- In case your pharynx is affected, it is referred to as pharyngitis. In pharyngitis, your pharynx gets inflamed and it is a very painful condition as well.
- When the top area of your windpipe referred to as the larynx or more commonly known as voice box gets affected, it is termed as laryngitis. Laryngitis causes difficulty in breathing with a hoarseness of voice and whooping cough in children.
- Tonsillitis is the most common type of sore throat in which your tonsils are affected. Tonsils are the small projected fleshy parts on both sides of your throat. Tonsillitis is usually caused by some viral or bacterial infection that results in the swelling of your tonsils. The prolonged sore throat on one side is usually caused by chronic tonsillitis.
- One of the most common sore throat causes is a common cold. Common colds occur due to a viral attack. This is one of the main causes of sore throat in children.
- Bacterial infection is also one of the major causes of sore throat and swollen glands.
- Allergies caused by working environment hazards are also a major reason for sore throats. If you need to work in a smoky or dusty environment, it can adversely affect your throat.
- Cigarette smoking is another common cause of sore throat.
- The causes of a sore throat at night include breathing through mouth. You might have observed that some people sleep with their mouth open. Breathing through mouth results in drying out of the mucous membranes, which ultimately leads to the sore throat. The condition becomes even worse during the winter season when air is very cold and dry. This is one of the major causes of sore throat pain at night.
Sore throat symptoms include:
- Pain and itching in the throat.
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- Mild fever and headache.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Tonsils are red and swollen.
- In severe cases and prolonged sore throat conditions, pus can also be seen coming out of the tonsils.
Usually, a sore throat is not serious in nature and the condition lasts one week or so. Treatment for sore throat depends upon the sore throat causes. Though there are several medications for curing sore throat, if you have a viral infection, medication won’t really help. You can use any of the following home remedies for sore throats:
- Prepare lemon tea and sip it slowly. This is a very effective treatment for sore throat and laryngitis. Even professional singers use this traditional remedy.
- If you have a cough with your sore throat, prepare the tea with ginger and a pinch of pepper. Sip the warm tea slowly. This is a wonderful home treatment for sore throat and cough.
- Gargle with warm salt water three times a day. This is the most commonly used and effective home remedy for a sore throat.
- If you are pregnant, you might be keen to know how to treat sore throat while pregnant. The best thing would be to consult your doctor regarding this particular condition, and you should not try any self medication.
If the problem of sore throat persist for over a week, you must consult your health care provider.
answered by A S