How to treat a throat quickly and effectively

A sore throat often appears suddenly and may well ruin our plans for the next few days, since in 90% of cases it is a symptom of sore throat or acute respiratory diseases. Taught by bitter experience, many know that it is necessary to take measures to prevent the development of the disease immediately, therefore they are interested in how to treat the throat quickly and effectively. There is no definite answer to this question and cannot be. It all depends on the cause and general condition of the body.

Non-infectious causes

Before starting to treat a sore throat, it is necessary to discard all possible non-infectious causes for which a cough or pain occurs. Otherwise, even the most effective remedy will only temporarily relieve the symptoms. The most common non-infectious causes of throat disease are:

• too dry air - leads to overdrying of the mucous membranes, which are easily irritated, causing perspiration and sore throat;
• external irritants - everything in the air: dust, dirt, poisonous fumes, smoke (including tobacco smoke), harsh odors, unpleasant odors, etc.;
• improper diet - too hot or cold, spicy, sour, salty food, an abundance of spices, spices, flavors and chemical dyes;
• harmful working conditions - metallurgical, chemical, leather, woodworking, weaving, agriculture (with the use of chemical fertilizers), etc .;
• overexertion of the vocal cords - often found in teachers, announcers, artists, singers and people who like to raise their voices;
• diseases of the internal organs - the gastrointestinal tract, heart diseases can provoke cough and sore throat;
• chronic rhinitis and sinusitis - accompanied by copious secretion of mucus, constantly irritating the larynx;
• frequent allergic reactions - accompanied by swelling of the mucous membranes and their irritation;
• bad habits - weaken the immune system, increasing the risks of respiratory diseases, and smoking contributes to the development of atrophy of the mucous membranes of the throat;
• neoplasms in the throat and bronchi - cause a constant foreign body sensation and irritate the throat.

In this case, throat medications can only play an auxiliary role. It is necessary to act directly on the cause of irritation and discomfort: give up bad habits, moisturize and purify the air, treat chronic diseases, go on a diet, take antihistamines, etc.

Infectious factors

In 80-90% of cases, the throat still hurts due to the ingestion of pathogenic microorganisms. These can be viruses, fungi, bacteria. A person with strong immunity copes with most of them on their own without the use of drugs. Maximum, these people can help the body with the help of time-tested folk remedies.

But if the condition worsens further, and the body is unable to resist the disease, it is advisable to waste no time on taking the medicine. Fortunately, the selection of them on pharmacy shelves is now simply huge.

There are both special preparations for treating the throat, and broad-spectrum antibiotics that can destroy pathogenic microflora throughout the body, preventing the development of complications.

The main symptoms indicating the infectious nature of the disease are:

• redness and swelling of the throat;
• inflammation and enlargement of the tonsils;
• purulent plaque or boils on the tonsils;
• pus in coughing up sputum;
• a sharp or prolonged increase in temperature;
• headache, muscle pain, or joint pain;
• weakness, dizziness, loss of performance;
• signs of general intoxication of the body.

In this case, a doctor should select a remedy for a sore throat. And a special analysis helps him in this - bacterial inoculation of mucus. It allows not only to identify the invisible culprit of the disease, but also to test it for sensitivity to various types of drugs. Thus, the doctor no longer guesses which remedies are best for treatment in this case, but knows it for sure.

Traditional methods

If your health is generally satisfactory, and you think that the pain and discomfort in the throat are caused by colds, hypothermia, flu or other non-dangerous infections transmitted by airborne droplets, then you can try to fight them with proven folk remedies:

1. Aloe with honey. To prepare the medicine, you can use both the pulp and the pure juice of the plant. Excellent immunity enhancement, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, quickly restores mucous membranes. Mix the juice or pulp of the plant with honey in equal parts and take a teaspoon 3-4 times a day. For sore throat, keep under the tongue until completely absorbed. It is categorically contraindicated in pregnancy, neoplasms, bleeding disorders.
2. Black radish juice with honey. Perfectly helps to quickly cope with attacks of dry barking cough, dilutes phlegm, promotes its coughing, and has antibacterial properties. The middle is hollowed out of a large root vegetable and filled with honey. After 10-12 hours, the syrup formed inside is ready for use. Take a teaspoon 3-4 times a day.
3. Burnt sugar is a great alternative to absorbable cough drops available in pharmacies. The best throat remedy for pregnancy: effective and completely harmless. For cooking, you need to take half a glass of sugar and melt it over low heat. Then, stirring constantly, boil until it acquires a pleasant caramel color (it is very important not to overcook until dark brown). In the finished syrup, you can pour 10-15 drops of eucalyptus, fir, cedar or tea tree essential oil or a tablespoon of lemon or ginger juice. Mix everything well again and pour into silicone molds greased with butter. If there are no molds, then you can pour them in small portions onto parchment paper spread out on the table. The remedy is not suitable for diabetics and overweight people.
4. Beetroot juice is another super effective and completely harmless throat remedy that can be used as a gargle. Freshly squeezed beet juice has antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Add a tablespoon of vinegar and a little sugar to a glass of juice. Mix everything well and gargle 3-4 times a day. It is useful to drip the nose with pure beet juice for the prevention and treatment of rhinitis and sinusitis, which also often cause sore throats.
5. Herbal infusions and decoctions. They have a universal application. You can use both individual plants: chamomile, sage, calendula, thyme, St. John's wort, coltsfoot, oak bark, eucalyptus, oregano, thyme, or their combination. It is better to buy ready-made fees that are sold in pharmacies. So you will be sure of the correct proportions, as well as the ecological and radiation purity of the plants. Herbs are used for drinking, replacing ordinary tea with them, it is possible with the addition of a small amount of honey. Broths are good for steam inhalation, which can be done up to 2 times a day with severe pain and dry cough. Warming compresses are made from strong infusions or used for grinding.

