Sorethroats

Again another easy topic, but amazingly common is the sorethroat. This is a symptom, not a disease in itself becuase it can be caused by many conditions.

The first condition that comes to mind is a viral infection... please DO NOT GO TO YOUR DOCTOR asking for antibiotics for this one. Most sorethroats that last less than 1 week are viral. They will go away on their own as soon as the virus is gone.

When weeks pass by and the sorethroat continues, then it might be a good idea to visit your doctor because it might have become overinfected with bacteria.

Other causes for sorethroats are medications ( one of the typical medications that can give you coughing are the ACE inhibitors such as enalapril captopril and lisinopril ), post nasal drip ( from sinusitis ), reflux disease, etc.

For treatment, let's get rid of a myth. DO NOT USE cough drops, cough sprays, halls, or any pill that COOLS off your throat ( including iced drinks and popsicles ). What you will cause is physical ( temperature ) irritation of the pharynx ( throat ).

You need to drink plenty of fluids that need to be lukewarm or warm and gargle with salt water. For coughing, use honey to sweeten your drinks instead of sugar. Eliminate sweets and dairy for the time of the sorethroat. Try to eat light during those days too as a way to help the body concentrate on dealing with the infection. Some supplements that might work include high dose vitamin C, Zinc ( Zicam ), and a combination of goldenseal and echinacea.

If you do go to a doctor, you might receive medications to supress the cough, use it wisely because the cough is not just a useless reflex, it also helps the body to get rid of phlegm. The doctor might also prescribe a medication called guaifenesin to help your secretions become more fluid... please be sure to increase your fluid intake when you take this medication. Finally he could put you on an antibiotic.

As always, take care and until next time!