Sore throat is an inflammatory process of the tonsils, also called acute tonsillitis. The causative agents of the disease are bacteria, viruses and fungi. A patient with tonsillitis feels extremely unwell, there is pain when swallowing, intoxication of the body, the temperature reaches 39 degrees. If treatment is not started in time, there is a risk that the tonsil will change its shape to lobular. This is dangerous due to frequent relapses in the future. A sore throat can be treated without antibiotics only if the causative agent is not a microbe. The viral and fungal origin of the disease can be successfully treated with antiseptic and antifungal drugs. estet-portal.com will tell you about errors in treatment, how to prepare a solution for gargling.
- Sore throat without antibiotics - what type of disease can be treated
- Top 5 mistakes in treating sore throat
- Recipes for preparing solutions for gargling for sore
Symptoms of acute tonsillitis
With angina, inflammation of the tonsils of the pharyngeal ring occurs. At the initial stage of the disease, a sore throat appears, which quickly intensifies and can radiate to the ears. The disease is accompanied by an increase in body temperature and a general deterioration in health.
In order to stop the further development of the disease, if there is discomfort in the throat and difficulty swallowing, antiseptic lozenges or tablets are indicated: Strepsils, Septolete, Faringosept.
With catarrhal tonsillitis, isolated redness of the tonsils is detected in the absence of purulent plaque. If the course is favorable, the disease resolves within 3–5 days. If treatment is not started in time, the disease progresses to the lacunar or follicular form, when the use of antibiotics is already required.
In this case, a white-yellow coating appears in the area of the gaps. Purulent plugs form on the surface of the tonsils. The body temperature rises to 39–40 °C, and the sore throat becomes very severe. Regional lymph nodes also become inflamed.
With herpetic sore throat, the causative agent of which is an enterovirus, blisters resembling herpes appear on the mucous membrane of the tonsils. With this form of the disease, two peaks of temperature increase are observed - on the first and third day.
Herpetic sore throat is characterized by the appearance of blisters resembling herpes
If a sore throat is caused by a fungus from the genus Candida, then a white cheesy coating appears on the mucous membrane of the mouth and tonsils. The tissue underneath is covered with ulcers and erosions.
Top 5 mistakes in treating sore throat
Mistakes of sick people that are best avoided in order to recover: 1. Work. If you want a sore throat to become chronic, carrying it on your feet is the best option. If it is of microbial origin, you will infect others and harm yourself. In the absence of strength in the body to fight microbes, they multiply in other organs. There is little space for them on the tonsils; they move with the bloodstream to the heart, kidneys, and joints. 2. Neglect antibiotics. When a doctor diagnoses a bacterial infection, antibiotics are used in 100% of cases. Streptococci and staphylococci are destroyed only in this way. The therapist will choose the appropriate antibiotic, prescribe the course duration and dosage.
3. Interruption of therapy. If you start taking an antibiotic, strictly follow the instructions and prescriptions of your doctor. You should not stop treatment as soon as the condition improves. If not all microbes are destroyed, you risk complications if the course is interrupted. Treatment of chronic tonsillitis: how to get rid of ulcers in the throat 4. Tie a scarf around the throat. For sore throat, antihistamines are prescribed to relieve swelling in the throat. By rolling into a scarf, you get increased blood flow to your throat, thereby increasing swelling and worsening your well-being. 5. Remove plaque from the throat with a spoon. You risk injuring your throat and causing bleeding. Plaque on the tonsils creates protection against the proliferation of microbes; after recovery, the film will be torn off on its own. The only help is gargling with saline solutions with the addition of a drop of iodine.
Treatment of sore throat without antibiotics in adults and children
Therapy should be started when the first signs of the disease are detected. When treating a sore throat without antibiotics in a child or adult, comfortable conditions must be provided.
The patient's room must be maintained at optimal temperature and humidity.
In the room where the patient is, the air should be cool and sufficiently humid. This is especially true during the heating season, when the apartment is dry and hot. In this case, the mucous membrane dries out and swells, and the patient’s condition worsens, so the room must be regularly ventilated and wet cleaning carried out there.
Bed rest is necessary. This will not only enable the body to cope with the disease, but will also prevent further spread of infection, since pathogenic microorganisms are released along with coughing, sneezing or during conversation.
Drinking regime is no less important. In order to quickly cope with intoxication, you need to drink at least two liters of liquid. This can be not only water, but also tea with lemon, rosehip infusion, compote or fruit juice. You need to drink small sips every 10-15 minutes. In order not to irritate the inflamed mucous membrane, drinks should be warm. In this case, you should avoid drinking coffee, alcohol, and natural sour juice.
