Table of contents:
- Know first what causes your sore throat
- How do I know which one I'm having?
- Like what effective sore throat medications?
Almost everyone has experienced sore throat. Sore throat is very uncomfortable to feel, especially when you are swallowing food. Many sore throat medications are sold freely without having to redeem a doctor's prescription. If there really are many options, how do you choose an effective sore throat medication to treat a sore throat that you are currently feeling?
Know first what causes your sore throat
Not all strep throat that occurs in everyone is the same. So, knowing about the type of sore throat you are currently feeling is an important thing to do before choosing the right sore throat medication. Treatment for each type of sore throat varies according to type. The following are some of the causes of sore throat.
Virus. Usually, strep throat is caused by a viral attack and lasts for a maximum of five to 7 days. This kind of sore throat will go away on its own, so there is no need for medical treatment.
Certain substances. Apart from viral infections, sore throat can also be produced due to cigarette smoke, allergies to certain substances, or irritation due to air pollution).
Trauma / injury. Trauma or injury to the throat and neck area can cause sore throat. For example, you swallow food or fish bones which cause irritation of the larynx and throat.
Bacteria. It turns out that bacteria can also cause sore throat. Usually, the bacteria that attacks the throat are Streptococcus pyrogenes. If caused by these bacteria, it could be a serious sore throat because if not treated properly, this sore throat can attack the ears (otitis media) to attack other organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys and bones. So, you need further treatment by a doctor if the bacteria is causing the sore throat.
How do I know which one I'm having?
As explained earlier, usually strep throat is caused by a virus and will go away on its own after 5 to 7 days. If it's more than that, you can consult a doctor because it could be a more serious cause.
There is no other way to know for sure the cause of sore throat apart from doing a lab examination. The doctor will see if there is a certain amount of Streptococcus pyrogenes in the throat. However, there are some specific symptoms of bacterial strep throat that can appear:
- Sick for more than 5-7 days
- Difficulty swallowing, and not just pain when swallowing
- The tonsils are bright red and look swollen
- Fever and headache
- Swollen lymph vessels in the neck
Like what effective sore throat medications?
If you have recently had strep throat and feel that the pain from it is bothering you, you can buy drugs that are available over the counter. Usually, drugs in circulation are a combination of several substances such as painkillers, anesthetics, to natural substances.
To relieve pain and fever, sore throat medications contain pain relievers or painkillers such as paracetamol or acetamiophen. However, this only relieves pain and does not treat inflammation. Furthermore, you can choose a sore throat medication that contains ibuprofen. However, this type of drug is not suitable for everyone, especially for children. If possible, use the two types of drugs above as short as possible while still following the rules of use stated on the label.
There are also throat medications that contain natural ingredients found in some sore throat medications, for example honey, echinacea to various plant and fruit extracts. These natural substances are useful to help relieve inflammation.
Medicines can be in the form of lozenges or lozenges in English. Apart from containing pain relievers and inflammation relievers, these candies usually also help stimulate the discharge of saliva or saliva, thus keeping your throat moist.
In addition, there are also medicines in the form of sprays or sprays and mouthwashes that are directly directed into the throat through the mouth.
If you have had inflammation for a long time and the doctor has confirmed that you have strep throat due to bacteria, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. Be orderly in taking this medicine and drink it properly even when symptoms have disappeared. Missing symptoms occur because the bacteria are passed out, but not completely dead. If antibiotics are stopped, the bacteria will wake up again and cause the pain to come back. In fact, bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
In addition to the various medicines above, you can also reduce sore throat with other easy and inexpensive alternatives, such as gargling with salt water. You only need to tilt your head up while gargling, try not to swallow the water.
