Sore throat is not just angina: Causes and what helps

Pain in the throat can manifest itself as scratching, burning, a person can feel difficulty swallowing or feel a “dumpling” in the throat, can have hoarseness. It can have different causes, from ordinary viruses through angina and other diseases, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish them from each other and correctly estimate the treatment. On the other hand: you won’t spoil anything if you don’t immediately run to the doctor with a sore throat. The statistics speak clearly: in 90 percent of cases it is a viral infection and you do not need antibiotics. You can get by with over-the-counter medicines. So what to watch?

A sore throat is most often related to a viral infection that causes common coldcough and pain in the throat were not pharyngitis. They can also be accompanied by temperature, and the person will most often say that he had some kind of virus. Newly, neck pain is also one of the symptoms of covid-19.

If you do not see large swellings, white coatings or typical studs when you look into your throat, but only redness and you can swallow at the same time, it is probably a virus. It is best to lie in bed and rest.

The best medicine? Warm, but not quite hot liquids. Season the tea with lemon or honey, but do not immediately put them in boiling water, as vitamin C would be destroyed. Various lozenges, oral sprays or gargles will also help. These are medicines that reduce pain, disinfect the oral cavity and throat, or even act against inflammation. Buy what you have good experience with or what your pharmacist recommends. There are a lot of them available.

The problem should subside or begin to subside within three days.

As already mentioned, roughly 10 percent of common sore throats are related to bacteria. What should warn you that you need treatment other than tea and bed? In the first case, the experience of most people who suffer from anginathey know when it manifested itself again. Otherwise, it should be noted if the problem does not improve within three days, a temperature higher than 39 °C is added or you have breathing problems. Angina, or tonsillitis, also differs from a common sore throat in that neither warm nor cold drinks will help you, neither pain lozenges nor other commonly used medications, for example for the accompanying headache, will help.

The doctor usually confirms the suspicion of bacterial inflammation with a CRP test, most of them do it in the doctor’s office. At that moment, it also possibly excludes other similar diseases, such as, for example mononucleosiswhich manifest themselves similarly. The doctor can also perform a throat swab.

In the case of bacterial inflammation (usually angina), antibiotics must be taken exactly according to the doctor’s instructions. Use the dose until the end, even if your throat no longer hurts. It is important not only so that the disease does not return to you, but also because increasing drug resistance.

But neck pain can also appear in connection with completely unexpected diseases, such as reflux diseasewhen the acidic stomach contents return to the esophagus and, in simple terms, acts as a caustic there. This is manifested by pain and burning. The treatment always belongs to the hands of the doctor and it is good not to postpone it, so as not to cause fundamental damage to the esophagus, which can end up with cancer. More details about when to go to the doctor with a sore throat, you can find here.

A less serious but life-threatening pain in the neck is the one related to allergies. In the case of a more serious allergic reaction, swelling of the face, tongue, breathing difficulties and hoarseness may occur, in which case it is necessary to call an ambulance immediately. Call her also if the pain in the throat is caused by, for example, drinking or swallowing something dangerous.