What can be done to prevent sore throats during seasonal changes?
The changing of seasons makes many people susceptible to respiratory illnesses in general, and sore throats in particular. So, what can be done to prevent and alleviate symptoms?
According to Associate Professor Pham Thi Bich Dao, Department of Otolaryngology, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, during the changing seasons, the mucous membrane of the throat is easily inflamed, causing pain, burning sensation, frequent coughing, and hoarseness. To prevent or alleviate these symptoms, people can refer to some of the following methods.
Limit contact with people who are sick.
Communication can cause droplets of saliva or nasal secretions to be released into the air. When encountering someone with symptoms of a sore throat, you should maintain distance, wear a mask, and sanitize your hands after contact, coughing, sneezing, and before and after eating to prevent illness.
Keep your body and throat warm.
The transition from hot to cold weather weakens the mucous membranes of the throat, making it more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. To prevent this, you should shower with warm water in a closed room, avoiding drafts, and dry yourself immediately afterward. At night, keep the doors closed to prevent cold drafts from entering the room. Avoid having air conditioners or fans blowing directly on you. When temperatures drop, keep your hands, feet, chest, neck, and head warm.
Maintain a clean living environment.
A dusty and unsanitary living environment provides ideal conditions for bacteria and viruses to thrive. To prevent illness, you need to keep your home well-ventilated. Regularly clean items such as keyboards, phones, and remote controls. When traveling, you should disinfect items such as TV and air conditioner remotes.
Oral and throat hygiene
The human mouth contains approximately 700 types of bacteria. These are the agents that cause respiratory illnesses, sore throats, and tonsillitis. In addition, after a day of eating and drinking, plaque accumulates in the mouth and throat. If the mouth is not cleaned properly, this plaque will create a favorable environment for bacteria to grow, attacking the teeth, gums, and throat, causing inflammation.
Therefore, you should brush your teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes each time. Replace your toothbrush every three months. Clean your mouth and throat with saline solution in the morning and evening before bed.
Avoid eating hard foods, sweets, cold foods, and spicy foods.
For those who frequently suffer from sore throats, extra caution is needed in daily life to prevent recurring illnesses. It's advisable to limit hard foods, sweets, cold foods, and spicy foods that can damage the throat lining and create favorable conditions for bacterial infection.
Limit your intake of iced drinks, avoid using cold air conditioning or fans blowing directly at your head, and shower immediately after sun exposure to prevent sore throats. Limit stimulants, tobacco, alcohol, and beer, which weaken the immune system.
According to Dr. Dao, you should dedicate 30 minutes each day to exercise to boost your immunity and improve your health. If you experience symptoms of rhinitis, tonsillitis, or sinusitis, you should seek medical attention and treatment promptly."Absolutely do not self-medicate at home, especially with antibiotics."Dr. Dao said.