Ways on How to Treat a Sore Throat
Sore throats are bothersome especially when we rely on our voice while we work or at school. The pain can be distracting and can compromise our day. Even our normal eating pattern can be affected by having a sore throat. The accumulation of bacteria or viruses on the throat is the common cause of sore throats. It may not need aggressive medical attention and can heal within 3 days, but you should know how to treat a sore throat
To minimize the inflammation or swelling on the throat and to relieve you from pain, you will need an effective analgesic that is recommended by the physician. Consult your physician prior to taking any over the counter pain medications as to be sure and be on the safe side when it comes to their adverse effects. A specific type of analgesic might work for your office mate, but may not be as effective on your condition because of some particular reasons. The physician will take note of your past medical history, as well as the medications you are currently taking as to the possible drug to drug interaction. Analgesics combined with any drug may have various effects on different individuals taking them.
If the pain is bothering you while you swallow or speak, you can suck on lozenges that contain menthol to numb the sensation. Using a throat spray may also be indicated if lozenges are not available. For children, you can give them hard menthol candies or cough drops to suck. These can temporarily relive the pain in the throat.
Upon waking up in the morning, gargle a mint mouthwash to cleanse your mouth from any bacteria or viruses. If mint mouthwash is not available, you can create a saline solution by mixing salt with water as a mouthwash. Bacteria or viruses usually accumulate in the mouth, especially the throat at night when the salivary glands are inactive. Brushing the tongue is also important because some bacteria or viruses tend to lodge in the tongue. Use a mouthwash to rinse the toothbrush as well to make sure no bacteria or viruses can dwell in them.
Since you will be having trouble in swallowing at this time, try to modify your diet by eating soft or liquid foods. These kinds of foods can save you from agony while you eat at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Avoid hard crackers or such, aside from the fact that it can be hard for you to swallow, but also because they even have the tendency to scratch your throat upon swallowing.
Avoid inhalation of irritants such as smoke and dirt because they tend to stick on the throat causing more damage to the sore throat. There are so many ways on how to treat a sore throat as long as you are conscious of your surroundings and you know what to avoid in cases of having a sore throat.
