Sore throat – causes, symptoms & therapy

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of a sore throat:

• difficulties swallowing

• Sore throat

• lymph node swelling

• Fever

• Stuffy nose

• bad breath

• exhaustion

A sore throat is often announced by the typical scratchy and burning sensation in the throat. Then the throat begins to hurt, swallowing becomes difficult. Since pharyngitis occurs in most cases as part of a flu-like infection, there are often other symptoms such as a stuffy nose, fever or cough . Often, however, the sore throat is the symptom of the common cold that appears first.

Difficulty swallowing can make eating and drinking difficult. The voice becomes raspy and there is an urge to clear your throat. These uncomfortable symptoms last for a few days. The bacterial variant of pharyngitis can lead to a noticeably high fever , severe exhaustion and, in children, abdominal pain .

When to the doctor?

If the throat hurts and eating, drinking and talking are difficult, simple home remedies and painkillers usually help to get the sore throat under control. If the sore throat cannot be relieved with these remedies or if other symptoms also occur, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

White or yellowish deposits in the throat, which may also fester, may be a bacterial infection. This is usually caused by streptococci and requires treatment with antibiotics, which can only be prescribed by a doctor. Even if the sore throat lasts longer than three days or gets worse, a visit to the doctor is advisable. If there is also a fever, swollen tonsils or a strong general feeling of illness, diseases such as scarlet fever or tonsillitis can be behind the sore throat.

Here, treatment by an ENT specialist is strongly recommended in order to avoid possible complications in the course of the disease. If there are additional symptoms that are untypical for a simple sore throat, such as shortness of breath , skin rashes or nausea, these should also be examined by a doctor. If a trip to the doctor is necessary, the first point of contact is the treating general practitioner or pediatrician or an ENT specialist.

Diagnose

With a sore throat, the mucous membranes of the throat are slightly swollen and reddened. The sore throat that occurs in combination with the other symptoms of a flu infection is very typical and usually does not require any further examination.

If the sore throat is particularly severe, the doctor can take a smear test to determine possible bacteria as a trigger and to be able to treat it accordingly. This can be important under certain circumstances, since the bacterial infection, which can be recognized by the purulent specks on the mucous membrane, can result in organic damage.

A special form of pharyngitis is the inflammation of the tonsils or side cords. The doctor can diagnose this by the reddening and plaque that occurs in the corresponding areas of the pharynx.

treatment and therapy

A sore throat is unpleasant, but normally does not require any special drug treatment. Nevertheless, some rules of conduct should be observed, which can positively influence the course of the disease. Above all, this includes avoiding unfavorable factors such as cigarette smoke, alcohol, dry air and chemical vapors, which can further irritate the mucous membrane of the throat. In addition, there are many home remedies that can relieve sore throat and support healing.

A higher humidity in the environment has a positive effect on the mucous membranes. A wet cloth soaked with a few drops of essential oil, such as lavender, can be placed on the heater to humidify the air you breathe.Inhalations with sea salt or chamomile can also relieve the symptoms of sore throat.

As with any infection, it is very important to drink a lot. In this way, the mucous membranes are moistened and the body is supported in its detoxification work.

Gargling with tea or a saline solution can be used to disinfect the inflamed throat lining. Tea made from sage leaves, which have a disinfecting effect, is particularly suitable.

In the case of a bacterial infection, home remedies may no longer be sufficient, and the doctor may have to initiate drug therapy if there are complications of the sore throat.

prevention

The best prevention against a sore throat is a strengthened immune system. It can be helped by good nutrition, regular exercise and drinking enough water. In the winter months, high humidity indoors makes sense, since dry air dries out the mucous membranes and thus promotes a sore throat. Strong cold stimuli should also be avoided. Regular gargling with sage tea can also have a preventive effect.