Do you experience severe throat pain when swallowing? Wha about when you’re doing routine tasks at work? You’re going about your normal activities and then you’re asking yourself ‘Why does my throat hurt?’ yet again.
At urgENT, we aim to put a stop to this and get you back to living. We know that waking up with a sore throat just makes an increasingly complicated world even harder to navigate. That is why our physicians are trained to help you get to the bottom of any throat disorder such as general soreness, strep, polyps, voice problems, and more.
What to Do for a Sore Throat
Before we dive into this question, it’s important to know what is causing your throat pains. Sore throats are normally caused by one of two infections: viral or bacterial.
- Viruses: Sore throats are common results of viral infections. These include flu season ailments, the common cold, measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, COVID-19 (heavy coughing associated with Omicron, Delta, etc.), and mononucleosis (aka “mono”).
- Bacteria: Strep throat is one of the most common bacterial infections that leads to severe throat pain. Bacterial infection can also damage the tonsils and adenoids.
Other causes of throat pain include:
- Vocal strain and irregular throat irritation: Our voice is the result of precise machinations of the lungs, voice box, throat, nose, mouth, and sinuses. When these areas are functioning properly, speaking and using our voices should be relatively effortless. Any strains can lead to hoarseness.
- Upper respiratory infection: A contagious condition located in the sinuses, throat, nasal passage, larynx, and/or pharynx, an URTI is not to be taken lightly. This condition can be a combination of rhinitis (runny/stuffy nose),sinus infection, cold, pharyngitis, and/or more.
- Tumors and polyps: Vocal cord lesions, a group of noncancerous, abnormal growths located along the vocal cords, are one of the most common causes of voice and throat problems.
- Acid reflux : When stomach acids go up the esophagus, they have the potential to create uncomfortable burning sensations and damage throat tissue.
- Allergies: If you find yourself with immune sensitivities to things like mold, dust, and/or pollen, you may find that sore throat is prolonged when they flare up.
- HIV infection : The presence of HIV/AIDS can lead to a sore throat, as well as many other flu-like symptoms.
So, What Helps a Sore Throat?
As indicated previously, there are many different causes of sore throats. Depending on the root cause of your pain, urgENT may recommend:
- Antibiotics
- Removal of the tonsils and/or adenoids
- Microsurgery
- Voice therapy
- Avoidance of substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine
- Voice training
- Humidifiers and home remedies
- Changes in diet
- Taking certain vitamin supplements
- Higher water intake
Whatever the issue, you can count on urgENT to get you back to pain free living. Our team of ENT specialists will get to the bottom of your pains and concerns and will get you on a path to meet your health goals.
At urgENT, we are dedicated to providing the Greater New Orleans area with comprehensive ear, nose, and throat care. Our clinics provide our patients with a one stop shop for all their hearing, sinus, allergy conditions, and more!
Don’t waste time seeing a specialist for each of your unique needs, urgENT provides our patients with complete care for all.
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