Many people are plagued by sore throats in winter. Usually (acute) sore throat is the result of an infection with a germ(viruses and bacteria). The immune system responds with inflammation.
It can be an infection and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat (pharyngitis), the tonsils (tonsillitis) or the larynx (laryngitis). Sometimes those different infections and inflammations can occur together. When the throat mucosa and tonsils are inflamed, one sometimes speaks of an angina. The term angina is also sometimes used for an infection of the throat by bacteria (streptococcus).
Sore throat can also be one of the symptoms of another illness, such as a cold, flu or measles. Other possible causes of acute sore throat include irritation in smokers, from dryness or irritants, or from misuse of the voice (from shouting or shouting).
Healthy adults and children usually heal from acute sore throats on their own within a week. Even though it is usually not bad, sore throat can be very annoying. For example, eating and drinking and even swallowing can be very painful. The treatment is therefore primarily intended to relieve the symptoms.
What helps against sore throat?
- Rest a lot and let the sickness run its course. If you feel fit enough, you can go to school or work.
- Drink a lot. Hot drinks such as soup, warm herbal tea with honey and a little lemon are recommended. Cold drinks or an ice cream can also relieve the pain. Be moderate with alcohol.
- Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle with it several times a day.
- Suck on a hard candy or ice cube to stimulate saliva production.
- (Semi)liquid food such as pudding hurts less than hard food.
- Try to avoid irritation of the throat. In any case, stop smoking.
- Laryngitis are relieved by giving the voice a rest by not talking or just whispering.
- Steaming under a towel can relieve the symptoms
- An ordinary painkiller helps against the pain and fever. Preferably take paracetamol, a safe remedy with very few side effects. Only if paracetamol does not help enough, you can try another painkiller such as ibuprofen or diclofenac. Do not use aspirin in young children.
- The effect of throat sprays with locally anesthetic or disinfectant substances has not been demonstrated.
- Antibiotics usually do not make any sense and are only prescribed for sore throats to high-risk patients, such as cancer patients, people with acute rheumatism, with heart disease or a reduced general resistance, or in case of a streptococcal infection in a closed community (school, nursing home ...).
When to go to the doctor?
- Children under 6 months. In young children, sore throats can manifest themselves in irritability and nocturnal restlessness, with infants in not (or less than half of normal) drinking.
- If the sore throat lasts longer than a week and does not decrease.
- With repeated recurring sore throat.
- If you get sicker and sicker.
- If the sore throat is accompanied by one of the following symptoms:
- fever (longer than 3 days)
- serious symptoms (such as confusion, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, etc.)
- if drinking or swallowing is very difficult or no longer possible, or problems with opening the mouth
- rash in the face, tongue and / or on your trunk
- shortness of breath and / or wheezing
- barking or whooping cough
- severe fatigue (longer than 7 days)
- painfully swollen neck glands.
- If you suffer from a serious chronic illness (e.g.heart disease, lung disease, etc.), have had acute rheumatism or reduced immunity
