Everybody has had a sore throat. Fortunately, the painful condition is usually temporary and can be eased with the right medication. If you keep having a sore throat, however, it might be that something else is going on. Here are some of the problems that might be affecting your throat.
It’s easy to get used to an irritating environment when you spend a lot of time in it. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your body will stop reacting to it.
Poor indoor air quality can be caused by chemicals, dander, pet hair, and dusty carpeting, among other things. Depending on the irritant, you might not even experience the usual allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and coughing.
Thorough cleaning and removing irritating materials can help. In a work environment, wearing the right protective gear is also a good idea.
One of the early signs of HIV is a persistent sore throat. These sore throats can be caused by a fungal infection known as oral thrush or a viral infection called cytomegalovirus (CMV). These infections are usually common for those with a compromised immune system.
Since other conditions can impact your immune system, you should always see your doctor before assuming you have HIV.
RELATED: Sore Throat? How To Know If It’s Strep
With this disease, there’s a malfunction in your digestive system that causes stomach acid to back up into the esophagus.
Over time, your esophagus gets irritated and scarred which results in a sore throat. Some people may also have trouble breathing, heartburn, and feeling like they have a lump in their throat.
RELATED: Sore Throat: Common Cold, Bacterial Infection Or Throat Cancer?
Shouting every once in a while doesn’t typically cause much damage. When you shout regularly or do so very loudly, you run the risk of straining the muscles in your throat.
In most cases, these injuries aren’t permanent but it’s worth seeing your doctor so you can be sure. You’ll also need to ensure that you take measures to prevent injuring your throat in the future.
Sometimes, a chronic sore throat is an early sign of diseases such as lung, throat, or tongue cancer.
At these early stages, you may not have any other symptoms or they might be too subtle to notice. Still, some issues to look out for include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, difficulty swallowing, changes in your voice, and numbness in the mouth.
RELATED: Caring For Your Sore Throat During Lung Cancer Treatment
Though over-the-counter medications can be effective for a sore throat, it’s understandable if you don’t want to take them constantly. That’s where some natural remedies come in.
You can use salt water or dissolved baking soda to gargle twice per day. Honey is another great option that has been shown to alleviate sore throat pain. Since warm liquids are known for soothing sore throats as well, you can try drinking tea made from herbs that have anti-inflammatory properties. The list includes chamomile, peppermint, licorice root, ginger root, and lemon.
Finally, if you’re feeling up to it, studies have shown that eating garlic can help to ease the inflammation and pain that’s associated with a sore throat.
Doctors recommend scheduling a visit if you’ve had a sore throat for more than a week. This is true both if you have no other symptoms and if you have worsening symptoms. Worsening symptoms could be a sign that the treatments you’re trying aren’t working while a sore throat without other symptoms might mean you have an underlying condition.
If you’re constantly dealing with a sore throat or unexplained hoarseness, you shouldn’t ignore it. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor as soon as possible so you can be assessed. Many conditions that affect the throat can be treated – especially when they’re diagnosed early.
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