Sore Throat
Sore throat refers to the inflammation of the
pharynx, or back of the throat. It occurs frequently when a person has a cold
or an attack of influenza. This inflammation may also involve the tonsils and
adenoids if these have not already been removed. An irritating condition of the
throat may range from the harmless to the potentially serious.
Symptoms
In case of acute sore throat, the patient complains
burning and dryness in the throat followed by chills, fever and some hoarseness
or laryngitis. The lymph glands along the sides of the neck may become swollen
and tender. The back of the throat may become very red and even covered with a
greyish-white membrane. The patient may find difficulty in swallowing,
especially during the acute stage. There may also be postnasal discharge if the
irritation has spread to the nasal passages. The patient with sore throat,
caused by ‘Streptococcal’ germs suffers from high fever and sharp pain with
swelling.
Causes
Sore throat is mainly caused by bacteria or a viral
infection. Many different kind of ailments can give rise to this condition. The
most common of these ailments are common cold and influenza. Other diseases
which can cause sore throat are tonsillitis, mumps, sinusitis, measles, and diphtheria.
Even leukemia on rare occasions may lead to sore throat. Other causes of this disease
are excessive smoking and talking, frequent use of voice as in certain
professions like singing, acting and teaching.
Treatment
The patient suffering from sore throat should fast on
orange juice and water for three to five days, depending on the severity of the
condition. He should take orange juice diluted with warm water every two or
three hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during this period. The bowels should be cleansed
daily with warm water enema. This should be done twice daily in more serious
cases.
A wet pack should be applied to the throat at
two-hourly intervals during the day, and also one at night. The procedure is to
wring out some linen material in cold water, wrap two or three times round the
effected part, and cover with some flanner. The throat may be gargled several
times with warm water mixed with a little salt. A hot Epsom-salt bath, taken
daily during this period, will be highly beneficial.
When the more severe symptoms subside, the patient
may adopt an all-fruit diet for three or four further days, taking three meals
a day of juicy fruits such as orange, apple, pineapple and papaya at
five-hourly intervals. Thereafter he may gradually adopt a well-balanced diet,
with emphasis on seeds, nuts and grains, raw vegetables and fresh fruits. The
daily dry friction and deep breathing and other exercises should form part of
the daily health regimen.
Home Remedies
Certain home remedies have been found to be
beneficial in the treatment of sore throat. One such remedy is use of mango (aam)
bark which is very efficacious in sore throat and other throat disorders. Its
fluid can be applied locally with beneficial results. It can also be used as a throat
gargle. This gargle is treated by mixing 10 ml. of the fluid extract with 125
ml. of water.
The herb belleric myrobian ( bahera) is another valuable remedy for sore throat. A
mixture of the pulp of the fruit, salt, long pepper (pipli) and honey should be
administered in the treatment of this condition. The fried fruit, roasted after
covering it with a wheat flour, is also a popular remedy for sore throat.
Betel leaves (pan - ka -patta) have proved beneficial
in the treatment ofthis disease. The leaves should be applied locally for
obtaining relief. The fruit of the betel tree, mixed with honey, can also be
taken beneficially to relieve irritating throat cough.
The bishop’s weed (ajowan) is valuable in treating
sore throat. An infusion of the seeds mixed with common salt can be used
beneficially as a gargle in acute condition caused by colds. The spice cinnamon
(dalchini) is also regarded as an effective remedy for sore throat, resulting
from cold. Coarsely powdered and boiled in a glass of water with a pinch of
pepper powder and honey, it can be taken as a medicine in the treatment of this
condition. The oil of cinnamon, mixed with honey, also gives immense relief. A
gargle prepared from fenugreek (methi) seeds has been found very effective remedy for treating sore
throat. To prepare this gargle, two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds should be
put in a liter of cold water and allowed to simmer for half an hour over a low
flame. It should be allowed to cool to a bearable temperature. It should then
be strained and entire quantity used as a gargle.
The leaves of the holy basil (tulsi) have also been
found beneficial in the treatment of this condition. The water boiled with
basil leaves should be taken as a drink and also used as a gargle in sore
throat. The patient should avoid rapid changes in temperature like hot
sun-shine to air conditioned rooms. He should avoid cold and sore foods which
may irritate his throat. To prevent the disease, a person should avoid touching
tissues, handkerchief, towels or utensils used by the patients suffering from
sore throat.
Source: www.healthlibrary.com through www.scribd.com
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