Sore throat - what to do

Synonyms

Cold, hoarseness, sore throat, throat pain

Treating a sore throat without medication

Home remedies that help relieve sore throats include lozenges, gargle solutions and warm teas.

Sore throat - a symptom with many possible causes. In most cases, there is a simple viral infection for which, in the truest sense of the word, just waiting and drinking tea will help. The infections can be in different places, e.g. to have tonsillitis (Tonsillitis), sore throat (Pharyngitis) or laryngitis (laryngitis) act. These infections are harmless and usually go away within a week without special treatment.

You can find out how long a sore throat can last in our article Duration of a sore throat - what is normal?

In most cases only symptomatic treatment of the sore throat is indicated. On the one hand, it consists of constant cooling (e.g.. Eating ice cream), but also warming the neck from the outside (scarf). In addition, a lot of rest and little physical exertion are important, because the body needs its energy to fight pathogens. Gargle solutions, lozenges or cough drops or throat sprays from the pharmacy can be used for pain relief.

Cold teas such as sage tea or hot milk with honey can also be helpful. It is also important to drink enough fluids (at least two liters per day). Inhaling salt water vapors has an expectorant effect.

If the sore throat does not go away on its own, if it recurs or if a high fever (> 38.5 ° C) develops, a doctor's visit is recommended. Because in addition to the commonplace infections, there are also serious illnesses that require medication or professional medical treatment. These diseases include scarlet fever, purulent tonsillitis caused by bacteria, Pfeiffer's glandular fever and almond abscesses.

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Home remedies for a sore throat
Sprays for sore throats

Drug therapy for a sore throat

If the inflammation is caused by streptococci, drugs containing antibiotics should be administered. A throat swab is examined for strep throat to diagnose. If an existing bacterial infection is suspected, antibiotics (e.g. penicillin) can be given if the symptoms worsen. Returns a Streptococcal infection even after drug treatment, penicillin V or a first-generation cephalosporin should be given for a period of 10 days. Therapy with amoxicillin or erythromycin can also be attempted. In normal cases, however, antibiotic therapy can be dispensed with and taking paracetamol or ibuprofen three times a day for a period of 2-3 days is recommended. Locastad® can be given for symptomatic treatment of sore throats.

Compared to previous years, people have become somewhat more reluctant to remove the tonsils in the case of repeated tonsillitis. Today there are clear criteria that justify removal of the tonsils. If more than 7 strep infections have been reported in the previous year, more than 5 strep infections per year in the last two years, or more than 3 strep infections in the last three years, tonsil removal should be considered.

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For the symptomatic therapy of throat pain, which does not combat the causes but only the acute pain, numerous over-the-counter drugs can be purchased in the pharmacy, which have the mechanism of action of local anesthetics and help to relieve pain. These drugs include Dorithricin ® or Lemocin ®, among others.

Are you interested in this topic? Read our next article below: Medicines for sore throats

Treating Sore Throats During Pregnancy

If medication is necessary to treat a sore throat, the gynecologist should be consulted during pregnancy so that the baby is not harmed.

Medicines during pregnancy are - especially since the Contergan disaster - an important topic that should not be underestimated. Many drugs have been shown to be teratogenic. Certain drugs for the long-term treatment of high blood pressure, epilepsy, anticoagulants, psychotropic drugs, strong painkillers or sedatives and rheumatoid drugs are generally problematic. Retinoids, thalidomide (Contergan®) and mycophenolate mofetil are particularly teratogenic (teratogenic). Nevertheless, there are alternative drugs in almost all areas that can be taken without major risks.

On the subject of sore throats it can be said that these can be treated symptomatically with simple means. This includes drinking a lot, preferably sage tea, as this has a soothing effect. Steam inhalations for the nose and sinuses have an expectorant effect without endangering the baby. Saline solutions / sea salt nasal sprays or nasal sprays in the dosage for infants are allowed in the event of a cold. Gargle solutions, cough drops or throat sprays as well as hot milk with honey can help relieve pain and are absolutely harmless.

More about this at: Sore throat in pregnancy

Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be taken up to the 28th week of pregnancy in severe pain or high fever. If the symptoms do not improve after a few days or if a fever occurs, a visit to the gynecologist is recommended. In this case, the doctor knows better than the general practitioner or ENT doctor which medication can be taken.

Treatment of sore throats while breastfeeding

Most drugs also get into breast milk, but in a concentration range that is well below a therapeutic dose for the infant.This means that the drug concentration in breast milk is much lower than in the maternal bloodstream and is therefore in most cases harmless to the baby. However, there are substances that can harm the child. Therefore caution is advised.

Long-term medications are particularly problematic because they can accumulate in an infant and lead to symptoms. The following drugs are generally problematic during breastfeeding: cytostatics used in chemotherapy, radionuclides, opioids (pain relievers) and (several combined) psychotropic or anti-epileptic drugs. Among the substances mentioned there is none that is usually used to treat sore throats.

Fever reducers and weaker pain relievers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can be taken without hesitation, especially if they are not used permanently. Well-tried home remedies are particularly recommended for pharyngitis caused by a virus.

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Homeopathy for a sore throat

In addition to the above-mentioned home remedies and "real" medicines, there are also a number of them homeopathic remedies to disposal. Since homeopathy attaches great importance to a precise medical history (anamnesis), it is crucial for the choice of the remedy, what kind of sore throat present. It should be noted that the list of the following homeopathic substances is by no means complete, but only a list of some known and proven remedies for sore throats in the homeopathic field. In addition, one should be aware of the following information no substitute for medical advice and that seek medical advice if there is no improvement or if you have a high fever is.

Blue monkshood (Aconitum napellus): Recommended for sudden sore throats with difficulty swallowing and fever, red throat and tonsils.
Yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens): for the onset of a sore throat that occurs immediately after or during a cold.
Deadly nightshade (Belladonna): for a raspberry-red tongue, throbbing and sudden sore throat with high fever and reddened and enlarged tonsils.
Honey bee venom (Apis mellifica): for the relief of severe, stabbing or burning sore throats in the case of swollen throat mucosa, which also affects the tonsils and uvula.

The following substances can also be used: barium carbonicum, Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni, Ferrum Phosphoricum, Marum Verum, Lycopodium, Lachesis, Hepar Sulfuris, Calendula and many more. You can of course get more information from a homeopath.