Sore Throat: Cures and Remedies

which generally develop in the pharynx. The reddened throat hardly presents itself as the only symptom, but is frequently accompanied by a symptomatology, more or less intense, which varies according to the disorder or disease that led to the inflammation.

The causes of red throat can be many, they can have different origins and nature and different severity. Although a red throat can be treated symptomatically, to permanently eliminate the symptom, it is necessary to treat the triggering cause.

bacterial, viral pharyngitis, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, flu, etc.) caused by:

• Bacteria (such as, for example, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, etc.);
• Viruses (such as influenza viruses, mononucleosis viruses, etc.);
• Mushrooms.

Allergies (for example, allergy to pollen, mold, animal hair, dust mites, etc.);

Excessive dryness of the home and / or work environment;

Inhalation of irritants for long periods of time (for example, cigarette smoke, smog, fumes or vapors of toxic and irritating substances in the workplace, etc.);

Excessive strain on the pharyngeal muscles (a situation that can occur, for example, when you talk a lot, when you sing or when you scream);

Gastroesophageal reflux (due to the rise of gastric acids, the throat can become inflamed and redden).

Unfortunately, in some cases, the red throat and its inflammation can be triggered by very serious underlying diseases, such as, for example, AIDS, throat cancers or other cancers of the oral cavity.

or burning (sore throat) and swelling. In addition, it is also possible to experience dryness, itchy throat and perception of a foreign body sensation.

Because of the pain that often accompanies the condition of a red and inflamed throat, patients may have difficulty swallowing food and drink. Sometimes, the pain can be so intense that it is uncomfortable even when simply swallowing saliva.

In addition to the symptoms described above and typical of inflammatory processes affecting the pharynx, the red throat can be associated with numerous other symptoms that vary according to the disorder or disease that caused the symptom in question. Among these, we remember:

• Runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, headache and phlegm in the throat (these are symptoms that can occur in colds and flu diseases);
• Reflux cough (particular type of cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux);
• Allergic cough (type of cough that occurs in patients with various types of allergies);
• Fever (this is a common symptom of many conditions, such as flu, colds and AIDS);
• Plaques in the throat (plaque formation in the throat usually indicates the presence of an "infection in progress);
• Hoarseness (another symptom common to many ailments and diseases, such as colds, gastroesophageal reflux and throat cancers);
• Swollen tonsils (typical symptom of tonsillitis)
• Headache (also this symptom is common to many of the ailments and diseases that can cause redness and inflammation of the throat).

and - if this is not enough - he can make use of the aid of laboratory analyzes and / or instrumental tests. Among these, we find: blood tests, allergy tests, throat swab (useful when it is suspected that the red throat may be caused by infectious diseases), gastroscopy (useful in case of suspected gastroesophageal reflux), CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging (useful, for example, in case of suspected throat cancer).

and pain relievers, such as NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). To counteract throat inflammation, these drugs are generally formulated in the form of a spray for the oral mucosa to be sprayed directly on the throat, in the form of mouthwashes with which to rinse and gargle or in the form of tablets that must be dissolved slowly in the mouth. A classic example of active ingredients of this type is given by flurbiprofen.

Alternatively, it is also possible to resort to oral administration of NSAIDs. In this case, the most commonly used active ingredients are ketoprofen, ibuprofen and morniflumate.

Paracetamol is an antipyretic used mainly to combat fever, but it also has a mild analgesic activity that could be useful for counteracting the pain that often accompanies the condition of a red throat. However, the anti-inflammatory activity is almost nil, therefore, this active ingredient is limited to treating the pain and not the inflammation that caused it.

Antibiotics are useful only if the red throat is caused by infectious diseases of bacterial origin; otherwise, the use of similar drugs would not only be useless and improper, but could favor the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance. In the event that a red throat represents a symptom of viral or fungal infections, the doctor may consider prescribing drugs In this regard, we point out that - in order to guarantee the therapeutic efficacy of the pharmacological treatment - it is very important to determine exactly which microorganism is responsible for the infection.

In the presence of allergies, the doctor may prescribe the administration of antihistamines and / or corticosteroid drugs; while in case of gastroesophageal reflux it is possible to resort to the use of gastroprotectors.

As for the treatment of serious diseases such as AIDS and throat cancer, please refer to the dedicated articles on this site.

with the head slightly raised above the rest of the body. This measure can be useful to counteract the ascent of gastric fluids up to the throat.

Finally, to alleviate the symptoms associated with a red throat, many resort to taking a teaspoon of honey, or a cup of warm milk sweetened with honey. This beekeeping product, in fact, has emollient properties capable of giving relief, albeit temporary, from pain, burning, itching and irritation that occur in the presence of a red and inflamed throat.