Sore throat is an infection that is usually caused due to viral fever, or due to bacterial infections. A person suffering from sore throat experiences pain in the throat which increases as the infection worsens, making it difficult for the person to swallow. This pain is the result of inflammation and irritation in the throat. With timely treatments, it is easy to cure sore throat. However, when a person experiences a combination of sore throat and cough, the infection is more severe and takes a lot of time to be cured. Cough is caused when nerves in the throat and the breathing tubes in the lungs get irritated. The following paragraphs will discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatments for sore throat and cough.
Causes of Sore Throat and Cough
Sore throat and cough are caused due to a number of reasons. The most common reasons are viral infection and respiratory tract infection. Viral infections are caused due to the common cold, measles, influenza, or due to croup. This viral infection, in turn, causes cough and sore throat. Bacterial infections are also responsible for sore throat. Strep throat and whooping cough are the results of these bacterial infections. Other than these causes, allergies, irritation due to dust particles, acid reflux disease and general dryness in the throat also cause persistent cough and sore throat. People who smoke every day are also at the risk of suffering from dry cough and sore throat as smoking irritates the throat. People who suffer from sinus infections will also suffer from sore throat and cough. A common cold may cause a sore throat on one side. In many people, asthma may also lead to sore throat and cough.
The manner and way of coughing can indicate the type of infection. For example, if a person coughs in a barking sort of way, then the cough is caused due to viral infections. On the other hand, a person suffering from whooping cough will make a whooping noise while breathing and will also experience a spasmodic cough. When a person suffers from asthma, he/she experiences bouts of cough during the night. A stuffy nose and noisy breathing are common indicators of cold and cough. The symptoms of sore throat, on the other hand, are irritation in the throat, pain in the throat, difficulty while swallowing and swollen glands in the throat. A scratchy throat is also an indication of a sore throat. Dry throat may also cause sore throat accompanied by dry cough. When a person suffers from bacterial infections, there are other symptoms like white spots on the tongue and reddish spots on the uvula, along with fever and sore throat. Let us look into the sore throat treatments that will help you get rid of sore throat.
Treatment of Sore Throat and Cough
Cough can be treated with the help of antibiotics and cough medicines. Sore throat also needs to be treated in the same way. However, if sore throat and cough are a result of viral infections, then it is important to note that these cannot be treated with the help of antibiotics alone. Drinking hot fluids like hot chicken soup, ginger tea and herbal tea are excellent cures for sore throat. Sipping hot water from time to time helps in providing relief, and eventually curing sore throat. Lemon and ginger tea is also a great way how to cure sore throat instantly. Other remedies include using apple cider vinegar, black pepper, cinnamon, and chamomile to make different types of teas. Cayenne pepper for sore throat is also very effective. Sore throat will take about 5 days to get cured, if it doesn’t, then it is necessary to visit a doctor. Another way to cure a sore throat is by gargling with warm water and some salt in it. The gargling saltwater benefit is that saltwater helps in speedy recovery. Couple it with some steam and say an early goodbye to both, sore throat and cough. If sore throat is severe, try gargling with hydrogen peroxide for assured relief. Fever accompanying sore throat and cough can be cured by taking pills prescribed by a doctor.
Sore throat and cough is common occurrence and can happen to anyone. There is no need to fret and get scared when you suffer from one. Take plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not forget to gargle often. It is recommended that you visit an ENT specialist if these symptoms persist for more than 5 days.
Tiffany is a Medical Student and also works as a fitness coach in part-time. She is also a writer and writes on health and fitness articles. Tiffany loves to engage with users and help them provide various useful information on General Health. She provides researched-based information and also featured on various blogs and magazines.