Pharyngitis: Symptoms, Treatment And Natural Remedies

At least at some point in life we ​​have all suffered a sore throat, which is, in most cases, an annoying ailment called pharyngitis. Although it is not a serious ailment, we must know its symptoms and how they manifest themselves.

The first thing we should do at the first symptoms of pharyngitis is to go to the doctor. Only with specialized treatment can we heal. Natural remedies, in the same way, can help to ease discomfort.

Causes and symptoms of pharyngitis

Viral infections that cause cold and flu are the ones that most often cause inflammation of the pharynx. This is in the back of the throat, between the tonsils and the larynx.

The cause of this inflammation can also be related to some bacteria such as streptococci. This occurs very frequently, since thousands of bacteria are found in the environment that can affect health every day.

In some countries, in winter, these situations increase dramatically. Infections can then occur that will eventually cause inflammation of the pharynx.

Other symptoms

Having an inflamed pharynx does not only cause us pain when we try to eat or drink liquids. It can also cause fever, severe headache, muscle pain, and swollen glands in the neck.

This is the body’s way of telling us that we have a pharyngeal infection problem. Therefore, they must be symptoms that lead us to go to the family doctor.

Treatments for pharyngitis

According to a study published in the journal of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, there are different action protocols or strategies for treating people with pharyngitis in consultation.

If the sore throat is being caused by bacteria, the indicated treatment for pharyngitis is with antibiotics. Penicillin, cephalexin, or amoxicillin are usually prescribed.

These medications must be prescribed by the doctor, as they are only effective against bacterial infections and not when sore throats are caused by viruses. When pharyngitis is caused by a common cold, antibiotic treatment is not usually recommended .

In any case, not all people can be treated with antibiotics, due to the danger of an allergic reaction. For this reason, these drugs should only be consumed on medical advice and supervision.

According to the Spanish Otorhinolaryngology Act, treatment for pharyngitis in which antibiotics are used is effective in killing bacteria. It also reduces the risk of infecting others 24 hours after starting treatment.

What antibiotics do is activate the immune system. In this way the body defends itself against other infections, calms pain and thus accelerates healing.

What home remedies relieve pharyngitis?

In addition to antibiotics, we can use some home remedies to alleviate pharyngitis symptoms:

• Maintain adequate hydration. One way to do this is to drink water, and plenty of tea with honey and lemon.
• You can also gargle with warm salt water.
• Using a vaporizer will also be a very good option.
• Eating hard candy or licorice may also soothe a sore throat.
• There are some cases in which the treating physician may recommend some over-the-counter medications. Lozenges or sprays can be very helpful in removing a sore throat.

As an additional recommendation, the patient should avoid consuming very hot foods (since high temperatures can injure the pharyngeal mucosa and promote discomfort) and, of course, eliminate tobacco and alcohol consumption.