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A sore throat is very tiring. When viruses attack your throat, you can hardly speak, cannot swallow, you get hoarse. When home treatments for infections and sore throats - rinsing, compresses or sucking tablets - fail, see your doctor. It could be angina - a disease that cannot be treated by yourself.

A sore throatis known to everyone and everyone knows that it is not pleasant. We all have our own remedies for a sore throat, but sometimes even the best ones don't help and you need to see a doctor. Find out what thecauses of a sore throatand how to deal with it.

Where does a sore throat come from?

Throat viral infections

The most common cause of sore throats is infections. Their perpetrators are viruses that have the ability to destroy the mucous membranes of the throat, nose and bronchi and cause colds, flu and sinusitis. If our immune system is functional, it protects us against the entry of viruses into the body. It can be said that we do not respond to the millions of viruses that surround us at work, on the tram, in the streets and at social events.

When we are weakened due to exhaustion, malnutrition, long-term stress or we get cold - they become dangerous. Our immune system cannot cope with them. The fact that he has lost is evidenced by pain that occurs suddenly, but is often preceded by a runny nose.

Bacterial attack on the tonsils

The throat is a guardian that protects the body against viruses and bacteria. It is in the tonsils there are cells (lymphocytes) specialized in destroying bacteria and microorganisms that want to pass through the mouth and nose. When the body is weakened, the microbes easily penetrate the larynx and lungs and cause infection. Then more blood flows through the tonsils than usual, they swell and turn red. This is a sign that the body itself wants to fight the intruder, i.e. an infection.

A symptom of swollen tonsils is pain which makes it difficult to swallow. If there is a white coating on them, it can be assumed that we have been attacked by heavy-caliber bacteria - most often from the streptococcus family and angina will develop from pharyngitis.

Dry throat mucosa

Contaminated or very dry air, tobacco smoke, and even screaming can also cause a sore throat. When we stay in a dusty room for a long time, we smoke cigarettes andwe abuse alcohol, our throat will rebel - chronic inflammation will develop.

The mucosa of the throat will react in a similar way to being in a room with dry air or eating large amounts of very hot and spicy food.

Can a sore throat be a sign of a serious illness?

Usually it is a symptom of a minor cold, but it can also be a signal of much more serious diseases. In children, it can be mononucleosis, measles, chickenpox, scarlet fever (scarlet fever), diphtheria. Usually, but not always, these diseases are also accompanied by a rash.

A sore throat in children also occurs when a foreign body is stuck in it, e.g. a dice, a small block or a pawn for a board game. In adults, however, it may indicate atrophy of the mucosa, cancer and degenerative changes in the cervical spine.

When the scratching and stinging in the throat lasts a long time (and there are no other symptoms characteristic of colds) go to the doctor. Such ailments, usually in older people, may indicate chronic kidney disease, circulatory failure or metabolic diseases.

Read also: Throat swab: preparation and test procedure

You must do it

A sore throatis usually caused by the same viruses that cause a cold. There are over 200 of them and that is why the body is not always able to defend itself effectively. You will increase his chances by strengthening the immune system (weaker in fall and winter).

  • Give up anything that unnecessarily irritates your throat (cigarettes, alcohol, spicy and too hot food).
  • Toughen the body ( alternating hot and cold showers and gymnastics - regardless of the weather, with the window open).
  • Dress wisely. In winter, don't forget your hat and scarf. 40 percent of the heat escapes through the head.
  • Swallow your vitamins and minerals.
  • Wash your hands often with warm soapy water. Viruses can survive up to several hours on pencils or a telephone receiver.
  • Don't touch your nose or eyes unnecessarily with your dirty fingers.
  • Avoid contact with sick people.
  • Ventilate your room frequently.
  • In case of a cold, only use disposable wipes.

What are the symptoms of a sore throat?

  • First there is trouble speaking or swallowing.
  • The entire throat or only the palatal arches are red.
  • Sometimes the lymph nodes in the neck become swollen and painful.
  • You may experience fever, headache, earaches and hoarseness.
  • With angina (streptococcal pharyngitis) sore throatit is severe, there is a fever, the lymph nodes in the neck are greatly enlarged and they hurt when touched. Pain or noise in the ears and head are also common. The tonsils are very red and sometimes covered with purulent plugs.
  • If the throat hurts from mononucleosis, fatigue and loss of appetite are added to the symptoms of strep throat.
Important

What helps with a sore throat?

Ginger- add it to soup or chicken broth. The best, however, is a fingertip-sized fresh piece. Gargling with ginger tea is also effective. A piece of rhizome (the size of 2 dice) crush and pour 1/4 liter of hot water. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain and gargle with warm solution.

Camphor ointment or oil -after lubricating the throat, sprinkle a piece of gauze with salicylic alcohol and apply the compress to the throat, wrap it in a warm scarf. Do not put oilcloth on the compress, because you can burn the delicate skin of the neck.

Chamomile- rinsing the throat with chamomile infusion or frequent drinking of not too hot tea helps in combating pain.

Sage -Sucking on sage candies or a home-made mouthwash can help. Pour two sachets of sage into a glass of hot water, cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Add a level teaspoon of table s alt. Gargle 2-3 times a day. Instead of sage, you can use marjoram, thyme or hyssop.

When do you need to see a doctor?

Don't delay your visit when:

  • swallowing liquids is impossible and difficulty breathing;
  • body temperature exceeds 38 degrees C;
  • you have enlarged lymph nodes in your neck;
  • palatine tonsils are red or show pus;
  • a sore throat does not go away after other symptoms of a cold (chills, headache, runny nose) have subsided;
  • there is a whitish coating on the tonsils. Then the doctor may order a throat swab to be assessed in the bacteriology laboratory to determine what type of bacteria caused the disease. This is an important test, because on its basis, the doctor selects the appropriate, i.e. effective, antibiotic.

Read also: Antistreptolysin (ASO), which is a test that tracks streptococci and rheumatic disease

What is the risk of "going" a sore throat?

A characteristic feature of viral infections is that they disappear 4-10 days after the first symptoms appear - even if we do not use medications. It would be best to stay at home then, warm in bed, sleep well and rest. Unfortunately, most of us downplay minor infections. We try to go through them. This is becauseWe are not aware of the threat, but we are also often afraid of losing part of our salary or even being dismissed from work.

What then happens in our body? It comes to the so-calledbacterial superinfection . The mucosa damaged by viruses is more prone to the penetration of bacteria, which most often causes exacerbation of symptoms. Usually, there is a high fever and chills, and purulent discharge begins to run down the back of the throat and spreads the infection through the body. It reaches the bronchi most quickly. This is the end of the jokes. A visit to the doctor is essential. If we ignore this, a minor infection can turn into otitis, tonsillitis or even pneumonia.

What are the consequences of untreated angina?

Angina, bacterial inflammation of the palatine tonsils, requires medical attention, several days of bed rest and taking antibiotics. Untreated, it usually results in many complications. They most often relate to heart, kidney and joint problems.

Ailments may appear after many years and we will not even know that we ourselves have earned a significant reduction in fitness, and sometimes also disability.Bacterial tonsillitis is especially dangerous for children.For them, all complications are more severe, and the effects of neglect are more serious - even to serious heart or kidney failure.

A very unpleasant and painful complication of untreated angina areperitonular abscessese. Not only do they cause severe pain and make swallowing difficult, but they can also completely block the airway, which is a life-threatening condition. A surgeon's intervention is then necessary. Abscesses must be incised and cleared of secretions. Sometimes the procedure has to be repeated several times. It is also necessary to take an antibiotic.

Probe

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