Sore Throat Pain

Sore throat is a frequently reported acute medical condition, characterized by pain, tightness and burning sensation of the throat area. Pain caused due to soreness of throat region may be associated with other symptoms, like throat irritation, headache, swelling of lymph nodes and throat pain when swallowing. While common cold and strep throat are the probable reasons leading to sore throat pain, it may also be a sign of some severe diseases. Nevertheless, in majority of the patients, soreness of the throat subsides on its own within a few days.

What Causes Sore Throat Pain?

The prime causes of sore throat are infections by bacteria and viruses. Other causal factors include breathing through mouth, inhaling polluted air, excess smoking and adverse reactions to allergens (pollens, pet dander, black mold). Also, sore throat pain may be a referred sign of other medical problems, like sinus infections, fever and measles. In an individual having sore throat pain, the mucous membrane lining of the lower pharyngeal portion is inflamed, resulting in pain symptoms. The soft plate and tonsils adjacent to sore throat may also be affected causing swelling and inflammation of the area.

Remedies for Sore Throat Pain Relief

Though sore throat pain is not a serious medical problem, treatment is imperative to soothe pain and quicken the recovery time. Therapeutic intervention for the same involves identifying the causal factor and advocating appropriate medications. If it is caused due to strep throat, sore throat treatment is done with a complete antibiotic course; whereas for patients with common cold, antiviral medicine is recommended. For allergy related throat pain, avoiding exposure to the allergens is suggested. The following tips on how to cure a sore throat work effectually in relieving the associated pain symptom.

• Amongst the sore throat pain relief ideas that really work, gargling with warm salt water is considered the most effectual alternative. Dissolve 1 teaspoon common salt in one glass of warm water. Use it for gargling, and repeat the same several times a day.
• In order to soothe a sore throat, other curative solutions used for gargling are dilute aloe vera juice, cayenne pepper and water mixture (½ teaspoon cayenne pepper in 1 cup boiling water), grapefruit seed extract (5 drops extract in 1 cup water) and dilute apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup water).
• Sore throat remedies that show prompt results include taking throat lozenges. Available in different flavors, they are sold in almost all pharmaceutical centers. Eating popsicles and cold desserts also work well in getting instant relief from sore throat pain.
• Another home remedy for sore throat pain is sipping hot beverages, preferably herbal tea made with curative herbs. The best hot drinks are ginger root tea, chamomile tea, thyme tea, licorice tea and goldenseal tea.
• For people who are not fond of having herbal tea, drinking healthy fluids that contain lemon and honey is a good sore throat remedy. Or simply mix lemon juice and honey to make a concentrated mixture, and have it several times a day. Likewise, combine equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and honey, and have it many times a day.
• Do not forget to drink lots of fluids during the sore throat episode. This lubricates the throat and keeps the body hydrated, thereby preventing dry throat symptoms. However, take care while taking juices prepared with citrus fruits, as increased acidity may aggravate sore throat pain symptom.
• Installing a dehumidifier work well as one of the natural sore throat remedies. This keeps the room humidity within the preferable range and aids in soothing throat inflammation and dryness. Also, breathing becomes easy for those with congestion in the nasal passages.
• For severe sore throat cases, taking over-the-counter pain medications help in relieving the discomfort symptom. Take acetaminophen and ibuprofen will soothe sore throat pain. However, do not overlook the suggested dosage and side effects (if any).

In a nutshell, the effective sore throat pain remedies and suggested self care tips are similar to that of natural cold cures. For patients with viral infections and allergies, home remedies are useful to treat throat soreness. If throat pain symptoms persist even after adopting the above methods, do not hesitant in taking the doctor's advice. They may be caused due to bacteria and taking antibiotic medicine is necessary to treat the underlying cause.