With the onset of cold weather, almost everyone suffers from colds. In this regard, everyone is interested in what helps with a sore throat. Fortunately, you can alleviate the condition with the help of medicines and folk remedies. Nevertheless, do not equate the elimination of pain with a complete cure.
Main reasons
In search of a solution that helps with a sore throat, for a start it is worthwhile to deal with the causes of the ailment. They may be as follows:
- viral infection or pathogenic bacteria;
- allergies to food, medicine, household chemicals, or other substances;
- irritation (the cause may be tobacco smoke, fumes, etc.);
- too dry indoor air;
- laryngitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and other diseases;
- fungal infection.
What medications help for a sore throat?
When there is no time to "cure" a cold and be treated with grandmother's methods, medicines come to the rescue. So, with a sore throat, such medications work well:
- Spray "Yoks" has pronounced anti-inflammatory properties. This is due to the increased content of iodine in its composition.
- Givalex copes well with pathogenic microbes.
- The main advantage of Ingalipt is a large number of natural components in the composition. It can be used both for the prevention of colds, and for the treatment of sore throat in the initial stage.
- If a sore throat is accompanied by other signs of a cold, it is recommended to take Coldrex, Anvi-Max, Tera-Flu and other drinks. They ease the general condition, and also relieve swelling and inflammation of the larynx.
- Rinses such as Chlorhexidine and Hexoral quickly kill germs and bacteria.
- If sore throat, pills help temporarily eliminate unpleasant symptoms. The most popular are Strepsils, Septolete, Faringosept, Falimint.
Folk remedies
Taking medications is undesirable without first consulting a doctor. But far from always, modern man has time to go to the hospital. That is why more and more people are resorting to folk recipes:
- Honey helps with sore throats almost always. The main thing is that you do not have an allergy to this product. So, if you have unpleasant sensations, you need to dissolve it in a teaspoon or dissolve in water and drink it in small sips.
- Garlic is considered a natural antibiotic . It is necessary to squeeze the juice from two cloves and heat it. Now dilute a little honey in the resulting liquid. Such a composition should be drunk an hour after each meal.
- To remove excess mucus and purulent discharge from the throat, regular rinses are required. Ordinary baking soda is well suited for this. You can also use decoctions of herbs (calendula, chamomile, sage, violet, plantain, lemon balm and others).
- In warm water, you need to make a concentrated soap solution. Dampen gauze or a bandage in it, squeeze well and attach to the throat. Next, polyethylene is applied and a scarf is wrapped around the neck.
Sore throat accompanied by cough
Significantly exacerbates the problem when a sore throat, cough. Gentle treatment does not help, because the mucous membrane is constantly in an irritated state. The first thing to do in this case is to regularly gargle. Best suited decoctions of chamomile, sage or calendula. Nevertheless, do not delay with going to the doctor. And especially when it comes to dry cough. In this case, stagnation of sputum can lead to more serious consequences due to the multiplication of bacteria in the mucus.
A doctor may prescribe Dextromethorphan as an emergency. This remedy helps not only relieve sore throat, but also suppress cough. In combination with it, an antihistamine can be prescribed (for example, Diazolin). If the disease is accompanied by pulmonary spasm, the administration of Ephedrine is recommended.
It is worth noting that a wet cough is no less alarming than a dry cough, which is often accompanied by pain and wheezing in the chest area. The abundance of mucus can provoke pneumonia, and therefore treatment should be aimed at removing it from the body. Thermopsis, marshmallow or licorice do well with this function. They can be used in the form of syrup, tablets or decoctions.
Treatment of sore throat in pregnant women
During pregnancy, the question is particularly acute, which helps with sore throat. The fact is that expectant mothers are banned almost all medicines, including colds. Nevertheless, for 9 months it is quite difficult to protect yourself from sore throat. Naturally, this symptom cannot be ignored so as not to aggravate the problem. You should immediately consult your doctor who can recommend these methods:
- constant rinsing with sea salt, soda or eucalyptus;
- in the later stages, physiotherapeutic procedures (for example, laser therapy) are acceptable;
- in some cases, the use of furacilin is possible;
- warm drink with lemon and honey.
Treatment of sore throat in children
In no case can not be brought to a state where the child has a sore throat for a month. Nothing helps the young body to recover if the treatment is chosen incorrectly. Of course, it is better to take the baby right away to the pediatrician, who will prescribe the right drugs in accordance with the diagnosis.
If unpleasant symptoms are not very pronounced (or for some reason you have to postpone a visit to the doctor), there are a number of methods for home treatment of sore throat. So, such tools help children well:
- warm drink with chamomile, linden, raspberry, lemon and honey (all these products have a pronounced diaphoretic effect);
- several times a day it is recommended to give the baby a decoction of rose hips (to increase immunity);
- gargling with chamomile or eucalyptus decoction (it is also permissible to use such pharmacy products as Rotokan and Chlorophyllipt);
- from three years old it is permissible to use antiseptic sprays (Tantum Verde, Ingalipt, etc.);
- steam inhalation on herbal infusions or essential oils.
