What is a sore throat?
As the name suggests, a sore throat is when you feel pain in your throat. It is often nagging and does not go away easily. A typical sore throat occurs due to inflammation.
Pain in the throat is often an early symptom of other illnesses, such as a cold. It may also be due to strain, allergies, or a result of a lifestyle habit, such as smoking. It may occur more commonly in people with allergies, children, those with compromised immune systems, and those who smoke.
For proper treatment, you should try to find out the root cause. This will help you to decide if you need medications or if it will heal on its own in time. Regardless of the cause, you can often treat the pain through home remedies, which will bring you the quickest relief.
What are the symptoms of the sore throat?
The signs and indications of sore throat include:
- Dry throat
- Difficulty in swallowing food
- Pain or an abrasive sensation in the throat
- Pain that increases while talking and eating
- Croaky or subdued voice
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Tenderness in the neck
- Bloated and red tonsils
- White patches or pus on the tonsils
There are various other signs that one feel while having a sore throat:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Fever
- Sneezing
- Chills
- Nausea or vomiting
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Headache
Causes of sore throat
There are certain reasons, which cause an inflammatory or sore throat. They are as under:
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- Viral Infections :
Viral illnesses are the most common reason that results in a sore throat. The most frequently occurring viral infection is the common cold. The other causes are infection of the laryngitis, influenza, herpangina, and mumps.
- Viral Infections :
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- Bacterial Infections :
One of the reasons for a sore throat is a bacterial infection, which causes irritating or inflamed tissues. It is also linked to burning epiglottis or infection in the tonsils. In certain cases, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia, are also the causes of a burning throat.
- Bacterial Infections :
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- Injuries and Irritants :
If your sore throat does not heal up within a week, then it may be a result of certain injuries or irritating factors, such as a cut from something you swallowed, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, yelling, pollution, dust, smoking, low humidity, or excessive use of antibiotics.
- Injuries and Irritants :
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- Other Reasons :
Cigarette smoke and certain medical treatments (such as cancer treatment with radiation or chemotherapy) may also result in a sore throat.
- Other Reasons :
How to cure a sore throat?
Various cures are available for this condition. Medicines can treat only a specific type of throat infection. For instance, antibiotics are useful in bacterial infections but not in case of viral infections. Before taking any medication, you should know the exact cause the problem.
You may find a nice alternative to medication works best. There are several home remedies available for treating a sore throat.
Homemade Remedies for Curing Sore Throat
There are various home remedies that can ease the paint and heal your sore throat almost immediately.
1. Gargle
The superb home remedy to fix the problem is gargling with lukewarm water mixed with salt. You can also mix turmeric powder in the salt solution.
Alternatively, you can also use the solution of baking soda for gargling. For this, mix ½ tsp of baking soda in one glass of warm water.
2. Honey
Honey is used in treating many ailments. It has some natural antibacterial properties that can quickly heal. It acts as a hypertonic osmotic and reduces the discomfort by drawing out water from the inflamed tissues. You can add 4-5 tsp of honey to a cup of herbal tea or hot water. Juice of half lemon mixed with honey in hot water also soothes the burning throat.
3. Vitamin C
Whatever may be the reason of your sore throat, Vitamin C works in all conditions.You can take sources of Vitamin C three times a day, which is helpful in strengthening the immune system to fight-off the infection. Include oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, squash, mangoes, and red peppers in your diet.
4. Garlic
Raw garlic also has antibacterial and antiseptic qualities, which can cure the throat infection. If you don’t wish to have raw garlic, take garlic capsules.
5. Humidifier
Run a humidifier or cool mist vaporizer in the patient’s room. This helps in adding moisture in the air that in turn helps the throat from drying out. If you do not have a humidifier at home, take a large bowl of water and place it in front of the radiator or heating vent.
6. Improvise the Immune System
Strengthen your immune system by adding nutritional supplements, such as zinc, magnesium, vitamins C and E, and immunity boosting herbs, such as astragalus and goldenseal in your diet.
7. Sugar-free Popsicles or Ice-creams
Sugar-free popsicles and ice-creams are beneficial for a sore throat caused by a cold. They decrease inflammation and irritation.
8. Ginger Tea
Drink ginger tea for avoiding soothing the sore throat. The procedure of preparing ginger tea is simple. Prepare the tea as you normally would and add crushed piece of ginger and boil for 4-5 minutes.
9. Chamomile Tea
The patient can also be given chamomile tea as it helps in alleviating the soreness by reducing inflammation and throat pain. Take two tea bags of chamomile and steep them in one cup of boiling water. Honey can also be added to it if you want to have it sweet. Sip it slowly.
10. Inhale Fragrances
Essential oils, such as thyme, lavender, eucalyptus, or sandalwood, can be inhaled to experience some relief.
11. Basil Leaves
Boil basil leaves in water. Then, strain it and drink or gargle with the water.
12. Indian Spices
Make a decoction of Indian spices by boiling grinded black peppercorn, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and dry ginger in two cups of water for 5-6 minutes. Strain the solution and drink it hot.
13. Chicken Soup
Eating and swallowing become difficult when you suffer from sore throat. In this case, soups help in soothing the inflammation and relieving the pain. Drink hot chicken soup to lubricate your throat.
14. Steam
Steam inhaling is also an effective measure for treating a sore throat. Heat water in a large vessel, and lean over the pot by covering your head with a towel. Breathe in the steam with the nose and mouth or take a hot shower or bath.
15. Echinacea
Taking echinacea can also help provide quick pain relief. It is available is capsule form.
16. Licorice (Mulethi) Root
Licorice root is anti-inflammatory in nature and is the main ingredient of many herbal teas. Its expectorant properties help in easing congestion and cough, thereby reducing sore throat.
Note: Licorice root should not be taken into a large amount as it causes low potassium levels and high blood pressure. Therefore, people with heart diseases must take precaution while consuming it.
17. Vicks VapoRub
Gently massage Vicks VapoRub on your neck and chest while going for bed. Cover your neck and chest. You will certainly feel relief in the morning.
Homeopathic Remedies for Sore Throat
Various homeopathic remedies are also available for sore throat. Homeopathic medicines that are mostly taken for sore throat include Belladonna, Apis, Lachesis, Mercurius, Rhus Tox, and Aconitum.
Preventive Measures
Asore throat can be reduced to a great extent by following the given below measures:
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- In order to prevent the bacteria from spreading, wash your hands frequently.
- Don’t hold the cough. Cough whenever you need to.
- Don’t talk too much. Try to give your throat as much rest as you can.
- Drink a lot of water and fluids, but avoid drinking fast.
- Avoid drinking cold drinks.
- While suffering from sore throat, don’t consume dairy products.
- Avoid eating sweets as excess sugar may irritate your throat.
- Cough drops may make your throat feel tired and heavy. So, don’t consume too many.
- Do not smoke or use tobacco while suffering from sore throat as it may worsen the disease. It’s best to give up smoking if you want to prevent this disorder from reoccurring in the future.
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Depending on the cause of sore throat, it may last for 7 to 10 days. If the sore throat is not better within a week, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately to rule out a more serious infection or illness.