What to Do For a Sore Throat

Suffering from a sore or strep throat will leave the patient in a confused state of mind, for, on one hand, the sickness is not so major that one needs to be hospitalized, and on the other, it is not something that can be ignored either. It leaves one dull and tired so that one cannot carry out their daily chores efficiently. And therefore a persistent sore throat needs to be tackled effectively. How is one to do that?

Causes of Sore Throat

A sore throat can be caused by many things like viruses or bacteria, sinus drainage, cigarette smoke, change in temperature and allergies. When the sore throat is caused by bacteria, then an antibiotic is prescribed. It is very important to follow the complete prescribed course of the antibiotic even if you start feeling better immediately. If you stop the course midway, you will be at the risk of being infected again. If on the other hand, the infection is caused by a virus, antibiotics won't work. In such a case, the body will fight the virus by producing antibodies and it will take about a week or 10 days for you to get well. Sometimes, however, a viral infection can be caused by infectious mononucleosis or 'mono' which can last for more than 4 weeks and can lead to fever, jaundice and breathing difficulties. To counter this, one can take ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen.

When the sore throat is caused by allergies, then identifying the symptoms can help you avoid the triggering factors. An anti-allergy medicine can also be taken for the same.

Treating a Sore Throat at Home

If one has a sore throat, there are chances that it will be accompanied by cough. The degree of the cough, that is, is it a mild cough or a severe one, may vary. An example of a cough is croup, which happens when a virus attacks the larynx and the windpipe. It can lead to severe coughing like rasping or coughing with mucus.

When one has a sore throat accompanied by a cough one can take certain steps to relieve oneself of the pain and the feeling of discomfort that goes with it.

• Gargle with a mixture of salt and water (one teaspoon salt per glass). The water should be as hot as is tolerable. Doing this throughout the day, especially if one has the post nasal drip (when mucus develops at the back of the throat) will help relieve pain, reduce swelling, and arrest getting a re-infection.
• Staying hydrated is very important to prevent the post nasal drip from collecting. Drinking a lot of warm liquids like tea, soup and honey water will help.
• Use a humidifier or vaporizer in the room that you are in - this will help to raise the humidity in the room, making it misty. Or sit in a steamy shower or bath. This helps relieve hoarseness in the voice and soothe the swollen air passages.
• A throat spray containing numbing agents can be sprayed at the back of the throat (in case of adults).
• Drinking cold beverages or sucking on Popsicles also helps.
• Brushing the tongue and cleaning the build up on it can help relieve the soreness.
• Avoid smoking or inhaling second-hand smoke as it will lead to more irritation of the already sore throat.
• Sucking on lozenges containing menthol, benzocaine or phenol are helpful in numbing the throat.
• Sleep as much as possible. This will give the body rest and help speed the recovery process.
• Using eucalyptus oil while bathing or pouring a few drops on your sleeping pillow or handkerchief or the vaporizer will give you instant relief from the clogged nose and help clear the sore throat. Eucalyptus oil has a natural anti-microbial agent in it.
• Take a bowl of hot steaming water and inhale the vapors by covering your head with a towel. Add Vicks or eucalyptus oil to it.
• Take a garlic pod, cut it in half and keep one in each cheek, then suck on it like a lozenge, biting it in between to release its allicin - a chemical that kills bacteria.
• Mix turmeric powder in hot milk and drink it. Turmeric has great medicinal properties that will relieve the pain. Alternately, one can take a pinch of turmeric powder, put it in the mouth and then swallow it with hot water. This provides instant relief.
• Drinking hot lemon juice or mixing lemon juice with honey and water also works wonders.

There are several other forms of medicines that can be taken to relieve the cough and sore throat. These would include

• Decongestants
• Antihistamines
• Expectorants
• Cough suppressants
• Antibiotics

Sore Throat and Earache

It is fairly common that a sore throat will be accompanied or followed by a cough, but when this condition is not treated immediately, it gets severe and the ears may start aching. While most of the remedies listed above should help you get rid of your ache, there are a few specific remedies that one can employ to get rid of an earache that is the result of a sore throat.

• Dip a towel in hot water and wrap the damp cloth around your neck and ear - this will relieve the pain.
• Take a vitamin C supplement or include it in your diet. This will help boost the immune system as it contains natural antihistamine and antibiotics, which is a natural cure against fever and inflammation.
• Heat sweet oil or Castor or olive oil with a clove of garlic in it. Strain the garlic and pour the warm oil (make sure it isn't hot) into your ear and cover with cotton. Keep it overnight. The medicinal properties of the garlic and oil will help relieve the pain and clear the ear.
• Use a hairdryer or blow dryer (medium or low mode) on the earache. Place it 10 inches away. The warm wind will soothe the irritated ear. It is a better option than rubbing your ear.
• You can use a ibuprofen or antibiotic to get rid of the ache.
• Avoid dairy products like cheese, milk, etc. because they tend to aggravate an ear infection. Include zinc in your diet.

Following these remedies will rid you of your ailments soon enough and answer your question-what to do for a sore throat. In order to avoid catching and passing the bacteria in future, do not touch your mouth or eyes as far as possible. Also, always make sure you cover your mouth when you are coughing or sneezing.