During colds, many children refuse to eat. In no case should you feed them by force. The body must direct energy to fight the disease, not to process food. And in order to maintain the vitality of the child, it is worth giving him a light meal rich in vitamins - fruits, dairy products, meat broths.
Emergency measures
The first question that comes to mind at the first sign of a cold is: "What will help a sore throat quickly?" So, the best measures to help relieve unpleasant symptoms are:
- dissolve special lollipops;
- you can eat some warm greasy broth;
- as an emergency, you can use an anesthetic;
- for a while it can alleviate the condition of showers (water should not be too hot so as not to provoke complications);
- warm water will help to soften the throat, preferably with honey (you need to drink in small sips);
- try to talk as little as possible.
Is self-medication always enough?
The common cold is such an ordinary thing that many people prefer to look for a cure for sore throat on their own. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to do without medical care. So, the following symptoms are a reason for going to the hospital:
- a sore throat for a week, nothing helps to eliminate unpleasant symptoms;
- the absence of other common signs of a cold (sneezing, runny nose, cough);
- fever;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- severe redness of the throat;
- the presence of scarlet spots on the neck;
- white spots on the tongue and tonsils;
- pain in the spleen.
Are antibiotics needed?
If the throat hurts for a month, nothing helps, then most likely, folk methods and sparing medicines will not help. Here we can talk about bacterial tonsillitis, the treatment of which involves taking antibiotics. In this case, the following symptoms are observed:
- increased body temperature, which can not be brought down with the usual antipyretic drugs;
- swollen lymph nodes;
- enlargement of tonsils and the appearance of plaque on them;
- soreness not only in the throat, but also in the jaw and ears.
Popular antibiotics
Antibiotics help with sore throats caused by bacteria, viruses, or infections. So, the most common are such tools:
- "Amoxicillin" is a synthetic drug that fights against a wide range of bacteria, with virtually no side effects. The main advantage of this tool is resistance to gastric juice, which significantly prolongs the effect of the drug.
- "Ampicillin" - struggles with streptococci and staphylococci. It can even be used to treat children from 2 months. But for allergy sufferers and people suffering from kidney failure, this remedy is strictly contraindicated.
- Ceftriaxone is one of the most powerful antibiotics that can cope with diseases even in severe and neglected forms. Nevertheless, he has a significant drawback, which manifests itself in a large number of side effects (headache, nausea, upset stool, dizziness).
- "Cefadroxil" is a gentle agent that is used in the initial stages of the disease. Thanks to its rapid absorption, relief begins within 12 hours.
- "Erythromycin" is a gentle antibacterial agent that is fused to fight staphylococcus. Due to its low level of toxicity, this antibiotic is sometimes prescribed for pregnant women.
- Sumamed is an effective prolonged drug that eliminates not only unpleasant symptoms in 3-5 days, but also the causes of the disease. It works well in the treatment of advanced and chronic forms of the disease. Perhaps the use for the treatment of children from 6 months.
Preventative measures
So that you do not have to look for a solution that helps with a sore throat, do not forget about prevention. So that your body is not prone to colds, be guided by the following recommendations:
- The body can successfully resist disease only if you give it the opportunity to have a good rest. So, you need to sleep 8 hours a day (and in the autumn-winter period, when the risk of catching a cold is the highest - up to 13 hours). If you can’t fully rest at night, do it during the day.
- Wash your hands as often as possible. This should be done every time after going out, before eating, and also after visiting the toilet. It is recommended that you always have a special disinfectant with you in case you feel like eating in a public place.
- Drink as much liquid as possible. This helps not only maintain water balance, but also remove toxins from the body.
- Take a shower in the morning and evening. This helps not only cleanse the body of impurities, but also gives tone.
- The basis of strong immunity is a sufficient amount of vitamin C in the body. It can be consumed both in the form of tablets, and with food (citrus fruits, raspberries, etc.).
- Garlic is a natural antibiotic, and therefore it is eaten not only for prevention, but also for the treatment of colds. It can be used both in pure form and added to dishes or drinks.
What you should not eat with a sore throat
It is important to know not only what helps with a sore throat, but also what foods can make the problem worse. So, do not use the following:
- Milk and products containing it (ice cream, butter, sour cream and others) can trigger increased mucus production. It not only provokes a cough, but also is a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria.
- Limit confectionery and fruit. Sugar and acid irritate the throat.
- Avoid extreme temperatures. Cold food and drink can make a cold worse. Hot foods can provoke the development of purulent tonsillitis. Everything should be warm.
Output
A cold is such a common occurrence that many are not serious about a sore throat and its other symptoms. Nevertheless, in order not to bring the matter to serious complications, it is important to immediately contact a doctor for timely treatment. Also, do not forget about folk recipes.