Excess mucus in the throat can lead to itching, irritation, and soreness. Postnasal drip typically increases when a person is lying down. As a result, a sore throat may worsen at night or first thing in the morning. Exposure to certain allergens at night may also worsen postnasal drip and sore throat.
Your pharynx is a tube in the back of your throat. It sits between your tonsils and your voice box. When bacteria or viruses get into your throat, they can cause an infection that makes your pharynx swollen, tender, and red.
Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better within a week. Most are caused by minor illnesses such as cold or flu and can be treated at home.
Knowing whether your sore throat is viral or bacterial is usually determined by symptoms. Viral sore throats usually consist of a cough, swelling in the throat, and runny nose whereas bacterial sore throats are typically accompanied with nausea and vomiting, stomach ache, and there is no cough.
You should contact a healthcare provider if your sore throat lasts longer than a week, gets worse or you develop symptoms like fever or swollen lymph nodes.
Generally speaking, avoid fatty, spicy, or acidic foods as they can all increase irritation. You should also avoid crunchy or hard textured foods like dry toast or cereals, as they can scratch your already delicate throat.
Getting enough sleep gives your body time to rest, recover and fight off whatever is causing your sore throat.
Mouth breathing is also frequent during the night and contributes to a drier mouth and less production of saliva, which results in sore throat in the morning. Moreover, you are more likely to inhale dust, pollen, and other pollutants that can irritate the throat, worsening the pain.
Breathing through your mouth — often because of chronic nasal congestion — also can cause a dry, sore throat. Irritants. Outdoor air pollution and indoor pollution such as tobacco smoke or chemicals can cause a chronic sore throat. Chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and eating spicy foods also can irritate your throat.
Can Ice Cream Cure a Sore Throat? Sadly, no, ice cream will likely not cure what ails you — especially if your sore throat is caused by a bacterial or viral illness. However, cold and creamy foods like ice cream can help ease your pain.
4. Cold Liquids and Popsicles. Warm salt water and hot tea help your throat, but so do cold liquids, ice chips and popsicles. Popsicles are especially helpful for young children - the cold acts as a temporary numbing agent to ease the discomfort.
Most symptoms of COVID-19 last anywhere from several days to 2 weeks. But this can vary from person to person. COVID sore throat usually starts feeling better after a week, though it may take a little longer to completely go away.
Strepsils provides fast acting relief which helps prevent sore throat pain from getting worse. Not only do Strepsils Honey & Lemon Lozenges soothe your throat, they also help fight bacteria too as they contains two effective antiseptics.
A pharmacist can help with sore throats
You can ask a pharmacist about ways of relieving the pain and discomfort of a sore throat, such as: paracetamol or ibuprofen. medicated lozenges containing a local anaesthetic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory medicine.
The most common remedy for sore throat is gargling with salt water, which helps clear throat mucus build-up. Salt can also kill bacteria by drawing water from cells and dehydrating them. Most healthcare professionals recommend dissolving 1/4 or half a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water.
A viral sore throat is typically accompanied by other cold-like symptoms, such as cough, sneeze, runny nose and a hoarse or raspy voice. “A strep infection can make it feel very painful to swallow, and often comes with fever of 101-degrees or higher,” said Schairer.
Most sore throats are caused by viruses or bacteria, which often come with other signs of infection, such as a fever. Even so, there are other causes of a sore throat that may not present with a fever, including allergies, acid reflux, colds, STIs, environmental pollutants, or even cancer.
When not taking antibiotics, bacterial infections and the sore throats they cause may last anywhere from 7 to 10 days. In some cases, a sore throat from a bacterial infection may be due to a more serious illness. Be sure to follow up with your doctor if you have a sore throat lasting longer than 10 days.
Chronic pharyngitis is a persistent sore throat that lingers for a few weeks or returns frequently. Chronic pharyngitis may be caused by infection, environmental pollutants, allergies or acid reflux. Treatment involves addressing the underlying cause.