Sore throat (pharyngitis)
What is sore throat?
Symptoms of sore throat
Causes of sore throat
Prevention / remedies / treatment for sore throat
What is sore throat?
A sore throat (pharyngitis) is a common complaint. Most sore throats are caused by inflammation from a viral infection. Usually they are a minor complaint and can be treated successfully at home.
If a sore throat has a rapid onset (minutes or hours), is accompanied by fever, difficulty swallowing (not just pain with swallowing) or breathing, or other severe symptoms, or if the throat pain lasts more than two weeks, then seek professional advice.
Symptoms of sore throat
- Painful throat, burning or scratching sensation at the back of the throat.
- Pain when swallowing. (Difficulty swallowing may be a symptom of another ailment such as globus pharyngeus).
- Coughing.
- Tenderness in the neck.
- Hoarse voice or loss of voice.
- Fever, headache, or enlarged glands on the neck are further symptoms of an infection.
Causes of sore throat
- Virus. About 90% of sore throats are caused by inflammation from a contagious viral infection such as influenza or a common cold. This means that a sore throat will seldom respond to an antibiotic, as viruses are not destroyed by antibiotics.
- Bacterial infection from bacteria such as Streptococcus, Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, Mycoplasma or Hemophilus is the cause in about 5-10% of cases. A. haemolyticum causes sore throats mainly in young adults and is sometimes associated with a red rash. Bacterial infections are usually the most painful, even when talking or swallowing. The tonsils may be covered with a whitish layer of pus. See strep throat.
- Fungal infection. Candida or thrush.
- Rhinitis (post nasal drip) from allergic or chronic sinusitis. Sinus drainage causing dripping down the back of the throat.
- Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux or heartburn) can cause stomach acid to back up into the throat, causing a burning sensation and vomit taste/smell.
- Breathing through the mouth rather than through the nose.
- Dust, air pollution, smoking.
- Viral ailments such as mumps, laryngitis or tonsillitis.
- Mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus).
- Trauma (physical injury).
- Tumours.
Prevention / remedies / treatment for sore throat
Several of the home remedies on this site will cure a virally infected sore throat in a couple of hours or overnight. Most sore throats caused by a bacterial infection (see strep throat) also respond well to natural home remedies. If you do not have any improvement after a couple of days of using the remedies below, then see a health professional for diagnosis. Antibiotics should not be taken lightly, as they cause severe damage to your body's bacteria biome, particularly in the digestive system. A single course of antibiotics can upset your digestion for many months, and sometimes for the rest of your life.
- Salt water gargle. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in half a cup of warm water. The water should be comfortably warm but not boiling. Take a mouthful of the water, tilt the head up, and gargle. After 10-30 seconds spit the water out. Repeat until the glass is finished.
- Apple cider vinegar gargle. I prefer salt, but sometimes the particular infection will respond better to ACV.
- Gum turpentine.
- Kerosene.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of warm water or one of Grow Youthful's remedy drinks per day (ginger tea, garlic tea, lemon juice and honey, apple cider vinegar in warm water).
- Diet. Avoid sugar and sweet foods, starches, wheat and everything made from it, and preferably all other grains. Get sufficient saturated fats, which are essential for your immune system to work properly and quickly overcome the infection. This is the kind of diet I detail in Grow Youthful.
- Rest your voice. It is important to avoid talking too much, and especially shouting.
- Zinc.
- Probiotics.
- Flowers of sulphur.
- Avoid air pollution and smoke.
- See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.