with difficulty opening the mouth;
- the presence of swelling in the neck;
- the treatment of sore throat is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being;
- if a child has a sore throat;
- if your throat hurts during pregnancy.
Any of the listed symptoms often indicate a complication of the course of ARVI and the need for additional treatment. Most often it is antibiotic therapy.
The need to see a doctor if the throat hurts during pregnancy is due to the fact that in this position, a woman simply needs a careful selection of drug treatment. Although many drugs are not directly contraindicated during pregnancy, medical supervision is mandatory when using them.
If a child has a sore throat, then it will not hurt to see a pediatrician. Many drugs are contraindicated for children. In addition, even a banal ARVI in a child can be ambiguous, and the doctor, in order to correctly assess the condition, it is better to dynamically observe the baby.
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