Sore throat is a common condition. These are mostly triggered by spread of viral strands. However, you may also witness soreness due to smoke / smoking, exposure to a few allergens, presence of irritable substances such as pollutants or harmful chemicals in the air, taking way too much, etc. Also, some forms of soreness may also be due to bacterial attacks; these spells may happen when your immunity is compromised or is under duress. But, how do we treat soreness of throat? It is a wise thing to have more details on this front.
Soreness of throat triggered by a bacterial strand can be more serious than that caused by a vital attack. You may develop such soreness when your immunity system is already erecting defense against another condition. Virus-triggered spells of soreness can arise out of breathing air with pollutants, yelling or shouting for long, smoking tobacco-based products, etc.
How to know the cause behind the soreness of throat?
This will need a consultation with a qualified physician; the treating doctor may advise a swab-based test. The throat-swab is processed at the lab for needful culture. However, the cause behind your discomfort can also be detected through a few characteristic signs. For example, sore throat caused by virus may show up common cold or associated symptoms. Such symptoms include watery discharge from eyes, intermittent spells of coughing, runny nose, etc. Moreover, signs such as itchiness at the roof of your mouth, reddening of eyes, episodes of sneezing, etc. may be due to an exposure to allergens. The good news is – these allergic reactions tend to cease once you remove the trigger causing such discomforts.
Sore throat caused by bacterial strands may show up sooner than viral spells; also, soreness caused by bacteria is more likely to occur among children aged between 6 to 14 years than among adults. Of the various types of bacterial strands, a particular strand known as Streptococcus pyrogenes is viewed as the most common one. This strand may get active and spread rampantly when you are living in excessively populated places such as camps, hostels, etc. You may also be at risk if there is an excessive level of dampness where you live.
How to treat a sore throat?
There are a few home-based remedies for this. For instance, honey is considered an effective treatment; this is mainly due to the antimicrobial properties it has. It is also known to its ability to draw water out of an inflamed region and thus decrease internal swelling. Once swelling is reduced, you tend to see the discomforts going away gradually.
You may also for a salt-water gargle; this home remedy is known to fight both virus and bacterial strands. Experts believe that regular gargling can bring needful relief from build-up of fluids inside your tissues.
If you are unable to stop the discomforts through home remedies, you are advised to consult with a qualified doctor as quickly as possible. Your treating physician may prescribe anti-inflammatory meds such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These meds can relieve pains as well as swelling. However, no two people react the same way to these drugs. Hence, these meds may work for some and not for all who take them.
In some cases, your caregiver and / or pharmacist may advise the intake of drugs such as acetaminophen. Meds such as this do not have anti-inflammatory properties, but can relieve pains in a considerable manner. Last but not least, you may also consider taking lozenges. Often, they are known to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory capabilities. In some cases, your doctor may also advise using throat sprays which can be directly used on the rear of your throat.