What to take for a sore throat according to symptoms

Sore throat with fever

If it is also accompanied by nasal congestion, cough, sneezing, headache … Suspicion of a cold or flu. You can distinguish them in this article. It usually disappears after a few days. To alleviate symptoms, your doctor may recommend pain relievers or anti-inflammatories but not antibiotics, because they do not work to treat it.

Sore throat with high fever

If the fever is high, they are probably angina, a bacterial infection that may require the administration of antibiotics.

Sore throat with fever and swollen glands

If the throat hurts even when swallowing saliva, there is a fever and the lymph nodes in the neck stick out, it is most likely that it is mononucleosis, also popularly known as "the kissing disease", since it is transmitted by a virus that is in the saliva. You don't need treatment except for symptoms, but you do need rest.

Sore throat without fever

If you also have aphonia problems, it may be laryngitis, usually caused by a virus. It may also be that you have forced your voice a lot and your vocal cords are affected.
or an inadequate projection of the voice that affects the vocal cords. It is treated with pain relievers, decongestants and / or by resting the voice.

Sore throat without fever but with heartburn

They are the symptoms of a gastroesophageal reflux. What you have to do is eat a bland diet, eat dinner two or three hours before going to bed, and sleep with the headboard elevated.

Sore throat with mucus and no fever

In this case, the culprit could be pollen, mold, chemical fumes, your pet's dander or any allergen that causes an overreaction of your immune system. You must go to the allergist to tackle the cause and not just the symptoms.

Persistent sore throat

If the sore throat does not go away and lasts for a long time, see your doctor. Especially if you also feel tired, have swallowing problems, aphonia, breathing difficulties … In this case, a sore throat can warn of laryngeal cancer.

In summer, due to temperature changes and air conditioners. In winter, due to the cold, the heating and the viruses that roam freely in closed spaces. Whatever it is, we may end up with a sore throat and have trouble swallowing.

WHAT IS SORE THROAT

The throat (or pharynx) is a tube that allows food to reach the esophagus and for air to travel down the windpipe and larynx. For various reasons, it can hurt, feel irritated, we may notice a certain itch, have problems swallowing even saliva … And these symptoms that directly affect the throat can be accompanied by others such as fatigue, mucus, breathing problems …

CAUSES OF SORE THROAT

Pharyngitis and tonsillitis. If the inflammation of the mucous membranes of the pharynx does not affect the palatine tonsils, it is pharyngitis. If these are affected, it is pharyngotonsillitis also called tonsillitis or more popularly, angina. Both in one case and the other, the origin is a virus or bacteria. Rarely the cause can be fungi.
Allergy. When the immune system reacts to airborne allergens such as pollen, mold, chemical fumes, animal dander, etc., it releases chemicals that cause throat irritation, in addition to stuffy and runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing , etc.
Dry air. If the air is very dry, the mucous membranes of the throat also become dry, causing irritation and itching in the throat. In summer, you have to calibrate the humidity if you are in air-conditioned environments; the same as in winter if there is heating.
Smoke and irritants. Tobacco smoke, polluted city air, cleaning products and other chemicals that we may be exposed to… all of this can irritate the throat and make it sore.
Gastroesophageal reflux. When stomach acid returns to the esophagus, it irritates the throat and causes pain.
Choking Choking on a piece of food also causes a sore throat. It is a temporary pain and does not usually have complications except in very specific cases.
Yelling or projecting the voice wrong. Doing so repeatedly damages your vocal cords and throat muscles. It is a very frequent pain among teachers, sports coaches, etc.
Tumor. It is another possible origin of a sore throat, especially when this pain is persistent and is usually accompanied by fatigue and other symptoms.

WHAT TO TAKE FOR YOUR SORE THROAT ACCORDING TO THE SYMPTOMS

Sore throat with fever, nasal congestion, cough, sneezing … You have caught a cold or the flu . You can distinguish them in this article. But, the normal thing is that the flu gives much more fever than the cold and that it evolves faster. If it is a cold, we will tell you how to cure a cold in 24 hours. What to take: Your doctor will surely prescribe pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve symptoms. It is not necessary to resort to antibiotics, since they do not solve the problem and. It's also important that you drink plenty of fluids and gargle with warm salt water.
Sore throat with high fever and difficulty swallowing. It is probably a pharyngotonsillitis, that is, tonsils . It is an infection caused by bacteria, specifically streptococci. What to take: In this case, the doctor can prescribe antibiotics, as well as pain relievers.
Sore throat without fever but with aphonia, may be due to laryngitis . It is usually due to a virus or an inadequate projection of the voice that affects the vocal cords. What to take: It is usually treated with pain relievers and decongestants and / or by resting the voice. Also, depending on the problem, it may be necessary to retrain the voice or operate if nodules have formed.
Sore throat and fever, tiredness and very swollen glands. It could be mononucleosis , an infection caused by a virus that is transmitted through saliva, which is why this disease is popularly known as "the kissing disease." What to take: Being viral, it only acts on the symptoms with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Sore throat with mucus , watery eyes, nasal congestion … It may be an allergy . What to take: In addition to going to the doctor to treat symptoms, go to the allergist because vaccines for certain types of allergies are an effective treatment, albeit long and somewhat cumbersome. And if your allergy is to mites, don't miss this article.
Persistent sore throat If this sore throat does not go away, go to the doctor, especially if it is accompanied by swallowing problems, hoarseness, shortness of breath, etc. Behind a persistent sore throat a tumor may hide , that is, laryngeal cancer. What to take: If it is a cancer, it will surely require surgery and surely radiotherapy and / or chemotherapy.
Sore throat, heartburn , swallowing problems, chest pain, dry cough… This is probably due to gastroesophageal reflux. Most commonly, reflux is due to a hiatal hernia. What to take: The doctor will advise you on the medication you may need. Also, review your diet to avoid spicy, oily foods, etc. Eat dinner early and sleep with the headboard slightly elevated. These tips can also help.

HOW TO PREVENT THROAT PAIN

To protect from cold. Do not stand near an air conditioning vent or stand near a draft. If it's cold, wear scarves, scarves, or high-necks. And make sure your feet are always warm.
"Feed" the defenses. Taking care of your gut microbiota is a good way to keep your immune system strong.
Wash your hands frequently. It is a good way to avoid viruses, especially in the midst of a cold and flu epidemic by eating lots of fruit and vegetables and fermented products such as yogurts, kefir, sauerkraut, etc.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR THROAT BEGINS SO THAT IT DOESN'T ADVANCE

Drink fluids. Neither hot nor cold. Better water, infusions, etc. And avoid exciting, carbonated drinks, etc. If you sweeten them with honey, they will help soften your throat.
Suck on candy. They cause more saliva to be generated, which helps hydrate the throat and relieve pain.
Avoid tobacco and alcohol. They are very aggressive with the throat.
Rest your voice. If you have aphonia problems, give your voice a break and try to speak as little as possible.