What To Do When Your Throat Hurts Show
We’ve all had sore throats around this time of year. Your throat feels scratchy and may hurt when you swallow. What can you do to soothe a sore throat? And when is it a sign of a more serious infection? Most sore throats are caused by viral infections such as the common cold or the flu. These throat problems are generally minor and go away on their own. To soothe your irritated throat, keep it moist. “Ever notice that a sore throat seems worse in the morning? It’s because your throat gets so dry overnight,” says Dr. Valerie Riddle, an infectious disease expert at NIH. “Having lozenges or hard candies—or anything that stimulates saliva production—will keep your throat moist. It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids.” For young children who might choke on hard candies or lozenges, try cold liquids and popsicles. Throat pain might also be soothed by throat sprays and over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, but don’t give aspirin to young children. Contact a doctor if your sore throat is severe, doesn’t feel better after a few days, or is accompanied by a high fever or swollen glands. These symptoms could be signs of a bacterial infection, such as strep throat. Taking antibioticsPrescription medications used to treat bacterial infections such as strep throat. won’t help at all if your sore throat is caused by viruses, but they’re essential for fighting bacterial infections like strep. Strep is the most common bacterial throat infection. Although it can occur in adults, strep throat is more common in children between ages 5 and 15. Riddle says strep can be harder to detect in younger children, because it can cause a runny nose and other symptoms that make it seem like a cold. “If your child has severe throat pain, a fever above 100.4 degrees, or swollen glands, you should get medical attention right away,” advises Riddle. Children with strep also may experience nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. To see whether you have strep throat, the doctor will take a throat swab. If test results confirm strep, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. After 24 hours of taking them, you should no longer be contagious. You’ll likely begin feeling better within a couple of days, but to fully recover it’s important to finish all of the medicine. Strep is highly contagious. Treat it quickly to prevent it from spreading to others. Riddle says, “Not only can the infection be transmitted, but there are potential complications from untreated strep throat.” These include ear infections, rheumatic fever and kidney problems. Another fairly common throat infection is tonsillitis, which occurs when you have sore, swollen tonsilsStructures in the back of your throat that help prevent infection by trapping germs that come in through your nose and mouth.. It’s caused by many of the same viruses and bacteria that cause sore throats. If you have frequent bouts of tonsillitis or strep throat, you may need surgery (called a tonsillectomy) to have your tonsils removed. The best way to protect yourself from the germs that cause these infections is to wash your hands often. Try to steer clear of people who have colds or other contagious infections. And avoid smoking and inhaling second-hand smoke, which can irritate your throat. On this page
A sore throat is one of the symptoms of COVID-19. Even if your symptoms are mild, get tested for COVID-19 immediately — use the colds and flu Symptom Checker if you're not sure what to do. What is sore throat?A sore throat, or pharyngitis, is when the throat is red, swollen and painful, especially when you swallow. It happens when the back of the throat, called the pharynx, is inflamed. Usually, sore throats go away without treatment within 3 to 4 days. Seek medical attention if:
What are the symptoms of a sore throat?If the sore throat is caused by a cold, you may also have a runny nose, cough, possibly fever and feel very tired. If it’s a strep throat, other symptoms may include:
What causes a sore throat?The most common cause of a sore throat is a virus like a cold or the flu, COVID-19 or glandular fever. Less than 1 in 3 sore throats is caused by a bacterial infection. Some sore throats are caused by the bacteria Strepococcus pyogenes. This is sometimes called a strep throat. If bacteria are the cause, you tend to become very unwell and your infection seems to get much worse. If the sore throat is caused by bacteria, you may benefit from antibiotics. Sometimes a sore throat can be caused by tonsillitis (the tonsils will be swollen), mouth ulcers or allergies. Sore throats and childrenSore throats are very common in children. They are usually caused by a virus. The child will normally also have a runny rose, cough, sore ears, a fever, be tired and be off their food. It is more likely to be strep throat if the child is older than 3 years and if they have swollen glands in the neck, swollen, red tonsils with white spots, a rash and vomiting. If you’re not sure about your child’s symptoms, or you are worried, see your doctor. CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the colds and flu Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help. How is a sore throat diagnosed?If you or child has a sore throat and you are worried about the symptoms, see your doctor. They will look at the throat with a torch and feel the neck for swollen glands. They may take a swab from the throat to determine the cause of infection. Swabs can test for a range of viruses and bacteria. How is a sore throat treated?There is no way to cure a sore throat that is caused by a virus. The sore throat should clear up in 5 to 7 days. In the meantime, you can ease the symptoms by taking pain relief medication. Adults and children older than 1 month can take paracetamol, and adults and children older than 3 months can take ibuprofen. Do not give aspirin to children under 16. If the sore throat is caused by bacteria, you may benefit from antibiotics. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) has developed a guide which can be used with your doctor to help you decide whether to use antibiotics when you or your child has a sore throat. Sore throat remedies and self-careOver-the-counter medications might help, such as lozenges or throat gargles that contain local anaesthetic. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, avoid products that contain iodine (such as Betadine®). Your pharmacist can give you more information. Eating soft foods such as ice cream, ice blocks or jelly, can help. To ease a scratchy throat, try gargling with warm, salty water or drinking hot water with honey and lemon. Warm or iced drinks and ice blocks may be soothing. Avoid foods that cause pain when you swallow. Try eating soft foods such as yoghurt, soup or ice cream. It is important to stay well hydrated so drink plenty of water. If you have an existing medical condition, check with your doctor about how much water is right for you. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and rest and avoid heavy activity until symptoms go away. Smoking or breathing in other people’s smoke can make symptoms worse. Try to avoid being around people who are smoking. If you are a smoker, try to cut down or quit. For advice on quitting smoking, visit the Quit Now website. Find out more about self-care tips if you have a high temperature (fever). What to do when your throat is swollen and it hurts to swallow?Sore Throat Relief. Try hot tea with lemon or some hot soup.. Keep your throat moist with lozenges or hard candies.. Gargle with warm salt water or use ice chips.. Cold liquids or popsicles can numb the pain. Throat sprays and over-the-counter pain relievers can help, too.. Why is my throat swollen and hurts to swallow?The most common cause of a sore throat (pharyngitis) is a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu. A sore throat caused by a virus resolves on its own. Strep throat (streptococcal infection), a less common type of sore throat caused by bacteria, requires treatment with antibiotics to prevent complications.
Why is one side of my throat swollen and hurts to swallow?Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis describes inflammation of one or more tonsil. The tonsils are located at the back of the throat, and a virus or bacterium usually causes the infection and inflammation. An infection in just one tonsil can cause pain on one side. It may also cause a fever, trouble swallowing, and noisy breathing.
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Throat is swollen and hurts to swallow
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