Q:
What are the treatments for a sore throat？
A:
A sore throat is an inflammation of the throat. You may feel pain or scratchy sensation in your throat, especially when you swallow. You may have symptoms like swollen and red tonsils, hoarse voice, a fever, a cough, headache or a runny nose.
A sore throat often results from viral infection, for example, you may get infected when you have the flu or a cold. It also can be caused by bacteria such as streptococcus. The treatment should be chosen according to different causes.
If it caused by viral infection, you don’t need to take any medications, and you will recover in one week. But you can take some OTC pain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, Infant’s Feverall, others) or ibuprofen (Pediatric Advil, Motrin Infant, others), to relieve symptoms. Remember to follow label directions and don’t give asprin to children.
If the cause is bacteria, you need to take antibiotics. You should see your doctor and he will prescribe some for you. Remember to take the full course of antibiotics even though your symptoms have disappeared.
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