Sore throat - possible causes and quick treatment


Soreness and cough often accompany the course of viral, infectious and other diseases. Everyone has experienced this symptom at least once in their life, but not everyone knows how to quickly eliminate it.

If a person has a sore throat and a dry cough, treatment should be prescribed immediately: early initiation of therapy increases the likelihood of quickly curing the disease without unpleasant consequences.

Reasons for a sore throat and dry cough?

Infectious diseases are often accompanied by a sore throat, and a dry cough is often paroxysmal. They are caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi that affect the respiratory system. The long course of the disease is often associated with weakened immunity. In this case, treatment with various medications is necessary to eliminate the cause and symptoms of the disease.

The most common infectious diseases that cause severe sore throat and cough:

  • influenza and ARVI - characterized by high fever, nasal congestion, dry cough occurs 2-4 days after the onset of the disease;
  • measles - characterized by a feverish state, a rash on the skin and mucous membranes, conjunctivitis, high body temperature, patients have a very sore throat and a dry cough, which worsens 2-3 days from the onset of the disease;
  • whooping cough - more common in children, the body temperature does not rise during its course, the throat is very sore, coughing attacks occur, during which the face turns red, the veins in the neck swell;
  • pneumonia - begins with chills and high temperature, shortness of breath, dry cough.

Fact: a severe sore throat can have other causes - diabetes, smoking, allergies, cancer of the respiratory organs, insufficient air humidity, air pollution.

whooping cough

If patients complain of a sore throat and dry cough, but there are no other symptoms, then this is the very beginning of an infectious disease. The occurrence of these signs is provoked by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat. With the help of the cough reflex, the body tries to get rid of the cause of irritation. When sputum is expelled, the dry cough turns into a wet cough, and the healing process begins. When the disease ends, all symptoms disappear, the mucous membrane of the pharynx is restored.

How to treat a child with throat discomfort

Many parents are well aware of when a child complains of unpleasant symptoms - a sore throat and wants to cough, how to treat in such cases? Often, adults go to the pharmacy and buy antitussive medications, without even knowing that they can use herbal formulations that can help their beloved child.

How to treat a child without harm to the small organism? You can use vegetable juice , which is not only tasty, but also contains many useful substances for a small organism.

Preparing the medicine is simple:

  1. Grate the beets and carrots on a fine grater, rinse and peel thoroughly beforehand.
  2. Squeeze the juice into separate containers.
  3. Mix the prepared juice in equal parts.
  4. For every 200 ml add about 30 ml of natural good honey.

Be sure to drink the prepared product just before going to bed, in small sips . The mixture tastes good, but has a slight contraindication - an unexpected reaction of the child’s body to the bee product. If after taking the child there is redness in some parts of the body or severe rashes, it is better to try another medicine or simply replace honey with sugar.

What to do if you have a sore throat?

If you have a cough and a very sore throat, what should you do? Before immediate treatment, you should normalize your diet. Hot and spicy foods are excluded, food should be warm, and drinking plenty of fluids is recommended. If your throat is very sore, then folk methods will help to relieve symptoms:

  • warm drinks - milk with honey, herbal teas (raspberries, sage, rose hips, currants), berry fruit drinks;
  • gargling - herbal decoctions and tinctures (calendula, chamomile, eucalyptus), soda, salt are suitable for this treatment of the throat;
  • lubricating with oils to eliminate dry mucous membranes (almond, olive, peach oil).

Advice: if your throat is very sore, you should drink drinks slowly, in small sips, and the rinsing procedure should last as long as possible - this will increase the effect of treatment.

Severe sore throat - treatment with medications:

  • Hexoral spray - irrigate the throat up to three times a day;
  • Faringosept (tablets) - dissolve one 2-5 times a day, 2 hours before meals;
  • Strepsils (lozenges) - dissolve 1-5 pieces per day.

Sore throat in children: causes and treatment

Children can also suffer from this unpleasant symptom.

Most often, the cause of the problem is a viral infectious disease or allergy.

It could also be a sore throat. Other diseases, the list of symptoms of which includes tickling, appear extremely rarely in children.

How to treat a sick child? First of all, you need to take him to the pediatrician so that the doctor can make the correct diagnosis.

  • If a child has a cold or sore throat, anti-inflammatory drugs, nasal sprays and drops, cough syrups, and various lozenges are prescribed. The doctor may also prescribe a general strengthening vitamin complex to maintain immunity.
  • Allergies are treated with antihistamines and complete avoidance of contact with the allergen.

