Severe sore throat remedies is important because if left untreated, it can be very painful and irritating. It causes more pain when one eats food that makes it worse. There are many causes of sore throats and sometimes they are unavoidable because they are results from natural occurrence.
Causes of severe sore throat
Sore throat is a result of the swelling of the tissues at the back of the throat such as the tonsils, pharynx and larynx. Here are some of the causes of sore throat that often develops to severe sore throat:
• Dryness of the mouth can cause sore throat. The mouth may become dry if you breathe through your mouth.
• Common cough and colds can also cause sore throat. Other common viruses can likewise cause sore throat such as the mononucleosis and the blisters of the throat and mouth which is also known as aphthous stomatitis.
• Bacteria may also cause sore throat. The common bacteria that contribute to sore throat are the arcanobacterium haemolyticum and the genus streptococcus which bring about strep throat.
• Post nasal drip or sinus drainage is also a cause for sore throat.
• Medications, chemotherapy or treatment with antibiotics may result to Candida or sore throat.
A person that has severe sore throat for over 2 weeks must consult a doctor as this could be a sign of a more serious disease like AIDS or throat cancer. But regular sore throats, with the exception of strep throat, can be easily treated with natural remedies that can be obtained from local drug stores or from your kitchen.
Severe Sore Throat Remedies
Herbs
• Licorice – A common ingredient found in herbal teas known to cure severe sore throat is the licorice or Glycyrrhiza glabra. There are other patients that do not resort to consuming this herb since it has complications. Excessive consumption of licorice causes headaches, swelling or hypertension. If licorice is consumed in high doses, there is a possibility of acquiring rhabdomyolysis – a certain muscle disease and heart failure.
As a warning, licorice is not to be consumed by nursing and pregnant women, children or people with history of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease or those who are taking medications such as loop diuretics, digoxin or corticosteroids.
Gargles
People with severe sore throat find gargles to be a more comforting way of getting rid of sore throat because they feel the results much faster. There are plenty of recipes for gargles which are commonly found in the kitchen:
• Lemon
• Honey
• Sea salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Vinegar
Majority of patients with severe sore throat find hot and spicy gargles to be very effective:
• Mix 5 shakes of Cayenne pepper with a cup of hot water. Gargle the mixture every fifteen minutes. You can swallow small portions of the mixture. This may cause a burning sensation around the mouth and lips so it is best to have yogurt or milk to take whenever the burning sensation begins.
Use 10 to 20 drops of Tabasco in the absence of Cayenne pepper. Other alternatives are hot paprika, chili peppers or white pepper. All the hot spices mentioned contains capsaicin which causes the pain to subside. It can also fight off viruses.
• Ginger tea is also a good choice. Boil ten grams of fresh ginger root in water for about 10 minutes. Use ginger powder when you do not have any fresh ginger available. Strain the mixture. You may add lemon juice or honey, or a pinch of Cayenne pepper. It can be a combination of any of the two, whichever is more preferable to you. Gargle every thirty minutes.
A friendly warning, though, to patients who are going to be under dental treatment or surgery: do not consume any Cayenne pepper as it serves as a blood thinner.
• There are those who cannot tolerate hot and spicy stuff, hence, acidic gargle is another option. Hot vinegar mixture is a good option. You may make use of apple cider or pickle juice which is used as brine inside a pickle jar. Mix one tablespoon of Apple Cider with one cup hot water. Either gargle or drink the mixture when it is still hot. You can also heat the pickle juice and sip it. In addition, fresh lemon juice in equal amount of warm water can be used for gargle.
Acid may cause the enamel of the tooth to wear out so rinse your mouth with lots of water after gargling acidic mixtures.
• Warm saline solution is widely used among patients with severe sore throat. It gives a taste of sea water when gargled. Spit the saline solution, do not drink it. Do this every hour.
You can also adjust your diet by avoiding products produced from cow’s milk, refined wheat foods or sugar. Other foods such as those rich in fiber can cause irritation to the throat, thus promoting severe sore throat.
Sore Throat Pictures
Check out the sore throat photos to find out how the throat looks and how the infection can cause more problems if left untreated.
