Surviving a Sore Throat
Sore throat (also called pharyngitis) is typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection. An estimated 200 to 300 different strains of virus cause colds and sore throat. In up to 90 percent of cases, sore throat is caused by viruses linked to the common cold or flu. The other 10 percent of cases result from bacterial infections or some other medical condition. The bacteria that most commonly cause sore throat are streptococci. Infection with streptococcal bacteria is commonly called strep throat.
Sore throat can also be caused by irritants such as air that is low in humidity, smoking, air pollution, excessive yelling, postnasal drip caused by allergies and breathing through the mouth. Injury to the back of the throat and stomach acid backing up into the throat and mouth are other causes of sore throat.
Although sore throat affects people of all ages, children ages 5 to 15 years, smokers, allergy sufferers and those with compromised immune systems are at higher risk.
Sore Throat Symptoms
Sore throat symptoms are easily recognized. Your throat hurts and is irritated, swollen or scratchy. Pain increases when you swallow. You may also have tenderness in your neck. Other symptoms that are commonly associated with sore throat are listed in Table 1.
Symptoms Often Associated With Sore Throat |
|---|
Coughing or sneezing |
Hoarseness or laryngitis |
Headache |
Runny nose or nasal congestion |
Lack of appetite |
Mild fever |
General fatigue |
Swollen or sore glands in your jaw and throat |
Ear pain |
Abdominal pain and vomiting (usually seen in children) |
Red and swollen tonsils |
Source: Pharmacy Times |
If your sore throat is due to a virus, it should go away within seven to 10 days. When a person has strep throat, however, throat pain starts out gradually and quickly becomes severe and constant. Swallowing may be difficult. You may also have a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Symptoms worsen at night. Strep bacteria can lead to other conditions such as infection of the tonsils, sinuses, skin, blood or middle ear, as well as various inflammatory illnesses. Seek immediate medical help if your symptoms include drooling, an inability to swallow, difficulty opening your mouth, difficulty breathing, redness or swelling of the neck, swollen lymph nodes, bleeding from the throat or a fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
Treatment
Unless sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics are not prescribed. Antibiotics do not kill viruses -- the most common cause of sore throat -- and have no impact on symptoms. Using antibiotics unnecessarily creates strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Without antibiotics, 85 percent of patients will be symptom-free within about one week. Table 2 lists recommended strategies for managing sore throat pain. If your symptoms do not improve within a week, contact your doctor.
Treating Sore Throat |
|---|
Take acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen for throat pain. Do not exceed the recommended dose. Children younger than 18 years should not take aspirin. |
Gargle with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt for 1 cup of warm water). |
Suck on throat lozenges or hard candies to stimulate saliva flow. |
Eat smooth foods that will not irritate the throat (eg, mashed potatoes, yogurt). |
For sore throat due to allergies, OTC antihistamines may provide relief of postnasal drip. |
Take OTC antacids or proton pump inhibitors if your sore throat is due to the backup of stomach acids. |
Use a humidifier or vaporizer. Hot showers also help. |
Choose foods carefully to prevent injury to the throat from a foreign body such as a fishbone. |
Drink lots of fluids, which help keep your throat lubricated. Avoid acidic juices like orange juice. |
If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, contact your physician before using OTC products. |
If you are pregnant, contact your doctor or pharmacist for recommended OTC agents. |
Source: Pharmacy Times |
If your doctor believes you have strep throat, he or she may do a rapid antigen strep test, which determines whether you have a strep infection. This test provides results within minutes but is not always accurate. Therefore, your doctor may also take a throat culture, which is considered more accurate, and send it to the lab for testing. Test results are usually available within 24 to 48 hours.
Antibiotics are effective in treating bacterial infections. Penicillin is the most common antibiotic prescribed for strep throat. If you have a penicillin allergy, your doctor may prescribe erythromycin. Your doctor most likely will give you a 10-day supply. It's critical that you take all of the medication even if your symptoms subside or go away. Soft stool and diarrhea are common side effects of antibiotics. Taking an OTC antidiarrhea agent should minimize these side effects. Along with killing the bacteria that cause strep throat, your doctor will focus on preventing complications from the infection. For example, untreated strep throat can lead to rheumatic fever, which causes heart damage along with kidney problems.
Prevention
People with bacterial infections remain contagious for approximately 24 hours after they begin taking antibiotics. Consequently, if you have strep throat, it's important to limit your contact with other people until you are no longer contagious. Table 3 lists recommendations for preventing sore throat.
Exclusions for Self-Treatment of Cough |
|---|
Cough that lasts longer than 7 days or keeps coming back |
Cough that produces colored mucus or blood |
Cough that may be a side effect of a certain class of medication |
Cough that is accompanied by fever higher than 101.5°F, shortness of breath, chest pain, sweating, chills, persistent headache, or swelling of ankles or legs |
Cough that worsens following an upper respiratory tract virus (eg, cold, flu) |
A patient history of conditions associated with chronic cough, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, asthma, or chronic bronchitis |
Source: Pharmacy Times |
Up to 90 percent of all sore throats are caused by viruses and clear up within a week. Those with a sore throat lasting longer than a week should seek medical intervention.
Note: This article was originally published on Nov. 10, 2014 on PharmacyTimes.com. It has been edited and republished by U.S. News. The original version, with references, can be seen here.
