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Sore throat

How long should sore throat last?

How long should sore throat last?

Sore throats, also known as pharyngitis, can be acute, lasting only a few days, or chronic, lingering on until their underlying cause is addressed. Most sore throats are the result of common viruses and resolve on their own within 3 to 10 days. Sore throats caused by a bacterial infection or allergies may last longer.

Sore throat

Sore throat is almost one of the most common conditions in doctors’ offices.

According to statistics in the US, more than 12 million annual visits to the doctor were due to sore throats.

Sore throat symptoms

Symptoms of a sore throat caused by tonsillitis :

  • Pain in the throat and pharynx area
  • High temperature
  • headache
  • The appearance of light spots in the throat and tonsils
  • pain when swallowing
  • Redness and swelling of the tonsils, in tonsillitis
  • Swelling and pain in the jaw and lymph nodes
  • Abdominal pain (mainly in children)
  • vomiting (mainly in children with a sore throat)

Sore throat causes and risk factors

Sore throats may occur for several factors, and it appears as a main symptom in many difficult diseases related to the upper respiratory tract and esophagitis.

The main causes of sore throat

Sore throats may be caused by:

  • Viruses: Doctors believe that viruses are the primary factor responsible for the majority of sore throats. As it is known, there is no drug to treat viral sore throat, with this statistics indicate that 60% of infected people may receive antibiotic treatment, although a large part of them will not be effective and will not affect the course of the disease.
  • Bacteria: The most common bacteria that can cause strep throat are Streptococcus and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum (particularly in adolescents, sometimes associated with a mild red rash).
  • Tonsillitis : The tonsils are located in the back of the pharynx, and when this area is infected with a virus or germ, it becomes raging, and the tonsils swell larger than their normal size, accompanied by this symptom, sore throat, heat and swallowing difficulties
  • Various treatments: Sore throats may appear in certain cases, due to treatment with antibiotics, chemotherapy or any drug that affects the immune system. A sore throat that lasts for more than two weeks alternately, may indicate the presence of a chronic disease.

Although the picture of a viral infection is distinct, it cannot always be distinguished from a bacterial infection conclusively based on clinical symptoms, and then additional tests must be done to determine the final diagnosis.

Sore throat risk factors

There are several factors that may be behind a sore throat, including:

  • smoking
  • Inhalation of polluted air
  • Breathing dry air through the mouth
  • Various sensitivities include dust.

Sore throat complications

In patients with serious and severe disease symptoms such as secretions, excessive drooling, abnormalities and voice change, neck swelling or difficulty swallowing, we must pay attention to them more seriously and examine rare cases of complications that may occur as a result of throat infections, including:

  • Epiglottitis
  • Abscess around the amygdala
  • Inflammation of the submandibular space
  • Posterior pharyngeal compartment inflammation
  • Initial symptoms of HIV

In addition, neglecting a sore throat may lead to rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that appears in children and adults, and affects many organs in the body such as the heart, joints, central nervous system and skin.

It is the result of untreated strep throat, which includes the presence of Streptococcus A.

The prevalence of the disease is in the age range 5-15, with no difference between boys and girls.

According to statistical data, it appears that 2%-3% of children who had strep throat type “A”, and were not treated properly, then developed rheumatic fever .

Sore throat treatment

Sore throats are generally recovered automatically, without medical intervention, after the disease has taken its time. If the sore throat is caused by a viral or bacterial infection and is accompanied by a high temperature, it is preferable to consult a doctor and intervene.

Sore throat treatment comes with the aim of relieving the symptoms of the disease from pain, difficulty swallowing, headache, high temperature  and others. That’s why the preferred sore throat remedy is:

  • Gargling with hot, salty water :  helps sterilize the affected area.
  • Use of sucking tablets to relieve pain: The  process of sucking tablets increases the concentration of saliva in the mouth, and helps moisturize the painful area. In addition, some of the lozenges in pharmacies contain a low concentration of pain relievers.
  • Steam device:  The use of this device may relieve symptoms, especially in cases of sore throat caused by dry air and breathing through the mouth.
  • Spray:  These sprays moisten the mouth and contain pain relievers.
  • Take medicines: To  relieve pain orally.

In some difficult cases, in which the sick person did not respond to any of the previously described treatment possibilities and still has problems and difficulty swallowing, doctors prescribe the possibility of treatment with glucocorticosteroids, which would help the patient overcome the difficulty of the symptoms of the disease.

Sore throat treatment at home

You can use the following home remedies that may help you relieve and treat a sore throat:

  1. Lemon:  As it helps to get rid of the mucus stuck in the throat area, you can take fresh lemon juice with some  honey .
  2. Apple cider vinegar:  It has antibacterial properties that help get rid of sore throats. Add some apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice and honey to the warm water.
  3. Cinnamon: Cinnamon has  been used  since ancient  times to treat sore throats caused by the common cold. You can mix a spoonful of cinnamon and black pepper to warm water.
  4. Garlic: It  has antiseptic and antibacterial properties that help treat sore throats. Eat a  raw garlic  clove once daily.
  5. Honey: Its  antibacterial properties fight the cause of sore throats. Add it to a cup of tea or fresh lemonade.

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