How to treat a sore throat

There are a large number of causes for sore throats. They can be caused by environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke and even dust. Allergies can also cause soreness in the throat. However, a sore throat is most commonly a symptom of conditions such as strep throat or the flu.

Common symptoms are scratchy, irritated, and painful sensations in the throat area, which can make normal activities such as eating, drinking, or speaking very painful and, in some cases, almost unbearable.

Remedies for Sore Throat

Luckily there are many very simple and effective ways to treat a sore throat, and most can come in the form of simple over-the-counter medication or effective home remedies.

The first step to treating a sore throat is to see a doctor since it is difficult to determine the cause without the opinion of a health expert. The most likely causes are irritants, allergens, or viral and bacterial infections.

If it is an infection, the doctor will prescribe medication and could give the patient pain relievers for the discomfort.

If the doctor prescribes antibiotics, all the pills given in the prescription must be taken, to make sure that the bacteria is fully treated. If these instructions are not followed, antibiotic-resistant strains can develop that will not be treatable with the same medication.

If the doctor does not prescribe anything, there are either over-the-counter medications or natural remedies that can be used to cure soar throats.

Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Aspirin, lozenges, and throat sprays can help treat a sore throat.

Benzydamine for oromucosal use is indicated in the relief of pain and irritation of the mouth and throat. It is an indazole derivative, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, with combined local anesthetic and analgesic properties, and antiseptic activity, marketed under the brand name “Tantum Verde”. The aim of this study was to explore knowledge and prescriptive/advising attitudes among general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists (PHs) with regard to the topical treatment of sore throat and other irritative/inflammatory conditions of the oropharynx, with a focus on benzydamine.

An online questionnaire survey was performed among PHs and GPs in four European countries (Italy, Germany, Russia and Poland).
Both GPs and PHs proved to have an excellent knowledge and mastery of the constituents effective against oral symptoms. Among all the principles, benzydamine hydrochloride is the most recognized as certainly suitable for the topical treatment of sore throat symptoms and various inflammatory/irritative conditions of the oral cavity.
It is recommended by about 90% of PHs and prescribed by 80% of GPs, mainly to solve the ailments caused by sore throats and stomatitis, especially for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anesthetic characteristics. Also in the pediatric field, benzydamine hydrochloride is recommended: among GPs, a high percentage (about 40%) prescribes it like the remedies based on dichlorobenzyl alcohol-sodium benzoate, which are instead more often recommended by PHs (44% against 37%).

✓ Fact confirmed: Benzydamine hydrochloride for the treatment of sore throat and irritative/inflammatory conditions of the oropharynx: a cross-national survey among pharmacists and general practitioners Desiderio Passali, Maria Felice Arezzo, Alessandra De Rose, Gianmarco De Simone, Gianluigi Forte, Michalina Jablko-Musial & Ralph Mösges; 17 June 2022

Some natural remedies include salt-water gargles, hot tea, water with lemon and honey, apple cider vinegar with honey, or frozen fruit bars.

Risk Factors and Prevention

People with sore throats will first look to heal the pain, but it is very important to cure the cause of the sore throat altogether. To do this, one must drink lots of fluids, rest well, avoid smoke, pollutants in the air, and allergens as much as possible, eat foods that are soothing to the throat such as ice cream and hot soup, consume plenty of Vitamin C and Selenium, and avoid strenuous physical activity.

The more the person takes care of his or her health once the soreness occurs, the faster it will heal.

Eating well, drinking a lot of water, and giving one\'s self enough time to rest and sleep are all essential to allow the throat the proper time and needed conditions to fully heal and for the pain to subside.