What Does A Sore Throat and Nausea Indicate?

Sore throats are irritation, scratchiness, or pain of throats that oftentimes worsens while swallowing. The most typical sore throat cause is a viral infection, like the flu or a cold. A sore throat that is caused by a virus will resolve all on its own.

Causes

Viruses which cause the flu and the common cold also trigger the majority of sore throats. Bacterial infections, less often, lead to sore throats.

Viral infections

A viral illness which causes a sore throat involves:

• Pertussis (Whooping cough)
• Croup — common childhood sickness that is characterized by a barking, harsh cough
• Chickenpox
• Measles
• Mononucleosis (Mono)
• Influenza (Flu)
• Common cold

Bacterial infections

Numerous bacterial infections may lead to a sore throat. The most typical is group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) that triggers strep throat.

Treatment: How to Get Rid of a Sore Throat

A sore throat that is caused by a viral infection typically lasts 5 - 7 days and does not need medical treatment. To ease fever and pain, most folks turn to acetaminophen or additional mild pain relievers. Think about giving your youngster OTC pain meds made for children or infants, like acetaminophen (FeverAll, Children's Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Children's Motrin, Children’s Advil), to ease symptoms. Never offer aspirin to teenagers or children because it has been connected with Reye's syndrome, a rare yet possibly life-threatening disorder which causes swelling inside the brain and liver.

Lifestyle and Home Sore Throat Remedies

Irrespective of the cause of a sore throat, the following at-home care strategies will assist in easing your or your youngster's symptoms:

• Rest. Get an abundance of sleep. Also, rest your voice.
• Consume fluids. Fluids prevent dehydration and keep your throat moist. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which may dehydrate you.
• Try comforting beverage and foods. Warm liquids — caffeine-free tea, broth, or warm water with honey — as well as cool treats like ice pops may soothe sore throats.
• Gargle using saltwater. Saltwater gargles of one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of table salt to 4 oz. to 8 oz. of warm water may assist in soothing a sore throat. Kids who are older than six and adults may gargle the solution then spit it out.
• Humidify air. Utilize a cool-air humidifier that eliminates dry air which might further irritate sore throats, being certain to clean the humidifier on a regular basis so it does not grow bacteria or mold. Or sit for a while inside a steamy bathroom.
• Consider hard candy or lozenges. Either may soothe a sore throat, yet do not offer them to kids age four and younger because of a choking risk.
• Stay away from irritants. Keep your house free of cleaning products and cigarette smoke which may irritate your throat.

Alternative medicine

Even though a variety of alternative treatments commonly are utilized to soothe sore throats, evidence is restricted on what works. If you or your youngster requires antibiotics for a bacterial infection, do not rely upon alternative treatments alone.

See your physician before you use any herbal remedies, as they’ll interact with prescription meds and might not be safe for breast-feeding and pregnant women, children, and those who have specific health conditions.

Herbal or some alternative products for sore throats often are packaged as sprays, teas, or lozenges. Typical alternative remedies involve:

• Marshmallow root
• Licorice root
• Slippery elm

Getting ready for your appointment

If you or your youngster has a sore throat, arrange an appointment with your child's pediatrician or family doctor. In some instances, you might be referred to a specialist in ENT (ear, nose and throat) conditions or an allergist (allergy specialist).

For more information on sore throats and nausea contact BASS Primary Care today!