What medicine should I take for sore throat?

1. Causes of sore throat

Sore throat is a condition in which the throat is painful, possibly accompanied by burning, coughing, difficulty swallowing, phlegm… and many other symptoms. Sore throat has many causes, which can be benign or malignant.

- Malignant causes such as nasopharyngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer.

- Benign causes: Sudden hot and cold weather, using cold food and drinks, staying in a room with air conditioning that is too low, frequent exposure to dusty environments, drinking alcohol, smoking, eating spicy foods regularly, sore throat, tonsillitis...

2. Commonly used sore throat medications

Depending on the cause of sore throat, the doctor will choose the appropriate medication.

-Analgesic:Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) can be used to relieve sore throats. This is an over-the-counter medication. Patients can buy it from a pharmacy, but must use it according to the manufacturer's instructions (in the instructions that come with the product) or as advised by a pharmacist. Do not exceed the recommended dose and duration.

- Anti-inflammatory drug Alpha chymotrypsin: This is an enzyme anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to reduce inflammation and swelling of the throat and mucous membranes in respiratory tract infections. However, it should not be overused.

-Antibiotics:Sore throat can be caused by bacteria. In this case, antibiotics are needed to kill the bacteria. When the cause is eliminated, the patient's pain will be reduced. Some commonly used antibiotics are amoxicillin, cephalexin...

Antibiotics should be used exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the dosage on your own and should be taken at the same time each day.

-Gargle:Gargle is a tool to help clean the oral cavity, treat some throat diseases, and help reduce sore throat.

There are many types of gargles. Depending on the treatment purpose, choose the appropriate gargle. Some gargles used for treatment have added antibacterial substances, essential oils... To achieve the best results, gargle after brushing your teeth and do it 1-3 times/day.

3. How to relieve sore throat at home

Can use thenon-drug sore throat remediesas follows:

- Gargle with salt water: You can gargle with saline 2-3 times/day to help soothe the throat lining and reduce inflammation.

- Drink plenty of warm water: Drinking warm water helps soothe a sore throat and also helps thin mucus in the throat.

- Taking a hot bath also helps soothe your throat thanks to the steam from the hot water.

-Humidify the air: Increasing the humidity in the air helps soothe swollen nasal and throat tissues. You can use a humidifier to increase the humidity in the room.

- You can drink some types of water such as: warm water mixed with honey, honey mixed with lemon juice, warm ginger water, kumquat steamed with alum... also help soothe the throat, reduce sore throat./.