Sore Throat and Headache

One of the most common of all medical conditions or illnesses happens to be sore throat and headache. It is something that both children as well as adults are equally susceptible and vulnerable to. In fact, one could safely say that as far as common, minor illnesses are concerned, this ailment would definitely find a place among the top ten contenders, if not the top five. So what are the different possible causes of a sore throat that causes a headache? And how do you go about treating it? Let us find out.

Possible Causes
Listed below are some of the possible causes of a sore throat:

• Smoking
• Airborne allergies
• Food allergies
• Viral infections
• Bacterial infections
• Continuous breathing through the mouth
• Tonsillitis
• Strep throat
• Influenza
• Fever
• Common cold
• Swine flu
• Sinus infections
• Adenoid disorders
• Bird or animal allergies
• Gingivitis
• Laryngitis
• Measles
• Mouth ulcers
• Mumps
• Respiratory infections
• Postnasal drip
• Throat cancer
• AIDS
• Inhaling atmospheric pollutants and particulate matter
• Inhaling chemical pollutants from vehicle exhaust fumes, etc.

Now in certain cases, a sore throat is often accompanied by a headache. This is quite a common phenomenon in case of flu, fever, severe respiratory or sinus infections, airborne allergies, etc. Also, lifestyle patterns, at times, result in a case of sore throat accompanied by a headache. A very common example of this, is the case of a severe morning hangover after a long night of partying, chain smoking and drinking. Of course, depending upon the triggering factor, the level or the severity of the headache can vary, i.e. it can range from a discomforting dull, mild headache to a severe throbbing pain which is enough to drive a person crazy. So how do go about treating a sore throat and a headache? Well, here are a few ways to go about it.

Treatment
If you are down with a sore throat, here are a few home remedies that you can employ:

• Gargle. Add a pinch of salt and a drop of any household liquid disinfectant such as 'Dettol' to a glass of warm water. Stir it well and use it for gargling. Gargling is one of the best things that you can do to soothe a sore throat. Gargle at least three to four times a day, and you will soon notice the difference.
• Make use of a throat lozenge. You can keep one in the corner of your mouth and suck on it from time to time. Its medicinal juices soothes sore throats and provides relief.
• Cloves are another good way of obtaining relief from a sore throat. As is the case with a throat lozenge, similarly, in case of cloves too, keeping one in the corner of your mouth and sucking on it from time to time will help in soothing a sore throat.
• Holy basil leaves are also known for their efficacy in curing a sore throat. You can make use of them in two ways. One way is to boil a few leaves along with some drinking water, and then to drink the same water. The other way is to gargle with the same water (instead of drinking it).
• Avoid smoke and fumes (both indoors as well as outdoors). Covering your mouth and nose with a scarf or a handkerchief will protect your throat from worsening.
• As far as the headache is concerned, try to get some sleep. Often, a good night's sleep can be the cure to many minor health niggles and worries. Alternatively, you can try taking an aspirin or something similar. If the headache persists, or is very severe, then you should straightaway head to a doctor, rather than experiment with solutions of your own.

This was a brief overview of how sore throat and headache are associated with each other. Take care!