Treatment

To treat an infectious disease of the respiratory tract, means are used that are aimed at both relieving symptoms and eliminating the causes of its occurrence.

The attending physician prescribes a complex of medications that have antibacterial, immunostimulating, analgesic and antifungal properties.

Immunostimulants

If you have a very sore throat and cough, what should you do? Treatment with immunostimulants is prescribed to quickly suppress the viral infection - it is the cause of respiratory symptoms in 90% of cases. Drugs of this type do not eliminate cough as such, but are necessary to boost immunity and strengthen the body’s defenses to fight infection. Immunostimulants can be used not only for treatment, but also for prevention if infection is possible.

Medicines for the treatment of diseases during which the throat is very sore and there is a cough:

  • Anaferon (lozenges) - protect against infections; if a disease occurs, take 1 tablet every half hour, then 1 tablet three times a day;
  • Amiksin (tablets) - stimulates the immune system response, has an antiviral effect, drink 125 mg once a day;
  • Ribomunil (granules, tablets) - prevention and treatment of respiratory infections, drink 1 sachet or 1 tablet per day.

Important: what medications to take and what to do if you have a very sore throat can only be prescribed by your attending physician; you cannot self-treat.

Antibiotics and antibacterial sprays and tablets

Treatment with medications with antibacterial properties is prescribed to eliminate the cause of the disease.

Their use is necessary if a severe sore throat and dry cough are caused by an infection - for this purpose, topical agents and drugs in tablet form are produced. Treatment with them is possible at any stage of the disease; the highest effectiveness of their use is achieved when they are used at the very beginning of the onset of the disease.

The most effective antibacterial drugs for the treatment of cough and tickling:

  • Miramistin (spray) - use 3-4 irrigations up to 4 times a day;
  • Chlogrexidine (spray, solution) - apply 3 times a day after meals;
  • Stopangin (spray) - irrigate the throat an hour before or immediately after meals;
  • Gramicidin (lozenges) - 2 tablets twice a day;
  • Avelox (tablets) - 1 piece once a day for 5–14 days.

Before determining what medications to take and what to do if you have a very sore throat and cough, you should diagnose the disease. The choice of antibiotics is based on the results of a study that determines the type of infection and the severity of the disease. The most popular types of these remedies for treating the throat:

  • cephalosporins (Cefazolin, Ceftriaxone) - eliminate cells of pathogenic bacteria and have a powerful effect;
  • macrolides (Azithromycin, Sumamed, Azitrox) - low toxic, destroy most harmful bacteria, used to treat children;
  • fluoroquinolones (Ofloxacin, Moxifloxacin) are a powerful remedy that copes with almost all infectious diseases of the respiratory organs.

How to treat a child if he has a very sore throat and dry cough, but he refuses to take pills? For this purpose, antibiotics with sweeteners are produced, the most effective of which are Amoxiclav, Cefuroxime, Augmentin.

Fungicidal preparations

If the cause of the disease is a fungus, and during its course the throat is very sore, what should you do?

There are special antifungal drugs used to treat the respiratory system. They are aimed at preventing the proliferation of fungal spores and creating unsuitable conditions for their life.

Fungicidal preparations for the treatment of cough and tickling:

  • sodium tetraborate;
  • Candida.

These solutions are used to lubricate the mucous membrane of the pharynx, tonsils, side and back walls of the pharynx 2 times a day.

How to recognize and get rid of a sore throat

Treatment for a sore throat is selected depending on the severity of the disease that caused it. It is not a disease in itself, but only a symptom of it. Under the influence of certain factors, the patient feels a tickling in the throat, a desire to clear his throat well.

The cough can be wet or dry. A dry, persistent cough does not produce mucus, which could soften the larynx and relieve some irritation.

Therefore, the throat hurts even more. Typically, a dry cough is characteristic of infectious and viral diseases of the upper respiratory tract. At the same time, after a while, other typical symptoms of a cold or flu join the soreness:

  1. Headache.
  2. Chills.
  3. Runny nose.
  4. Lethargy.
  5. Increased body temperature.

If you cannot get rid of a dry cough and sore throat for a long time, tablets for a sore throat and treatment with folk remedies do not help, we can say that the pathology has become chronic and the treatment requires adjustment.

Patients often complain that their throat hurts more at night. Why does this happen and what to do in this case? The reasons are usually that during night sleep the muscles of the larynx and nasopharynx relax, blood circulation slows down, and mucus does not separate, but thickens and accumulates in the upper respiratory tract.

