This time of year, colds and flu spread like wildfire. It can be even worse if you have school-aged children because as soon as one bug goes away, another comes with a vengeance. Most kids will get between 6-8 colds and other viruses a year, and most of these will occur during the school months. These are likely to be brought home to you, which means you are going to be suffering right along with your kids. One of the worst symptoms is a sore throat, which could be as a result of post nasal drip if you are having drainage. It could also be the result of a dry environment and sleeping with your mouth open. It could also be from a bacterial infection like tonsillitis or strep throat. Whatever the cause, there are a few tips for how to get rid of a sore throat which work very well for most people.
When you have a sore throat, it is important to identify the cause. If you wake up in the morning with a sore throat, but it goes away after a few minutes, it is most likely the result of a dry house. As you are breathing while you sleep, you aren’t swallowing as much to lubricate your throat passages. It can be even worse if you sleep with your mouth open, and the result can feel something like wind burn on your throat. It will usually go away on its own after a few sips of water, hot coffee, or even a hot shower. The best way to prevent this from happening in the first place is to put a humidifier in the are where you sleep. It doesn’t matter if it is a cool mist or a warm mist humidifier, just as long as it moisturizes the dry winter air.
If you have a stuffy nose, cough, fever, and body aches which usually accompany a cold or flu, it is most likely a result of post nasal drip. You will usually feel the mucous running down the back of your throat and feel like there is a bunch of goop in your throat. If you look in the mirror and see your throat is red, shiny, and slimy, it is probably due to post nasal drip. You can eliminate a lot of the mucous from draining down the back of your throat by blowing your nose frequently. Sinus rinses help to loosen up the thick coating of mucous to make it easier to blow out. Decongestants like Mucinex and Sudafed work very well to help keep it from dripping down your throat. To relieve the pain of a raw, irritated throat, gargle with warm salt water a few times a day. Drink a cup of warm water with lemon and honey. The lemon will help break up the phlegm in the back of your throat, while the honey will help coat and protect your throat. Take over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil to help with the pain. These will also help with body aches and fever associated with colds and flu. A hot shower will also help break up mucous and moisturize your nasal passages and throat and can provide temporary relief.
Finally, strep throat or tonsillitis may be the culprit behind your sore throat. Often symptoms of strep or tonsillitis will mimic the symptoms of a cold or flu. How to get rid of a sore throat really depends on the cause. It may happen simultaneously, or it will happen at the tail end when your immune system is recovering from fighting off the virus. The difference is that it will hurt to swallow. It may feel like you have bowling balls at the back of your throat. You will most definitely run a fever over 101 degrees. Pain relievers won’t usually help make you feel better, and if you look at the back of your throat in a mirror, you will most likely see white or yellow-ish white spots on the back of your throat and your tonsils. If this is the case, it is necessary to see a doctor as soon as possible, as this is the result of a bacterial infection. The only thing that will help strep throat or tonsillitis are antibiotics. Once you begin taking antibiotics, the sore throat pain will begin to subside within 2-3 days. It is important to take all of the antibiotics, even if you feel better.
There are very few things in the world as miserable as sore throat pain. There can be a variety of reasons for the sore throat, but it is usually the result of breathing dry air when you sleep, a viral infection such as a cold or flu, or strep throat or tonsillitis. How to get rid of a sore throat will depend on the cause. Most can be treated at home without the need to see a doctor, but bacterial infections need to be treated with prescription antibiotics.