Treatment for sore throat and swollen glands: How to cure sore throat and swollen glands (tonsils)

Sore throats are usually the result of a bacterial or viral infection. It is not very easy to determine whether it is bacteria causing the soreness in the throat or a virus. While most bacterial infections respond well to treatment, the same cannot be said about viral infections. If you have swollen glands in the throat, it can be an indication of a simple sore throat or could be indicative of a serious illness affecting the lymph system of your body. The appearance of swollen throat glands should never be neglected as this can be a sign of a severe illness. If you are experiencing both a sore throat and ear pain, you may have a throat infection that is spreading to your ear, and other problems of the lymphatic system can be safely ruled out. However, to be on the safer side, it is best to consult a doctor before you rule out anything by yourself.

Sore throat is an extremely common condition, and almost everyone has suffered from a sore throat at one point of time or another. No matter what age or gender you are, a sore throat can affect anyone. It is usually an inflammation of the tissues of the larynx and the pharynx, which is usually responsible for the pain and soreness in the throat. If the swollen glands in the throat and neck are simply due to a sore throat, the uncomplicated condition should resolve itself in not more than four days. For any conditions that persist beyond a week, medical help should be sought. When you have a sore throat, the glands may not always be infected, but there is a good chance of experiencing secondary complications and that is not a very pleasant prospect.

A sore throat, swollen glands, and an earache are usually accompanied with coughing. When something like that happens, you can attribute all the symptoms to either a cold or flu. In either case, the coughing usually makes the condition even worse. If you have swollen glands in the throat, it could be a symptom of other serious conditions such as tonsillitis, laryngitis, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox, measles, and glandular fever. These conditions are usually extremely infectious and may cause sudden rise of epidemics. Some of the reasons you may be experiencing swollen glands in the throat area are as follows.

• Majority of the cases of sore throat are caused by viral infections. Some of these infections include the flu and colds. Viral infections that cause a sore throat are most common during the winter months because this is the time when most of us are indoors, interacting with others who may be carriers of the virus. Viral infections can usually cause the immunity of the body to go down, making us susceptible to other infections.
• Although bacterial infections can usually cause severe sore throats, they are more easily treatable than the viral infections. Bacterial infections can lead to both ear infections as well as tonsillitis. The bacteria can attack the tissue of the larynx and the pharynx, therefore causing the throat to become extremely sore and irritated. Antibiotic treatments prescribed by the doctor can help you get healthy within the prescribed course of time. Most sore throats are caused by the streptococcus bacteria.
• Tonsilitis is the infection of the tonsils that are present on either side of the throat. They are located towards the back of the tongue and may appear inflamed and red when tested. If they are also dotted with specks of pus, they may have to be removed for the symptoms of swollen glands in the throat to subside. Tonsillitis may be cause by either bacteria or virus. In both cases, the symptoms are the exact same.
• Among the causes of swollen glands in the throat, there are many environmental factors that are equally responsible. Pollution, cigarette smoke, allergy, overuse of vocal cords, and changes in temperature are some of the things that may cause sore glands in the throat. Pollution contaminates the air we breathe, and if the nasal passages are inflamed, the infection may soon spread to the throat and the ears too. Allergic reactions from hay fever may also cause a person to have inflamed airways as well as throat. The same is the case in smokers. Changes in temperature also cause inflammation of the throat.

How to cure swollen glands in the throat?

Just by looking at the throat, it is almost impossible to predict whether the treatment should be for bacterial infection or viral infection. A swab needs to be taken from the throat to determine the course of treatment. Hence, if you have swollen glands in the throat, treatment options will vary depending on the cause. Viral infections may subside on their own over the course of a few days. In any case, there are no specific medications to treat viral diseases. In the case of bacterial infections, it becomes necessary to determine the type of bacteria that may have caused the infection. In case the infection is severe, a patient may be given broad spectrum antibiotics to treat all kinds of bacteria. The course of the antibiotics is usually for three to five days after which the patient is able to recover fully. If it is tonsillitis that is causing the symptoms, it is important to remove the tonsils to prevent the condition from getting aggravated.

While medication are necessary if you have a bacterial infection, when it comes to how to treat swollen glands in the throat, there are many home remedies for a sore throat and swollen glands that you can use to complement the treatment prescribed by the doctor. Drink lots of fluids as this will help flush out the virus or bacteria. Also, gargle with warm water with salt in it, twice every day. This allows the vocal cords and the tissues in the larynx and the pharynx to remain healthy. You can also gargle with a soluble paracetamol before you swallow it. Other home remedies include sucking on OTC throat lozenges,which provide temporary relief from the pain and itching in the throat. You could also make a honey and ginger juice mixture and consume it regularly; this is considered to be excellent swollen glands in the throat remedy.During this time, it is also a good idea to avoid alcohol and smoking. You can use throat sprays and herbal teas for temporary relief.

Sore throats are usually the result of a viral or bacterial infection. One important differentiating factor between either of these infections is that while a bacterial infection responds well to treatment, viruses do not. As a good habit, consult with your doctor on the nature of the sore throat before you start to take self-medicate. It is important to know the reasons behind the cause of the sore throat and swollen glands. Do not neglect the appearance of swollen glands or take it lightly by attempting to employ home remedies, as infections of the lymph nodes or lymph glands are likely to lead to secondary complications if not treated on time.

There are various reasons for a sore throat and these include:

• Air contamination- pollutants in the air that can aggravate the throat.
• Hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen - allergic rhinitis sufferers develop a sore throat during an allergic reaction.
• Tobacco smoke - is a leading irritant of the respiratory tract and leads to both viral and bacterial infection.
• Weather / Climate changes - Moving from a warm environment to chilled outdoors or vice versa can impact upon the throat.
• Overutilization of the larynges or the voice box - by excessive singing or screaming, can lead to soreness.
• It is nearly impractical to anticipate, from the mention of a sore throat, whether the cause of the throat condition is due to bacteria or virus infection and only a medical expert can best determine and confirm a diagnosis. In the case of virus caused sore-throat infection, the condition usually wears off or dies down in a few days and normally the best word of advice would be to allow nature to take charge, as antibiotics do not affect the course of the infection.
• Attempt the following to obtain relief from the symptoms of a sore throat:
• Consume plenty of non-alcoholic beverages, especially water. Water hydrates the body and helps in flushing out mucus.
• Rinse the throat with moderately warm saline water.
• Take the help of throat lozenges that can help in easing out the irritation from the throat
• Avoid smoking completely.
• Alcohol in any form, must be refrained from.

However, if the sore throat is accompanied with swollen glands, you need to see a doctor immediately. Here are some of the symptoms for you to known that its time to visit your doctor:

• Difficulty or trouble in swallowing food or drinks.
• Sore throat lingering for more than four days.
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Stubborn fever
• Formation of pus on the tonsils.
• Difficulty during inhalation and exhalation.
• Emergence of stiff neck and intense headache.
• Severe ear ache.
• Development of a rash
• Presence of blood in spittle or mucous secretion.
• Persistent mouth ulcers for over a fortnight
• Green or yellow colored coughed-up phlegm