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 ‘
Streptoccal’ 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 litre 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.