Treatment of sore throat without antibiotics can be carried out if the causative agent of the disease is fungi. A fungus from the genus Candida is insensitive to such drugs, and in some cases actively develops precisely while taking them.
In order to strengthen the immune system and quickly cope with the disease, it is necessary to eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals. You need to eat in small portions up to 5 times a day. In order not to irritate the inflamed mucous membrane of the oral cavity, soups, liquid cereals or purees are recommended. Food should not be hot or too cold. You should not eat spicy, salty or sour foods.
Bacterial sore throat and antibiotics
If a diagnosis of “bacterial tonsillitis” is made, then in this case you simply cannot do without strong antibiotics. It is worth noting that such drugs have a lot of contraindications and side effects; uncontrolled and incorrect use can lead to unpredictable consequences, so only a doctor should prescribe them.
Many people use local remedies and folk methods to treat bacterial sore throat, but in most cases they are not effective. Moreover, treatment without antibiotics only aggravates the situation; sore throat can cause serious complications on the body. Some people are categorically opposed to antibiotics and postpone treatment with these drugs until the last minute. This should not be done under any circumstances, it is dangerous!
When is an antibiotic needed?
You should not do without antibiotics in the following cases:
- high body temperature lasts more than 3 days;
- the surface of the tonsils is covered with purulent plaque;
- the patient’s well-being worsens despite treatment;
- the disease is accompanied by the appearance of additional symptoms indicating the development of complications (back pain, problems with urination, ear pain, nasal congestion).
In most cases, antibiotics are not recommended in the early stages of the disease. But only an otolaryngologist can make a correct diagnosis and determine the appropriateness of using certain medications.
The role of antibiotics in treatment
Please note that any bacterial disease requires timely and proper treatment. It is impossible to cure purulent sore throat without the use of antibiotics, since the fight against streptococci does not have an alternative method of therapy. Failure to take the necessary medications can cause the development of diseases of the heart, kidneys and other vital organs.
As is correct, the patient needs to undergo a long course of broad-spectrum antibiotics. It is worth noting that some drugs may be completely useless, as they are designed to eliminate a certain group of foreign agents. Therefore, antibiotics are divided into several groups:
- penicillin (destroys staphylococci and streptococci),
- macrolides (usually used if the first group causes an allergic reaction in the patient),
- cephalosporins/fluoroquinols (prescribed when the first two categories of drugs have not proven effective in treatment).
Note! It is contraindicated to start treatment immediately with the third category of antibiotics, since this method will quickly become addictive to the body and will soon become useless.
It is worth noting that the type of drug also depends on the age category of the patient.
Do not forget that the course of treatment for purulent sore throat should also include antipyretics (if body temperature is above 38 degrees), gargling solutions (Chlorophyllipt, Furacilin, herbal decoctions), and analgesics.
Fungal tonsillitis
Most mothers are interested in the question: can a child’s sore throat be cured without antibiotics or not? Here, the causative agent in most cases of infection is the Candida fungus. And antibiotics are also not used to treat this form of the disease, since they are useless against such a threat. In addition, sometimes they begin to actively multiply just when taking these medications. Therefore, the emphasis in treatment is exclusively on antifungal drugs and topical antiseptic medications.
Home treatments for sore throat
To achieve a therapeutic effect, relieve symptomatic manifestations of a sore throat, and improve well-being, it is imperative to rinse your throat and carry out antiseptic treatment of the tonsils. In addition to medications, traditional medicine that can be prepared at home has a healing effect.
Rinse solutions
Throat rinses prepared according to the following recipes eliminate bacteria from the surface of the mucous membranes of the throat and oral cavity, have disinfectant properties and an analgesic effect:
- Dissolve 3 g of potassium permanganate, 10 drops of iodine in 500 ml of water;
- A teaspoon of soda and salt, with the addition of iodine, dissolves in a glass of water;
- 10 g of oak bark and 5 g of linden flowers are brewed in a glass of water;
- Infuse 100 g of garlic in a glass of water for eight hours;
- Three crushed aloe leaves are boiled in a liter of water;
- Brew chamomile and linden in a ratio of 1/2 in 200 ml of water;
- 5 tbsp. l. horsetail pour 400 ml of water;
- Dry raspberry leaves are immersed in a glass of hot water;
- Leave a glass of grated beets and a tablespoon of vinegar until the juice comes out;
- Two tbsp. l. add onion peels to 300 ml of water;
- Add tbsp to a glass of water. l. chamomile, St. John's wort, oregano, calendula, linden, yarrow, oak bark or other medicinal herbs.
Before using the preparation for rinsing, it is necessary to strain the infusions and decoctions and make sure that the solution has cooled down and will not cause a burn.
