Sore throat is a common condition and can be caused by many things. Sore throat medication is often the solution to overcome it. However, the use of this drug should not be arbitrary and must be according to the cause to be more effective in overcoming a sore throat.
Sore throats can be caused by many things, including viral or bacterial infections in the throat, allergies, sore throat and tonsils, stomach acid disease, and exposure to cigarette smoke.
In addition, a sore throat can sometimes also be caused by a dry throat, neck or throat injury, and shouting, laughing, or talking too loudly.
To deal with complaints of sore throat, one way you can do is to use a sore throat medicine. However, these drugs must be used according to the cause of the sore throat in order to effectively treat the complaint.
Several Choices of Sore Throat Medications and Their Uses
Sore throats due to irritation or viral infection generally go away on their own within 5-7 days. However, complaints of a sore throat can sometimes cause discomfort and interfere with daily activities.
There are several types of sore throat medications that are generally used to treat sore throat complaints, including:
1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
To relieve sore throat due to irritation and inflammation, you can use NSAIDs, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. This drug can also overcome complaints of fever that sometimes appears along with a sore throat. These drugs can generally be purchased over the counter without a doctor's prescription.
However, if the sore throat does not go away even though you have used the drug according to the instructions for use, you should consult a doctor to get the right treatment.
2. Lozenges (lozenges)
Lozenges or lozenges are widely sold in pharmacies and drug stores. This sore throat medicine generally contains natural ingredients, such as: mint, menthol, honey and licorice, which can relieve pain and itching in the throat.
However, the lozenges' lozenge effect is temporary and does not completely cure a sore throat.
3. Cough medicine
Sore throat often appears accompanied by coughing, either dry cough or cough with phlegm. This persistent cough can exacerbate sore throat complaints and make it more difficult to heal.
Therefore, cough medicine can also be used as a sore throat remedy. There are drugs that can be purchased over the counter, but there are those that need to be obtained through a doctor's prescription.
4. Antibiotics
Antibiotics are only effective in treating sore throats caused by bacterial infections. Therefore, you need to consult a doctor to determine whether your sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection or not.
If the sore throat is proven to be caused by a bacterial infection, the doctor can give antibiotics according to the type of bacteria causing it.
Remember that you are not advised to take antibiotics without a prescription or doctor's advice. If used inappropriately, these drugs will not be effective and actually risk causing resistance or bacterial immunity to antibiotics.
5. Mouthwash
Some types of mouthwash, such as mouthwash containing hydrogen peroxide, can be prescribed by a doctor to treat a sore throat that appears.
Mouthwash is useful for cleaning the mouth, inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the mouth and throat, and relieving a sore throat.
6. Stomach acid reliever medication
Acid reflux disease or GERD occurs when stomach acid rises up into the esophagus. This rise in stomach acid can sometimes make you feel sore throat.
To treat a sore throat caused by GERD, you can use over-the-counter stomach acid relievers such as antacids.
In addition to antacids, GERD usually also needs to be treated with drugs according to a doctor's prescription, such as PPI drugs and H-2 antagonists that function to reduce stomach acid production.
Relieve Sore Throat with Home Treatments
In addition to using sore throat medications, there are some tips that you can also do to relieve a sore throat, including:
Gargle with warm salt water
You can gargle with warm salt water to relieve sore throat complaints. The way to make it is quite easy, you only need to mix –1 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water. Stir until the salt dissolves, then gargle for a few minutes.
You can gargle salt water 2-3 times per day to relieve sore throat.
Drink warm water
To relieve irritation and sore throat, you can also drink more water. In addition, you can also try other drinks, such as water or warm tea mixed with honey or lemon juice.
These drinks can relieve sore throat complaints and keep the body from becoming dehydrated.
Take care of air quality
Try to keep your home or office clean and free from sources of pollution, such as cigarette smoke, dust, air freshener, or cleaning products that can cause throat irritation.
If necessary, you can use humidifier to maintain cleanliness and air quality in the room.
Talk less
In order to recover from a sore throat faster, you need to get more rest and try to talk less. You can return to your normal speech when your throat feels better and no longer hurts.
Although generally not a serious disease, you still need to be careful if a sore throat does not go away or the complaint appears along with the following symptoms:
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Difficulty moving the mouth or jaw
- Sputum is yellow or green in color
- Bleeding cough
- Breath sounds
- Fever
- Ear pain
- skin rash
- Hoarseness more than 2 weeks
If you experience a sore throat accompanied by some of the above symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor for an examination. After the cause is known, the doctor can give a sore throat medication that suits the cause.
