Sore Throat

The medical term for sore throat is pharyngitis, an inflammation of the throat that can be acute or chronic. This is cause by viral organism the group a streptococcus. Chronic sore throat is common in adults who work in dusty surroundings, use their voice to excess, suffer from chronic cough and habitually use of alcohol and tobacco. There are three types of chronic sore throat this are hyperthropic pharyngitis that characterized by general thickening and congestion of pharyngeal mucous membrane. The atopic pharyngitis this late stage of pharyngitis characterized by whitish, glistening and wrinkled membrane. The last type is chronic granular pharyngitis or they call it clergyman's sore throat, is mark by numerous edematous lymph follicles on the pharyngeal wall.

The signs and symptoms are fiery red pharyngeal membrane and tonsils, edematous and flecked with exudates, enlarged and tender cervical lymph nodes, fever, malaise, hoarseness of voice and difficulty in swallowing. To manage the signs and symptoms just gargle a warm saline gargles and use throat lozenges.

Take note that the saline water should be sufficiently high to be effective and should be as hot as the person can tolerate to sooth the throat. For severe sore throats, apply ice collar.

Proper mouth care must be following such as brushing the teeth and gum care. The diet should be liquid or soft so that aspiration avoided. Fluid intake should be increase at least 2,000 ml per day.

Discourage eating spicy foods, sweet and drinking juices that are too much acidic.

Avoid being exposed to irritants like smoking and second hand smokers, limit exposure to cold environments, and do not drink alcohol.

Wear a disposable mask when exposed to environmental and occupational pollutants. If this simple remedy will not work, consult your doctor to give you antibiotics. Before prescription of antibiotics, culture and sensitivity of the throat identify bacterial infection.

Before taking antibiotic better assess yourself if you have allergies. Common antibiotics being prescribed are amoxicillin, erythromycin and penicillin. After five days of taking antibiotic check for superinfection like thrush, yeast infection and diarrhea, if this occurs better return to your doctor. The client needs to take all the prescribed medication even if he is feeling better to make sure that the virus is being killed. If the client is unable to drink fluids, a health care provider needs to insert intravenous for the fluid to be administered.

If sore throat is recurrent this is a big indication that the disease progresses, this now lead to rheumatic fever and already affecting the heart muscles if the client continue to ignore the signs and symptoms this will now be called Rheumatic Heart Disease. Treatment for this is already operation for the heart or valve replacement.