Preparations for treating tonsils
Treatment of inflamed mucosa is carried out to reduce the number of bacteria on the mucous surface and reduce pain. The drugs have a pronounced effect:
- Propolis is used at normal body temperature;
- Onion juice with the addition of honey, in a ratio of 1:1;
- Freshly squeezed garlic juice;
- Equal amount of honey and aloe juice;
- Rosehip, peach oil;
- A pinch of young cloves is added to the honey;
Compositions for oral administration in the treatment of sore throat
In alternative medicine, there are many effective recipes aimed at combating tonsillitis. The prepared drugs must be taken orally:
- 10 chopped garlic cloves, 50 g vinegar, tbsp. l. Honey. Take a teaspoon three times a day;
- 3 tbsp. l. Elderberry flowers and honey, add 9 cloves of garlic to 500 ml of water. Drink 50 g of liquid every hour;
- For three days, add 150 g of sugar and 3 aloe leaves, add a glass of vodka. Drink a teaspoon before meals;
- Mix honey and butter in equal proportions with baking soda and heat until foam appears. Take a teaspoon twice a day;
- Add 8 g of cognac to a decoction of 100 g of cumin grains and a glass of water. Take according to Art. l. Every half hour.
Treatment of sore throat with traditional medicine gives positive results only in combination with traditional therapy. Before starting to use this or that recipe, you should consult a doctor to avoid unnecessary consequences in the form of allergic reactions and worsening of the condition.
Whether to use antibiotics in the treatment of sore throat or not, which drugs and methods are best to choose for these purposes, is decided by the sick person. But the practical experience of medical workers proves that conducting experiments with one’s own health is a very risky undertaking. To effectively eliminate a sore throat with minimal likelihood of complications, you should contact a medical facility.
Treatment methods without antibacterial agents
If it was not possible to avoid a disease such as tonsillitis, then its treatment should be started. It is a misconception that therapy must be started immediately. According to Dr. Komarovsky, treatment of acute tonsillitis in children can begin on the third day after the appearance of characteristic symptoms. He also believes that it is impossible to cure bacterial sore throat without antibiotics.
This approach to getting rid of the disease, according to his thoughts, will lead to chronic tonsillitis and all sorts of complications on the child’s kidneys and heart. Consequently, when deciding on the treatment of sore throat without antibiotics, bacterial sore throat is not considered.
If your child's throat is attacked by a virus or fungus, you can try the following recommendations.
Forms of the disease
As we know, the development of an inflammatory process (usually of an infectious nature) is caused by the harmful effects of various microorganisms - bacteria, viruses, fungi. In this regard, sore throat is divided into several types:
- viral;
- fungal;
- bacterial;
- a disease caused by blood diseases.
In this case, the exact cause of the disease can only be determined by a doctor who takes a culture from the tonsils to determine the infectious pathogen. In the future, the specialist determines the treatment regimen and also makes a verdict on whether therapy can be carried out without the use of antibiotics.
Is it possible to cure a sore throat without antibiotics in a child or adult? Many people tend to believe that without these drugs it is impossible to get rid of any type of disease. In fact, it is fundamentally incorrect. After all, everything mainly depends on the source of infection.
What is the danger of self-medication?
As we know, treatment for any disease is prescribed only after doctors have established an accurate diagnosis. For this, a number of necessary diagnostic studies are carried out. This allows us to establish the nature of the pathogens and the causes of the development of the disease. Only after this can a decision be made in favor of using certain medications.
This means that it is necessary to have appropriate knowledge regarding the operation of many systems of the human body. That is why there is a profession of doctors in different directions. Most people lack this knowledge and therefore are unlikely to be able to make an accurate diagnosis for themselves. But it’s impossible without this! How to treat a sore throat without antibiotics in adults or children, if you do not know the type of causative agent of the disease or the cause that provoked it? Incorrectly selected medications can lead to the development of complications, and sometimes quite serious ones.
In extreme cases, the disease goes into a chronic stage, which is not very good, since in this case it is quite long and difficult to treat. Taking antibiotics not only helps eliminate harmful bacteria, but can also cause harm to the body. Along with pathogenic microorganisms, medications can also destroy beneficial flora. And this is already fraught with serious consequences, because the immune system is already weakened by the disease.
Uncontrolled use of medications during self-medication can lead to various complications:
- development of allergic reactions;
- disruption of the digestive system;
- the appearance of toxic shock;
- spread of fungus;
- avitaminosis;
- dysbacteriosis;
- liver disease.
In addition, if you take the same drug for a long time, addiction will occur, and its effectiveness will be lost and come to naught.