Flowing down the walls of the larynx, they irritate the mucous membrane and cause coughing attacks; it can also be pus in the throat. Treatment in this case is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease and removing phlegm from the bronchi. It doesn’t have to be a cold or flu, chronic respiratory pathologies, allergies or overstrain of the vocal cords at work.

You should not forget about bad habits - alcohol and cigarette abuse can cause chronic sore throat. And sometimes a foreign body gets into the throat - for example, a fish or meat bone - and thereby provokes a constant cough and discomfort.

Therefore, the treatment will not be effective, and neither pills nor traditional recipes will help until the provoking factor is eliminated.

How to treat at home?

Home therapy methods are widely used as an additional method of treating infectious diseases. To eliminate cough and tickling, compresses, inhalations, and rubbing are used. Treatment with such methods is recommended to be coordinated with a doctor. What to do at home if you have a very sore throat:

  • rinse with herbal decoctions (sage, eucalyptus, chamomile, marigold, plantain) three times a day;
  • pour mustard into cotton socks and put on warm socks on top;
  • add a few drops of essential oil (lavender, eucalyptus, mint, fir) to 0.5 liters of hot water (about 70 degrees), breathe in the vapor until the liquid cools;
  • Grind the lemon along with the zest, add a tablespoon of glycerin and 2 tablespoons of honey, mix and leave to brew for 2-4 hours, take a tablespoon three times a day.

Treatment of cough and sore throat

Due to differences in etiology, with similar symptoms, such as a sore throat and dry cough, treatment will be carried out with drugs with different active ingredients. If your throat is sore due to neurosis, the doctor will definitely prescribe sedatives. Infectious and allergic coughs are relieved by drugs from different medicinal groups; a special approach is needed for pregnant women and children. Both folk remedies and standard medical methods can be used in therapy.

Rinsing and lubricating

To relieve dry throat and expectoration when coughing, both adults and young patients are advised to frequently drink warm liquids: teas, decoctions, milk and just water. If your throat is sore due to a virus or cold, gargles with an antiseptic effect will combat inflammation and pain. Suitable for rinsing:

    alcohol solution of Chlorophyllipt
    (from 180 rubles), which must be diluted in a concentration of 1 tsp. for 100 ml of boiled water, use the rinse prepared immediately;

Gargling relieves soreness, redness and swelling in the nasopharynx, acting as an antiseptic. The liquid base helps to moisturize the mucous membrane, preventing it from drying out. You should be careful with solutions containing soda, salt, iodine, and vinegar, as these substances dry the surface of the mucous membranes.

For a sore throat, pharyngitis and dry cough, lubricating the tonsils with peach, olive, and almond oil is useful. To do this, drop the oil into your nose, and from there it will reach the back wall of the larynx.

Folk recipes

“Grandma’s” recipes, proven by generations, are widely used in our country. Treatment with traditional methods is considered safe; there is no chemistry. The most common ways to get rid of a dry cough are as follows.

    Black radish, which must be washed and cut off the edges, tail and top. Remove the pulp from the center of the fruit so that a through hole does not form at the bottom, add a spoonful of honey inside. The juice that the radish produces will be healing.
  • A boiled potato compress will help quickly relieve a sore throat. Boil 3-4 small tubers, mash them with a fork right with the peel, mix with a teaspoon of soda. Wrap the mixture in gauze and apply it warm to your throat. Remove when the compress begins to cool.
  • It is useful to inhale the vapors of onions and garlic; you can use the essential oils of eucalyptus, fir, and menthol as a phytoncide.
  • Mix carrot and beet juices in equal quantities. Add 1 tbsp per 250 ml of juice. honey, stir until it dissolves. Drink the juice warm at night in small sips.
  • Lollipops and irrigation products

    In case of an inflammatory process on the mucous membrane of the throat, lozenges and sprays have proven themselves to be effective in relieving symptoms and fighting bacteria. In addition to their anti-inflammatory effect, lozenges may reduce the frequency of coughing. For resorption of sore throat and pain in the throat, the following drugs in the form of lozenges are recommended:

  • Travisil
    (from 110 rubles per pack of 16 tablets);
  • Doctor Mom
    (about 150 rubles for 20 pieces);
  • Strepsils
    (from 170 rub.);

Also common means for irrigating the throat:

  • Bioparox
    (safe during pregnancy);
  • Ingalipt
    ;

The price range varies from 80 to 500 rubles, the drugs have an original composition, so when choosing, pay attention to the active ingredient.