But it is important to remember that no folk remedies can cope with a serious infection that has entered the body.

Therefore, if there is no noticeable improvement in the condition on day 3-4, consultation with a doctor is required. It is easy to start the disease, to cure the chronic form is very difficult.In addition, it is often accompanied by various complications.

Pharmacy preparations

It is difficult to choose effective remedies for sore throat on pharmacy shelves. The abundance of drugs is striking in its variety and drives into a stupor a person who is far from medicine.

Many do not know that in fact the active substance can be the same in 3-4, or even 10 different preparations. So different manufacturers advertise the same drug, in fact, as the best in its category.

Therefore, below we give a rating of the best drugs for the throat, compiled not on the basis of the opinion of doctors, but on the reviews of consumers who have used these drugs:

• Coldrex. Effectively lowers the temperature due to the presence of paracetamol in its composition. Vitamin C increases the body's resistance, and the synthetic drug phenylephrine relieves mucosal edema and reduces mucus secretion. The drug does not directly affect viruses and bacteria that have entered the body. It can be used to enhance one's own immune defenses. However, a decrease in body temperature, which creates unfavorable conditions for the reproduction of pathogenic microflora, calls into question the advisability of its use in diseases of an infectious nature.
• "Immunotonic Doppelherz". A modern and effective immunomodulator, which, when systematically used, perfectly increases the level of the body's immune defense and prevents the development of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections. The drug was created on the basis of extracts of medicinal plants and enriched with an additional dose of vitamin C. Its main disadvantage is that it does not work immediately and if a person is already sick, it will accelerate recovery, but will not stop the development of the disease.
• Sinupret. Combined preparation based on plant extracts. Has a pronounced anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, decongestant, expectorant effect. Promotes liquefaction and an increase in the amount of phlegm. It allows you to quickly cure sinusitis and bronchitis, practically has no side effects.
• Bromhexine. One of the most inexpensive, but effective drugs, which is available in the form of tablets or syrup. A powerful expectorant drug that simultaneously expands the bronchi and facilitates breathing and the passage of phlegm. Already after 2-3 days of admission, it can lead to active coughing up of a large amount of sputum. In no case is it taken together with antitussives!
• Stodal. A modern homeopathic medicine, recommended for use even during pregnancy. Contains only herbal extracts. Great for pain, sore throat and any type of cough. It goes well with antibiotics and other medicines.

Lozenges give a good effect. Some of them contain antibiotics: "Faringosept", "Septolette", etc. There are also plant-based lollipops "Doctor MOM", "Doctor Theiss" and others. Of the completely natural syrups, the most effective are "Plantain syrup", "Root licorice "," Alteyka ".

Sprays and antiseptic solutions are used to treat the throat. Excellent results were shown by Ingalipt, Hepilor, Kameton, Bioparox.

You can wash your throat with a solution of potassium permanganate, furacillin or sea salt. Lugol's solution, which contains iodine and glycerin and is also a natural preparation, helps to disinfect and heal the mucous membrane.

Complementary therapy

But no matter how you treat the throat, you will not be able to achieve a quick result if you neglect the elementary rules:

1. No extreme! If you feel an illness is approaching, it is best to go to bed. There is no more serious mistake than trying to "drive out the disease" with intense training. This also includes a sauna, a contrast shower, swimming in an ice hole and the rest of the spectrum of "extreme treatment".
2. Drink as much water as possible. If the body temperature is low - up to 38^OC, then 1.5-2 liters per day is enough. When the patient has a fever, 3 or more liters of fluid can compensate for the loss of moisture. The drink should be pleasantly warm, in the range of 40-60^OC. Drinking cold and even room water, if your throat hurts, you can not. The effect of coolness is deceiving - it will relieve pain for a short time, but increase inflammation.
3. Compliance with a diet. No food through force! The body loses its appetite as all its energy is directed towards fighting the disease. By filling your stomach with indigestible food, you steal energy from yourself, weakening your natural defenses. A light broth, mashed potatoes or vegetables, fish or meat steamed soufflé will do. If you don't feel like eating at all, you can drink warm milk or tea with honey. After the relief comes, the body will get its own and the appetite will return.
4. Cleanliness in the room. In the room where the patient is located, there should be clean and slightly humidified air and a complete absence of dust, which must be wiped off from vertical surfaces too. You need to air the room at least twice a day in any weather. If it's cold, then go to another room or cover yourself with a blanket. Remove all possible allergens: strong-smelling flowers, household chemicals, perfumes, etc.
5. Maximum rest. Not only for the throat (less talking), but for the whole body. Better to lie in bed for a day or two than to be heroic and end up in a hospital bed. It takes most of the effort to fight infection. Relaxation and properly performed breathing exercises help to replenish their supply. And reading your favorite book or watching a good comedy will be a source of positive emotions that will speed up your recovery. So allow yourself to relax!

These simple rules will help the body quickly cope with a sore throat, even if it has been attacked by an infection. And in combination with folk remedies, they will help prevent the development of a serious disease. And it is quite possible that a visit to the doctor will not be needed at all.