Causes of sore throat
All causes of a sore throat can be divided into two large groups:
- infectious:
these include, among others, various colds of the upper respiratory tract, for example, pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa) and laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx mucosa). They can develop against the background of viral, bacterial and fungal infections. In addition to a sore throat, such diseases are accompanied by fever, symptoms of intoxication (headache, weakness, loss of appetite), runny nose, dry or wet cough;
- non-infectious:
in this case, tickling may be due to:
- allergic reactions - to dust, plant pollen, particles of epidermis and animal hair, to food and drinks;
- excessive load on the vocal cords - among teachers, singers, actors;
- inhalation of substances with an irritating effect (tobacco smoke, hot, cold and dusty air, industrial and chemical dust);
- neurotic reactions;
- injuries to the pharynx and foreign bodies (fish bone, food particles stuck to the mucous membranes, small parts of toys in children). allergic reactions - to dust, plant pollen, particles of epidermis and animal hair, to food and drinks;
- excessive load on the vocal cords - among teachers, singers, actors;
- inhalation of substances with an irritating effect (tobacco smoke, hot, cold and dusty air, industrial and chemical dust);
- neurotic reactions;
- injuries to the pharynx and foreign bodies (fish bone, food particles stuck to the mucous membranes, small parts of toys in children).
Description
This drug appeared in the middle of the last century. Previously, it could only be found in the first aid kit of spaceships. Later it appeared everywhere and was widely used by Russians.
The drug is available in the form of an ointment, spray, solution. It acts on many harmful bacteria, but the remedy is powerless against viruses. Miramistin is used for prevention and treatment in urology, gynecology, and ENT practice.
The drug treats diseases such as:
- angina;
- stomatitis;
- urethritis;
- laryngitis;
- otitis;
- sinusitis;
- vaginosis.
You can also use it to prevent sexually transmitted infections after unprotected sexual intercourse. After operations, it is recommended to treat sutures with Miramistin.
Different forms of release are used for different diseases. For example, a small bottle with a dropper is sold for sinusitis. For gynecological and urological purposes, a large bottle with a long nozzle is produced.
How to get rid of a sore throat?
Non-drug methods.
Before you get rid of a sore throat, you need to find out the exact reasons that caused it. In situations where the diagnosis of a cold is beyond doubt (there are other typical symptoms), and the infection itself is relatively mild, you can limit yourself to non-drug therapy and the use of safe medications, preferably natural remedies.
Even a slight sore throat should not be left unattended - if left untreated, the disease can “go downhill” involving the lower respiratory tract in the inflammatory process or become chronic, intractable. For non-drug treatment of sore throat, the following is also used:
- warm drink. It is recommended to take warm (not hot or cold!) liquid, with a temperature of about 40°C. For non-allergic inflammation, irritation of the laryngeal mucosa can be prescribed with herbal decoctions, tea with honey, milk with a small amount of butter and soda (on the tip of a knife). If you are prone to allergies, it is preferable to use heated mineral water, tea, or plain boiled water. The liquid should be drunk in small sips, holding it in the mouth for some time, as often as possible;
- rinsing with warm alkaline solutions, decoctions of anti-inflammatory herbs;
- warming, distracting and physiotherapy (foot baths, inhalations, FUF, etc.).
Medication methods. In cases where it is not possible to get rid of a sore throat for a long time (a week or more) or if other alarming symptoms are noted (high temperature, severe weakness, severe cough), it is recommended to consult a doctor and, after prescribing, use medications:
- products for topical use - lozenges and lozenges, throat sprays, antiseptic solutions for rinsing;
- agents for systemic use – anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, etc.
Gargling treatment for throat
Rinsing is an effective way to combat bacterial and viral diseases. Depending on what components are included in the rinse, it has an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.
How to quickly cure a throat by gargling? To do this, you need to select the appropriate ingredients and adhere to the treatment regimen. You can gargle with a solution containing salt, soda, iodine, honey, propolis and other ingredients. Each of them has special properties and helps get rid of pain, itching, and wheezing.
The simplest and most popular option is saline rinsing. To do this, heat 250 ml of water and stir half a teaspoon of salt in it. On the first day, gargle every hour, then reduce the number of gargles to 3-4 per day.
Salt is used for gargling: Pixabay
Salt acts as an antiseptic, relieves swelling and pain, but can lead to dry mucous membranes, so this option is not used for dry coughs. As Chris S. Anderson explains, salt acts as a magnet for water and draws a lot of fluid from the tissues in the throat area.
For respiratory diseases, a solution with salt, iodine and soda is often used to rinse. To prepare it you will need 250 ml of hot water, a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of soda and 1-2 drops of iodine. Gargle with this solution 3-5 times a day until the pain goes away. Iodine enhances the antiseptic effect of salt, but if you have thyroid problems, do not use it without consulting your doctor.
To prepare a solution of honey with propolis, you first need to make an aqueous extract of propolis, since it does not dissolve in water. Take 100 grams of propolis and add a liter of warm water (50 °C). Let it brew for 24 hours, then strain and add 3-4 tablespoons of honey. Stir and rinse 3-5 times daily. Propolis effectively destroys bacteria and viruses and accelerates the restoration of damaged tissues. Honey softens the throat, eliminates pain and strengthens the immune system.