Cough inhalations

At the first manifestations of soreness and cough, inhalations aimed at moisturizing the mucous membranes are useful. You can pour regular mineral water into the nebulizer and breathe it in for a few minutes. For more severe symptoms, ready-made solutions are sold for inhalation:

Pharmaceutical preparations not only dilute mucus, but also have a bronchodilator effect and facilitate expectoration. You should start with procedures lasting 2-3 minutes or as prescribed by your doctor. At home, an inhalation solution is made based on onion, chamomile, essential oils, calendula, coltsfoot, juniper, etc. You can also do without a special device: a home inhaler is a kettle or a small container over which you should cover with a towel.

It is important to remember that if you have a sore throat or sinusitis, you cannot do inhalations, because bacteria on the mucous membrane will begin to develop even more rapidly.

Treatment of cough and tickling with medications

To relieve a person from coughing, doctors prescribe medications with different effects. To thin sputum and remove it, mucolytics are prescribed:

  • based on ambroxol - Ambrobene, Flavamed, BronchoRus, Lazolvan, Ambroxol, Vicks Active, etc., cost from 20 rubles.
  • with bromhexine - Bromhexine, Bronchosan, Ascoril, from 22 rubles;

If the cough is paroxysmal or unproductive, it is advisable to prescribe drugs that act directly on cough receptors:

Sore throat and cough can be the causes of various pathologies. If there are no symptoms of a common cold, you should go to a doctor for a diagnosis. Only a professional approach will identify the onset of a serious illness, and it is better to prevent complications such as bronchitis and begin treatment on time.

source

How to relieve very strong symptoms?

Coughing attacks and severe sore throat must be relieved with the help of topical medications. For this treatment the following are most often used:

  • Sinekod (syrup) - suppresses dry cough, the effect appears after a quarter of an hour;
  • Theraflu Lar (spray) - has a softening, analgesic effect;
  • Septolete Plus (spray) is an antimicrobial and anesthetic agent.

Advice: before relieving a severe sore throat with medication, it is recommended to gargle with soda or salt - this will enhance the effect of the product.

Throat problems due to cancer

Some cancers - cancer of the throat, larynx - are often accompanied by a sore throat that causes coughing. At first, they are no different from ARVI, sore throat, pharyngitis:

  • the voice becomes hoarse, hoarse,
  • there is a constant tickling sensation in the throat,
  • the pain is minor.

As the disease develops, it is accompanied by loss of voice and impaired swallowing reflex. The cough disappears or, on the contrary, becomes protracted, dryness increases, and the person feels a lump in the throat that prevents normal breathing.

The development of these terrible diseases can only be prevented by periodic examination by a doctor. It is recommended to be examined annually for tumor markers. Treatment is selected by the attending physician, taking into account the characteristics of each patient. The earlier it is started, the greater the chances of recovery.

Treatment of sore throat in adults

As in the case of children, for an adult the treatment process should begin with a trip to the doctor.

Many people are used to self-medicating, but tickling can be a symptom of more than just a common cold, so it’s better to take the time and visit a specialist to make sure there are no serious problems.

Depending on the cause of the tickling, different remedies can be prescribed, either individually or in combination.

  1. Following a diet prohibiting spicy, salty, sour and hot foods. This is done to avoid irritation of the pharynx, esophagus and the entire gastrointestinal tract.
  2. Constantly humidify the air in the room where the patient is, lowering the temperature if it exceeds 22 degrees.
  3. Constant intake of liquid - various medicinal teas or herbal infusions in large quantities. Be sure to be warm, but not hot.
  4. Local anesthetics - lozenges, sprays, lozenges, solutions that have an antibacterial and disinfecting effect.
  5. Expectorants in different forms: tablets, syrups, lozenges, herbal preparations.
  6. Antitussives - if you need to relieve a cough, for example, with whooping cough. These drugs are not prescribed for acute respiratory infections. You cannot take cough suppressants and expectorants at the same time, as these are drugs with opposite effects.
  7. Gargling with various herbal decoctions and infusions with an antiseptic effect. The liquid must not be hot. You can also use solutions with medications. It is better not to rinse with salt or soda, as they can burn and irritate the mucous membranes.
  8. The throat and tonsil area can be lubricated with oil to soften it. Oils are also used for inhalation.
  9. It is necessary to limit the vocal load, talk as little as possible and not raise your voice.
  10. If the cause lies in allergies, it is necessary to take antihistamines and completely avoid contact with the allergen.
  11. It is also necessary to undergo examination for the presence of gastrointestinal diseases, ENT diseases, oncology, diabetes mellitus, if a sore throat is not caused by one of the common causes.

In addition, it is recommended to quit smoking and completely abandon this bad habit, which irritates the respiratory system.

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