How to treat a viral sore throat

The condition called a viral sore throat is produced by an infection in the throat area, and a number of possible viruses can cause this infection. Some of those are mononucleosis virus infection, cold viruses, flu viruses, and coxsackie virus.

Possible Causes

The cause, namely the virus, will determine the symptoms experienced. Adenovirus infection usually produces acute pain in the throat, cough, lymph node swelling, running nose, white bumps located on the tonsils, and soreness in the affected location.

When flu virus is the cause, sore windpipe and cough are experienced, while in cases which are caused by mononucleosis virus, fatigue is experienced for one week, the roof of the mouth is affected with red spots, and neck glands are swollen.

There may also be a coating of the tonsils or the throat, and rash on the chest area or the entire body. Symptoms, such as fever, neck, arm, leg, and stomach pain, sore throat, mouth or roof of the mouth sores, loss of appetite, and headaches are the symptoms of herpangina.

Another possible cause of sore throat is strep bacteria. When a person suffers from a sore throat caused by this bacterium, discomfort is extreme, and some very serious problems with swallowing are possible.

Other problems this condition creates include white spots located on the tonsils, swollen neck lymph nodes, rash, fever, stomach pain, and headache.

The problems that aren’t created by this bacterium include running rose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and a sore throat, and such problems are usually created by viruses.

Treatment

The next step would be the treatment, and seeing a doctor is a must. He will perform some tests and take swabs from the mouth in order to make a proper diagnosis and see what has caused this problem.

For the pain, you can take analgesics, but remember that antibiotics are quite ineffective for this condition. You will need to reduce physical activity. Try to spend as much time as possible relaxing in the bed, and rinse your throat with salty water, because this is sometimes quite an effective remedy.

Only a small proportion of people with sore throats have bacterial infections, but “strep throat” has a strong place in the public mind. Children aged 5 to 15 years are much more likely to have streptococcal infections than are younger children and adults, and this should be remembered when treating sore throats.

Acute throat infections are among the most common infectious diseases seen by FPs; they are responsible for 2% to 4% of all FP visits. Viruses cause 85% to 95% of throat infections in adults and children younger than 5 years of age; for those aged 5 to 15 years, viruses cause about 70% of throat infections, with the other 30% due to bacterial infections, mostly group A ?-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS).
The consensus that has emerged is that the 4 most important features to look for are enlarged submandibular glands, an exudate on the throat, the presence of fever, and the absence of cough or runny nose.
In otherwise healthy people, a sore throat infection is usually a self-limiting illness and rarely produces serious after-effects. A general practice study of acute tonsillitis in 17 countries found that in by far most cases, acute sore throat resolved within 1 week.
The control groups in antibiotic trials for sore throat treatment have shown that 90% of untreated patients are completely better by the end of 1 week, about the same as the proportion of those treated with antibiotics.
Although treatment with penicillin will greatly lower the rate of acute rheumatic fever, the rate of serious rheumatic heart disease is now so low that it has been estimated that the NNT is about 15 000. Antibiotic treatment has no detectable effect on reducing acute glomerulonephritis.

✓ Fact confirmed: Acute sore throat Graham Worrall, MB BS MSc FCFP; 2011 Jul

The treatment can last for two weeks. When we talk about mononucleosis, it can affect the whole body and last much longer than a sore throat. If you have sore throat problems, try to use ibuprofen (for the pain), consume clear and healthy fluids (like chicken soup, and juices), lick candy, limit activity (continue with normal activities when diarrhea passes), take certain medication, stop smoking, use naproxen and acetaminophen and suck on ice chips.

As far as nutrition is concerned, there is no prohibition, you will just need to watch out for the food you may not tolerate. Also, Aspirin can be taken, but for those younger than 21, this is not advised.