Both allergies and colds may cause a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, a cough, and fatigue. Itchy eyes, post-nasal drip, and dark circles under your eyes are more common with allergies. Symptoms more commonly caused by a virus include sore throat, cloudy or discolored nasal discharge, fever, and general aches and pains.
If you really want to get rid of a sore throat, reach for these best OTC cures next time you're feeling achy.
- Gargle with salt water—but steer clear of apple cider vinegar.
- Drink extra-cold liquids.
- Suck on an ice pop.
- Fight dry air with a humidifier.
- Skip acidic foods.
- Swallow antacids.
- Sip herbal teas.
However, about 15 percent of
sore throats are caused by
bacteria called streptococcus, or
strep.
Strep throat requires treatment with an antibiotic, while
viral causes of
sore throat do not.
Viral Sore throat symptoms:
- Cough.
- Fever.
- Runny nose.
- Hoarseness.
- Body aches.
- Mouth sores.
Regardless of the cause of your sore throat, these at-home care strategies can help you ease your or your child's symptoms:
- Rest. Get plenty of sleep.
- Drink fluids.
- Try comforting foods and beverage.
- Gargle with saltwater.
- Humidify the air.
- Consider lozenges or hard candy.
- Avoid irritants.
In most cases, your sore throat will improve with at-home treatment. However, it's time to see your doctor if a severe sore throat and a fever over 101 degrees lasts longer than one to two days; you have difficulty sleeping because your throat is blocked by swollen tonsils or adenoids; or a red rash appears.
Allergic reactionYou may feel like it's very hard to swallow. It can happen minutes or hours after your exposure. If an allergic reaction is the cause of your throat tightness, you might have some of these other symptoms: Low blood pressure.
“The most common reasons for a sore throat in the morning are a dry environment, especially in winter, along with mouth breathing and acid reflux,” Dr. Benninger says. He says that dehydration, hay fever, or the beginning of a cold can also be culprits.
These allergens could cause you to have a sore or scratchy throat during the evening and nighttime hours. Most of the time, other commonly reported airborne allergy symptoms include: itchy eyes. watery eyes.
“Tree pollen season is usually at the beginning of spring in March, April, and the first half of May while the grass pollen season is typically mid-May through early-to-mid-July,” he says. “And the ragweed season is usually from mid-August until that first frost.”
Even sleeping with your mouth open in the winter, when the air can get as dry as the Sahara, can cause a sore throat. Even if your sore throat is caused by a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu, you probably can wait it out while drinking hot tea with honey and sucking on throat lozenges to ease the discomfort.
Allergies. Allergens, such as pollen and dust, can trigger an allergic reaction that causes inflammation of the mucus membranes that line the nasal cavities and ears. This causes postnasal drip, which is excess mucus draining into the throat. Postnasal drip is a common cause of throat irritation and pain.
A cold or other respiratory infection, allergies, and cold weather can all cause this symptom. The constant drip of fluid can irritate the back of your throat. Eventually, post-nasal drip can make your tonsils swell up and feel sore.
Fortunately, you can use at-home remedies to soothe the pain and irritation.
- Honey. Honey mixed in tea or taken on its own is a common household remedy for a sore throat.
- Salt water.
- Chamomile tea.
- Peppermint.
- Baking soda gargle.
- Fenugreek.
- Marshmallow root.
- Licorice root.
Signs and symptoms of strep throat are very similar to an ordinary sore throat, but in general strep throat has: White patches on the tonsils or back of the throat. Just a sore throat without cough/cold symptoms like a runny nose or congestion.
When you feel anxious, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol. Besides causing your heart rate and blood pressure to increase, these hormones can also cause you to take rapid, shallow breaths through your mouth. Your muscles can also tense up. This can lead to a sore or tight throat.
Stress or anxiety may cause some people to feel tightness in the throat or feel as if something is stuck in the throat. This sensation is called globus sensation and is unrelated to eating. However, there may be some underlying cause. Problems that involve the esophagus often cause swallowing problems.
In fact, postnasal drip is one of the most common causes of a cough that just won't go away. Too much mucus may also make you feel hoarse and give you a sore, scratchy throat. If the mucus plugs up your Eustachian tube, which connects your throat to your middle ear, you could get a painful ear infection.
A sore throat is considered chronic when it lasts for more than three months. Typical factors that can cause a long-lasting sore throat include allergies, acid reflux, environmental irritants, dry air and strained vocal cords. Occasionally a more serious condition, such as a tumor or HIV, can cause a sore throat.
Viral and bacterial infectionsA lingering cold or flu can cause pain in the throat for weeks after the main infection has begun to subside. Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, and viral infections are the most common cause of sore throats. They usually go away on their own with time.
How long will the effects of a sore throat last? Viral pharyngitis often goes away in five to seven days. If you have bacterial pharyngitis, you will feel better after you have taken antibiotics for two to three days. You must take your antibiotic even when you are feeling better.
Acetaminophen or NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen and naproxen can take the edge off many cold symptoms, including your sore throat. Make sure you follow the directions on the label.
Call a doctor if the following symptoms develop 1 to 2 weeks or longer after a strep throat infection. These symptoms may indicate rheumatic fever. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 2 days of treatment with an antibiotic.
This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation called anaphylactic shock. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can be mild, and they may go away on their own (most anaphylactic reactions will require treatment). But it's difficult to predict if or how quickly they will get worse.
An antihistamine pill, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), isn't sufficient to treat anaphylaxis. These medications can help relieve allergy symptoms, but work too slowly in a severe reaction.
Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. It can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something you're allergic to, such as peanuts or bee stings.
Here are some relief measures to try, along with information about why they might work.
- Cold compress. One of the fastest and easiest ways to stop the pain and itch of a rash is to apply cold.
- Oatmeal bath.
- Aloe vera (fresh)
- Coconut oil.
- Tea tree oil.
- Baking soda.
- Indigo naturalis.
- Apple cider vinegar.
The symptoms of anaphylaxis can vary. In some people, the reaction begins very slowly, but in most the symptoms appear rapidly and abruptly. The most severe and life-threatening symptoms are difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.
There may occasionally be a quiescent period of 1–8 hours before the development of a second reaction (a biphasic response). Protracted anaphylaxis may occur, with symptoms persisting for days. Death may occur within minutes but rarely has been reported to occur days to weeks after the initial anaphylactic event.
Keep yourself hydrated. "While your body is purging the allergen food from it is system, the best thing you can do is drink plenty of fluids," Zeitlin says. Water is always a good idea, but you can also sip on low calorie sports drinks to replenish the electrolytes you're likely losing, Zeitlin says.
Allergists recognize four types of allergic reactions: Type I or anaphylactic reactions, type II or cytotoxic reactions, type III or immunocomplex reactions and type IV or cell-mediated reactions.
You can gargle with a mixture of salt, baking soda, and warm water, or suck on a throat lozenge. Rest your voice until you feel better. Anaphylaxis is treated under close medical supervision and with a shot of epinephrine. Other medications like antihistamines and corticosteroids may be necessary as well.
