9 tips to relieve a sore throat. The most common causes of sore throats are viruses and bacteria. The viruses can be different – Covid-19, influenza, infectious mononucleosis, varicella, adenoviruses. Bacteria – usually streptococcus.
Throat pain is often accompanied by painful swallowing, enlarged and painful lymph nodes in the neck, fever and runny nose.
9 tips to relieve a sore throat. So, if you have a sore throat, it’s important:
- Get a good night’s rest and talk less
It is very important to sleep well and to try not to talk too much, as the infection often affects the vocal cords
- Drink plenty of fluids
You should drink 2 litres or more per day. Hot, acidic drinks are not suitable as they can further irritate the mucous membranes. Drink room temperature water and teas.
- Reduce sore throat and temperature with paracetamol or ibuprofen.
- Rinse your throat with a decoction of chamomile, sage. If appropriate (when there is more mucus), you can gargle with a salt solution (you can make one at home – a teaspoon of salt in one glass of water).For a drier, parched throat, oil sprays are very useful. Different soothers are also very good – they can be made with herbs, honey, etc.
- Don’t take unnecessary antibiotics
Viral sore throats are accompanied by other cold symptoms such as runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes and sneezing. A sore throat caused by bacterial inflammation may be accompanied by a high temperature, chills, sweating and shivering, and may be accompanied by purulent plaque. In this case, medical advice is required
- Avoid irritants
Smoking, allergens, dry air, reflux – these often weaken the mucous membranes of the throat and can cause sore throats.
- Don’t forget your immune system
Eat light, non-spicy food. Chew well and avoid coarse, hard food, which can further irritate the mucous membranes. Difficulty swallowing, breathing or opening your mouth Don’t forget the well-known vitamin D.
- Keep your nose clean
Colds often cause nasal congestion, so you have to breathe through your mouth, which further dries out the lining of your throat. For the nose, washing with a sea-water solution and nasal decongestants will help (check with your doctor how long you should take them).
- Humidify and ventilate rooms
See a doctor
when the sore throat is severe, prolonged or does not ease and spreads to the ear. Severely enlarged and painful cervical-substernal lymph nodes. Difficulty swallowing, breathing or laughing. You see white dots or solid white plaque on the tonsils. Voice is gone for more than a week. Temperature 39 or more.
You can consult
with our family doctors
