7 tips to prevent a sore throat from getting worse in winter – Health and Medicine

by time news

2024-02-19 12:21:37

It is normal that at some point you have felt an itch or irritation in your throat, and you probably do not pay attention to it because the symptoms are not serious. However, when they get worse, they can make simple tasks like swallowing food really painful.

It is normal that at some point you have felt an itch or irritation in your throat, and you probably do not pay attention to it because the symptoms are not serious. However, when they get worse, they can make simple tasks like swallowing food really painful.

Although there are many reasons why a sore throat appears, there are also alternatives to combat it or feel better. Below, we show you 7 tips to reduce symptoms or prevent this condition from getting worse.

  • Use homemade medicines
  • Honey is a substance with many medicinal properties and is used when cooking. Candies made with this component or lozenges with lidocaine effectively reduce sore throat to the point of allowing you to carry out your daily activities normally.

    Experts also indicate that honey moistens the throat and is antiseptic, so it helps fight infection. To do this, you must consume it with lemon juice and warm water.

  • Gargle with water and salt
  • One of the most effective ways to prevent a sore throat from getting worse is to prepare a mixture of salt water and gargle. This procedure helps to reduce discomfort in a timely manner. To prepare it, you only have to add a tablespoon of salt to a cup of warm water and gargle at least three times a day.

    This alternative is effective in calming irritation, since it exerts an anesthetic effect and reduces discomfort, in addition to preventing the infection from becoming complicated.

  • Drink liquids
  • To combat throat irritation you should drink a lot of water, especially if it is caused by a virus such as the flu, since coughing tends to dry it out and worsen the symptoms. In addition, you can consume soups, lemon juice, orange juice and ensure that their temperature is neither cold nor hot, but somewhere in between.

    When the membranes in your throat are dry, bacteria have ideal conditions to develop, which will cause the pain to increase over time. Therefore, staying hydrated is key to preventing microbes from multiplying to other parts of the body and reducing secretions.

  • Do not eat hard foods
  • Eating foods such as toast, fried chicken, French fries, etc., will generate friction in your throat, which will increase the pain. Therefore, while you have this condition, it is best to consume soft or soft foods, such as soups, mashed potatoes or cereals, since they do not cause discomfort when eating.

    If you have no ideas about what foods to choose for a sore throat, go to an expert. Well, it will give you all the necessary tools to eat healthily during the recovery process.

  • Sleep enough
  • Rest is crucial so that the body can combat a sore throat more effectively and prevent it from getting worse. During the sleep cycle, the body generates special molecules that activate the immune system and fight infection.

    In other words, if you rest between 8 to 10 hours a day, your body will create cytokines, responsible for defining which viruses to fight or not, repair damaged tissue and regenerate it.

  • Use a humidifier
  • Dry environments tend to dry out your throat, which can make the pain worse over time. Therefore, you can use a humidifier, an instrument that generates steam and preserves humidity in the environment where you are to prevent your membranes from drying out.

    The winter season is the season of the year when the atmosphere is driest, which is why respiratory conditions appear.

  • No Smoking
  • Tobacco, electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes generate smoke, a substance that causes throat irritation. If you are a smoker, it is best to stop this routine for a while until the symptoms improve, otherwise the pain may affect your daily life.

    What happens if I don’t treat a sore throat in time?

    A sore throat can generate various symptoms depending on the source that causes it, that is, pharyngitis is not the same as an allergy or irritation from raising your voice. However, if you do not attend to it in time, the consequences may be the following:

    • Tos: Irritation in the throat can cause a cough, and if it is dry, the situation will worsen even more.
    • Hoarseness: A swollen throat can affect the vocal cords to the point of not being able to speak well or change the tone of voice.
    • Sensitive throat: A sore throat is always accompanied by inflammation, which will make you sensitive to touch, especially when consuming food and liquids.
    • Pain when swallowing: The intensity can vary depending on what you eat, but if you don’t treat your sore throat in time, it can worsen to the point of not being able to eat.
    • Fever: If the cause of the condition is a virus, it is normal for a fever to appear, however, you must take special care, since a high fever can affect other parts of the body such as your brain. Now, if it is due to strep throat, it is highly contagious, which will affect your friends and family if you do not take antibiotics.
    • Fatigue: Viral infections such as colds and flu cause a sore throat and are accompanied by fatigue. Therefore, it is advisable to have a proper sleep cycle while you go through the recovery process.
    • Lack of appetite: It is common when you cannot eat food because the sore throat has gotten too bad.

    You should take into account the symptoms you have due to a sore throat, so you can know how serious it is and take the most appropriate actions to treat it. Otherwise, the complications may be so intense that they will disrupt your normal life cycle. Rev. Ana Mera, pharmacist. Barcelona

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