Sore throat while breastfeeding in the mother

Against the background of weakened immunity after childbirth, intense physical exertion associated with caring for a child, the likelihood of developing infectious diseases increases. When a mother has a sore throat while breastfeeding, it may indicate tonsillitis, inflammation of the posterior pharyngeal wall, or laryngitis.

Depending on the provoking factor, a woman may be disturbed by a cough, fever, malaise and lack of appetite. Closely located lymph nodes to the focus of inflammation increase, become painful on palpation.

When a sore throat is concerned, a sore throat can result from:

viral infection, accompanied by damage to the mucous membrane of the oropharynx by pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins. The woman notes nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, dizziness, and headaches.
activation of bacterial pathogens, often streptococci, that affect the tonsils, causing tonsillitis (sore throat). Symptomatically, the disease is manifested by high fever, severe pain when swallowing.
exposure to an allergic agent, which provokes the appearance of a sore throat, dry cough. Usually, allergies occur during the flowering season of grasses, after contact with animals or fluff. The woman begins to be bothered by sneezing, lacrimation, redness of the eyes and rhinorrhea are noted.
increased dryness of the air. Due to the drying out of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, it becomes traumatized, which causes perspiration and discomfort in the throat. Dryness of the mucous membranes leads to a decrease in its protective functions, which predisposes to infection.

With the development of an infectious disease, a woman becomes a source of infection, so the child can get sick... To avoid this, protective equipment (mask) must be used.

General recommendations

If your throat hurts while breastfeeding, a woman should adhere to some recommendations:

feeding should not be stopped. The child is not harmed, but the mother has an increased risk of developing lactostasis. Moreover, with milk, antibodies, interferons are transmitted, which make it possible to resist microbes.
hygiene control. We recommend frequent hand washing with soap, use of disposable wipes, after which they should be thrown away immediately. Procedures for cleaning the nasal passages with a cold should not be carried out near the child.
Drinking plenty of fluids will enhance the process of removing toxins from the body, replenish fluid losses with sweat during fever, and also reduce hyperthermia.
bed rest allows you to restore lost strength, thereby strengthening the immune defense.
regular airing of the room, wet cleaning help to reduce the concentration of pathogenic microbes in the air.
it is necessary to avoid drafts, public places with a large crowd of people, especially during an epidemic.
air humidification.

Systemic treatment of sore throat

The tactic is based on why the throat hurts during the guards. Depending on the provoking factor, the following drugs should be taken:

with a viral disease, the administration of drugs with antiviral action is indicated, for example, Laferobion;
with tonsillitis, a cephalosporin series of drugs (Cephalexim), penicillins (Flemoklav), and macrolides (Sumamed) are prescribed.

Taking antibiotics uncontrolled can lead to undesirable consequences on the part of the child. Prior consultation with a doctor is required.

Particular attention should be paid to the treatment of tonsillitis. An antibacterial agent can be dispensed with only with a catarrhal form, when the tonsils are enlarged, edematous, and the surface is hyperemic. When a purulent component of inflammation appears, for example, with follicular, lacunar or necrotic forms of angina, the use of antibacterial agents is mandatory.

If the mother does not attempt to treat purulent tonsillitis, the risk of complications such as rheumatism, myocarditis, arthritis, and the formation of phlegmon of the neck increases.

Often women ask the question: can the amount of milk decrease during lactation when breastfeeding a baby? One of the complications of purulent tonsillitis is infectious mastitis, during which infection occurs in the chest lobules. Symptomatically, a woman feels severe chest pain, fever, and a decrease in milk or even complete lactostasis.

It is worth noting that antibiotic therapy does not require interruption of lactation, however, the choice of an antibacterial agent should be carried out by a specialist.

Local treatment

To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect when a nursing mother has a sore throat, local use of antiseptic agents is necessary. For this purpose, rinsing solutions are prescribed:

Furacillin, showing its antimicrobial effect mainly against staphylo-, streptococci. To prepare, it is necessary to crush the tablet and then dissolve it thoroughly in a glass of water. Also, the drug can be used ready-made, which is sold in the pharmacy in the form of a solution.
Chlorhekisdine is used to remove germs from the mucous membrane of the oropharynx. For the procedure, a 0.05% solution is shown, it can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Miramistin has a high level of effectiveness. A special nozzle is used to irrigate the oropharynx.
Ingalipt consists of an antiseptic component, eucalyptus oil, and mint. In addition to antimicrobial action, it reduces the intensity of pain and inflammation.
Chlorophyllipt consists of eucalyptus leaves, used as a solution or spray.

From the tablet forms of antiseptics, Lizobakt, Faringosept, Strepsils and other lozenges are prescribed. For irrigation of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx, Cameton and Hexoral are prescribed.

To lower the temperature

Often, with a sore throat, hyperthermia appears. With a viral origin of the disease, it usually does not exceed 37.5 degrees. With regard to the presence of bacterial pathogens, fever can reach 40 degrees.

When breastfeeding, it is recommended to use antipyretic drugs, starting at 38 degrees. For this, syrups or tablets are used (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen). In addition to the antipyretic effect, drugs reduce the severity of inflammation.

If after 2 days after starting treatment, the condition does not improve, the sore throat worsens, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Folk remedies

The effectiveness of traditional medicine recipes has been proven for a long time, however, before using them, you should be sure that there are no allergic reactions to various plants. In addition, it is recommended to first consult with a specialist about the appropriateness of the use of fancy therapy.

In order not to get sick, as well as in case of illness, you can drink tea with ginger. It is shown in small numbers. A small piece of root is brewed with boiling water, drink once a day.
For the solution, you need 5 g of salt, soda and warm water with a volume of 180 ml. after mixing everything thoroughly, you can use it for rinsing twice a day. To enhance the therapeutic effect, you can add a drop of iodine.
To prepare a decoction of different herbs, you should combine an equal volume of chamomile, mint, St. John's wort, as well as marshmallow root. This mixture is enough 30 g for brewing in a thermos with a volume of half a liter. After insisting overnight, you can gargle three times a day.
For oral administration, warm milk with butter and honey is recommended.The remedy will not only reduce sore throat, but also improve lactation.
15 g of fennel is brewed with 180 ml boiling water, after which it is infused for a quarter of an hour. Take 80 ml before meals.

The pharmacy also sells ready-made herbal solutions such as sage, calendula or chamomile.

In order for the rinsing procedure to be effective, you must follow some rules:

the water should not be hotter than 50 degrees, which prevent burns of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx;
when rinsing, it is necessary to tilt your head back and pronounce "Y";
after the procedure, you should not drink or eat. This can prematurely wash off the drugs without having time to have a therapeutic effect;
rinse medications must be alternated to maximize treatment.

Gargling should be started when a sore or sore throat appears. This will help stop the spread of the infection as well as the inflammatory response. Timely start of complex treatment allows you to achieve good results, preventing the emergence of complications.