Herbal cough lozenges Doctor MOM®
To treat a sore throat, you can use a natural preparation - Doctor MOM® herbal cough lozenges with the “FITO BRONHO formula”1 with extracts of 3 medicinal plants. The drug is approved for use in adults (from 18 years of age) for resorption in the oral cavity - 1 lozenge every 2 hours, up to 10 lozenges per day. Herbal cough lozenges Doctor MOM® have a complex anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic and expectorant effect. The active components of the product reduce the manifestations of inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, which helps eliminate soreness, discomfort and a feeling of dryness in the throat. Doctor MOM® lozenges are indicated for the symptomatic treatment of infectious and non-infectious inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract (including “lecture” laryngitis ), accompanied by a sore throat and an unproductive, obsessive cough.
Treatment of throat with tea
Tea is one of the most effective ways to relieve a sore throat. Warm liquid speeds up metabolism and helps quickly remove pathogenic bacteria from the body, and the tea ingredients contain beneficial substances.
How to quickly cure a throat with tea? To make tea, use chamomile or sage, rose hips or sea buckthorn, mint, lemon or calendula. These ingredients have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and softening properties. They help destroy bacteria on the mucous membrane of the throat, restore its integrity, relieve swelling and relieve pain.
Chamomile tea for throat: Pixabay
To prepare medicinal chamomile tea, take two tablespoons of dried chamomile, pour boiling water over it and let steep for 10–15 minutes. After this, you can add honey and lemon to the drink.
To relieve a sore throat, drink peppermint tea. It contains menthol, which has a mild anesthetic effect. This allows you to quickly relieve pain and soothe the mucous membrane. Mint can be added to any tea.
Ginger tea will help with an itchy throat. To prepare the drink, put black or green tea in a teapot, add a slice of fresh ginger root and pour boiling water. Let it brew for 15 minutes.
Vacuum washing method
The vacuum method of rinsing using the Tonsillor apparatus is the most modern way to rinse the lacunae of the tonsils.
In simple terms, the nozzle of the Tonsillor device works on the principle of a vacuum cleaner. It is attached to the tonsil, the device creates negative pressure. The washing solution, passing through the lacunae of the tonsils, washes out their pathogenic contents, which, together with the waste solution, are sucked into a special cup of the nozzle. That is, the solution is used and passes through the tonsils only once, which confirms the sterility of the manipulation. Before washing, topical anesthesia of the tonsils is performed with lidocaine solution.
Despite the effectiveness of vacuum washing, this method is not without its drawbacks:
- it happens that the edges of the nozzle can injure the surface of the tonsil;
- The walls of the cup, where the washing solution that has passed through the tonsils is evacuated, is opaque, and the doctor cannot see whether the tonsils have been completely washed. As a result, the ENT doctor has to carry out additional procedures to certainly clear the lacunae.
A reasonable question arises: “Is washing the tonsils always associated with some risks?” No! There is another way to wash the tonsils - safe, effective and non-traumatic. This is the use of an improved Tonsillor attachment.
Rinsing with a modified Tonsillor nozzle
This method of washing will not be offered to you in any of the clinics in Moscow, except for the ENT Clinic of Doctor Zaitsev! An improved, modified attachment for the Tonsillor apparatus was developed by the founder of the ENT clinic, Vladimir Mikhailovich Zaitsev, together with his colleagues. The operating principle of the new nozzle is absolutely the same as that of the classic nozzle. The difference is in its structure:
- the improved “Tonsillor” nozzle creates greater negative pressure, due to which rinsing the tonsils is much more effective and of better quality;
- the edges of the nozzle in contact with the tonsils do not cause damage or microtrauma;
- The cup of the nozzle into which the washing solution with the purulent contents of the lacunae is sucked in is transparent, and the doctor immediately sees at what point the procedure can be stopped. Thus, the patient does not undergo unnecessary manipulations.
- The size of the nozzle allows washing even for children.
It is necessary to rinse the tonsils only with the participation of an otolaryngologist. We do not recommend self-medication!
In order to forget about the symptoms of chronic tonsillitis for a long time, it is necessary to undergo a full comprehensive course of treatment of chronic inflammation, including, in addition to rinsing, drug therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures. This is the only way to preserve the tonsils and achieve stable remission!
Benefits of the procedure
There are two ways to rinse the tonsils: using a syringe or using the vacuum method using the Tonzillor apparatus. The ENT doctor decides how to rinse, based on the patient’s condition and his physiological characteristics.
The washing procedure has a number of undeniable advantages:
- persistent therapeutic effect (if you rinse your throat in courses, you can achieve long-term remission, and the symptoms of tonsillitis will not remind you of themselves for a long time);
- During the procedure, antiseptics and local antibacterial drugs are used, which act exclusively on the inflamed area, unlike conventional antibiotics taken orally;
- no allergic reactions;
- Children and pregnant women can wash their tonsils.
How often do rinses need to be done? For long-lasting results, otorhinolaryngologists recommend performing the procedure several times a year.
Friends! Timely and correct treatment will ensure you a speedy recovery!
Before washing your tonsils, you must stop eating at least an hour before visiting the doctor. After the session you need to abstain from food for a couple of hours.
Complex therapy for chronic tonsillitis usually includes ten rinsing sessions, which are carried out daily or every other day.
Contraindications to washing are: cancer, tuberculosis, acute infectious diseases, mental disorders, hypertension.
Regular rinsing allows you to avoid tonsillectomy (surgery to remove tonsils) and significantly increase the period of remission.
