{"id":3665,"date":"2024-03-08T17:24:21","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T22:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/?p=3665"},"modified":"2024-03-14T12:50:04","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T16:50:04","slug":"home-remedies-for-a-sore-throat-and-when-to-see-a-doctor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/home-remedies-for-a-sore-throat-and-when-to-see-a-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Remedies for a Sore Throat and When to See a Doctor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/ent\/sore-throat\/\">sore throat<\/a> is a common condition that sometimes makes it difficult to swallow, eat or talk. Sore throats can have various causes ranging from illnesses to allergies. They\u2019re often not serious and can be treated with home remedies. Understanding the causes and available remedies can help you be prepared to treat one if it arises or decide to see a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Causes and Symptoms of Sore Throat<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Woman-sips-tea-with-sore-throat.jpg\" alt=\"Woman sips tea for sore throat\" class=\"wp-image-3668\" width=\"-160\" height=\"-107\" srcset=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Woman-sips-tea-with-sore-throat.jpg 1254w, https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Woman-sips-tea-with-sore-throat-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1254px) 100vw, 1254px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Common causes for sore throats include viral infections or bacteria. The <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4602-strep-throat\" target=\"_blank\">most common cause of sore throat is strep throat,<\/a> which accounts for 15\u201335% of sore throats among children and 5\u201315% of sore throats among adults. These infections aren\u2019t the only causes for sore throat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Common Causes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Irritations due to dry air, heat or pollutants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allergies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Acid reflux<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Other changes in the weather, like cold air<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>More severe, but less common causes can include tumors in the throat, HIV or epiglottitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Symptoms of sore throat can include more than just pain while swallowing, eating or talking. It can also include a scratching sensation, sore lymph nodes in the throat area, <a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/ent\/tonsillitis\/\">swollen tonsils<\/a>, and can be accompanied by coughing, sneezing, runny nose and a fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you or your family members experience ongoing symptoms indicating a lingering sore throat or have difficulty breathing or opening your mouth, see a doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>When To See A Doctor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>If you experience swelling in the face or neck<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have a 101 or higher fever<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have blood in saliva or mucus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you experience persistent hoarseness lasting two weeks or longer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have an earache<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have a rash<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>Home Remedies to Try<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re experiencing a sore throat not accompanied by these additional symptoms, you may try some home remedies to give yourself some relief. The Mayo Clinic recommends a few practices to provide relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Remedies For Relief<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Rest\u2014rest both your voice and get plenty of sleep<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hydrate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consume comforting foods and beverages such as soups and teas. Choose caffeine-free, warm options. Ice pops may also soothe a sore throat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gargle with saltwater<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a humidifier<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid irritants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use lozenges or hard candy (for those aged four and up)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Herbal remedies are also an option to relieve sore throat. However, check with your doctor before using alternative treatments to ensure they won\u2019t react with existing prescriptions. You should also not use solely herbal remedies if diagnosed with a bacterial infection that also needs an antibiotic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes home remedies aren\u2019t enough, so be sure to monitor symptoms and see a doctor when appropriate. To learn more about ENT health or to schedule a consultation, contact <span class=\"company-name \">Ear, Nose &amp; Throat Associates<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><ul class=\"related-posts\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/the-impact-of-smoking-on-ent-health-risks-and-recovery\/\" class=\"related-post\">The Impact Of Smoking On ENT Health: Risks and Recovery<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/how-to-recognize-and-manage-aphasia\/\" class=\"related-post\">How To Recognize and Manage Aphasia<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/what-should-you-do-if-your-child-gets-something-stuck-in-their-ear\/\" class=\"related-post\">What Should You Do If Your Child Gets Something Stuck In Their Ear<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A sore throat is a common condition that sometimes makes it difficult to swallow, eat or talk. Sore throats can have various causes ranging from illnesses to allergies. They\u2019re often not serious and can be treated with home remedies. Understanding the causes and available remedies can help you be prepared to treat one if it&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3668,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":""},"categories":[16,24,23],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3665"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3665"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3680,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3665\/revisions\/3680"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}