Nasty Sore Throat.....can Treat Or Not?

[cheeryble]

Hi

Had a couple of days tired and slightly sore throat and chesty, yesterday I woke up feeling very rough.

Painful swallowing yet I need to clear throat and swallow a lot, tired, even right ear hurts....just a bit. Wife says I'm hot and I am a wee bit achey so maybe a little fever not like full blown flu.

I'd sit back and read a good book and suffer and get some antibodies, but have a need to be doing things in my life right now.

Is there any worthwhile treatment?

Is it likely to be bacterial or viral ie will antibiotics work if so which one?

I've been on paracetamol and an occasional Strepsil and better half been very kind when around with hot fresh lemon and honey.

Anything else recommended?

Thanks!

Edited January 25, 2013 by cheeryble

[ajahnlau]

I like Decolgen.

[JDGRUEN]

If you have a whitish coating of the back of your throat / tonsils then it could well be bacteria. Influenza is viral but a lowered resistance can bring on a secondary bacterial infection ... Antibiotics do not have any effect on viruses. If your temperature goes high 38-39 C ... and stays there for even a day - go to the clinic. Find decongestants meds to keep your bronchial tract clear. Take in plenty of liquids - water, lemon-lime drinks, hot soup broths. Take a lot of vitamin C... If you start getting congestion in your bronchial tract and lungs with or without a deep cough - get to a clinic. Your eustachian tube from your throat to your inner ear is obviously involved (the reason your ear hurts). This could all go away all by itself but don't bet on it... not without a visit to the doctor.

[whybother]

It sounds like tonsilitis. You need antibiotics.

[endure]

"Is there any worthwhile treatment?"

Go and see someone who's medically qualified?

[cheeryble]

Thankyou for the replies!

I was on the point of calling wife to make a doctor appointments, but remembered about the NHS symptom checker.

The only bit I wasn't sure about was my temperaturem so I went both routes, temp high, and temp normal.

It ended with a recommendation thta treatment is not necessary, i did not have white spots or coating. It said that sore throats were commonly associated with colds or flu. That all colds and the vast majority of sore throats are from viruses......and unfortunately, that it could take up to three weeks to clear.

Interestingly it seems to be recommending no antibiotics even if it's bacterial, and sends one to this page whcih promotes antibiotic awareness day.

I find this interesting.

Could it be that a completely nationalized healthcare system like the NHS leads on matters like this as opposed to systems where you pay the doctor yourself (or your insurance does) and the doctor must please you....possibly with a bag of pills....if he wants to keep you.

http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/arc/pages/whatareantibiotics.aspx

[David48]

All I can add is that the whole Thai Family where I just stayed came down with what you described in your OP in one form or another.

My gf still has her ailment now ... exactly as you described it.

Seems to last somewhere between 2 - 5 days.

Luckily I escaped it ... but maybe it's just lurking, waiting to strike.

.

[jrtmedic]

cheeryble

Nothing to do with the NHS and everything to do with attempting to reduce/eliminate the inappropriate use of antibiotics!

Some experts are now predicting that most of our antibiotic weapons will be vertually usless within the foreseeable future unless restraint is exercised. Antibiotics should not be used except under medical supervision.

Before you tell me --- I know ! In Thailand (and other countries) antibiotics remain popular treatments for just about anything. However the World Health Org.is making great attempts at transmitting the message ----- practise will change ! (I hope)

[cheeryble]

All I can add is that the whole Thai Family where I just stayed came down with what you described in your OP in one form or another.

My gf still has her ailment now ... exactly as you described it.

Seems to last somewhere between 2 - 5 days.

Wow I live in hope it will be 2 - 5 days not 2 - 3 weeks.

I am only expectorating thin watery stuff not yellow phlegm, but it means swallowing all the time, and each swallow's nasty.

Nothing to do with the NHS and everything to do with attempting to reduce/eliminate the inappropriate use of antibiotics!

)

I just thought it refreshing to see the genuine best advice long term clearly spelled out with no sops.....

Edited January 26, 2013 by cheeryble

[cheeryble]

B

All I can add is that the whole Thai Family where I just stayed came down with what you described in your OP in one form or another.

My gf still has her ailment now ... exactly as you described it.

Seems to last somewhere between 2 - 5 days.

I live in hope it will be a couple of days rather than a couple of weeks!

Horrible when you have to swallow all the time and every one hurts....

Edited January 26, 2013 by cheeryble

[jrtmedic]

My wife likes this stuff for sore throats although she says it does not tast nice ("nasty" medicine is always the best !)

Kamillosam

Its a manually operated spray which she says works very well ! ---nothing objectionable in it and it costs approx Bht100 from the local Pharmacy

Maybe worth a try ?

[Sheryl]

Zinc lozenges work wonders if you can find them, I think I once saw some in pharmacy section ata Tesco lotus.

If you can't find the lozenges, then zinc in any form. I like Redoxan (effervescent tabs of Vit C + zinc). 2 or 3 days usually does the trick for me.

[Khonwan]

I used to catch the common cold every time it came into my household but have not during the past 12 months despite the rest of my family having suffered it at least once in that time: I’ve been taking one zinc tablet (15mg) every day.

[Choonpon]

Salt water to gargle for sore throat. You will probably need antibiotics from doctor to clear inflammation (throat and ear inner canal). Sponging whole body can bring down temperature- especially neck area, armpit, forehead. Strepsils may ease sore throat, but personally I find it gives me more phelgm. Plenty of water.

Get well soon:)

[jrtmedic]

Choonpon

I am aware that self prescribed (or even Dr prescibed) antibiotics obtained from the local pharmacy are popular amongst the ex pat community. ---- For a sore throat and similar ailments such treatment is only very rarely needed.

Antibiotics can be and are life saving but casual usage leads to increasing levels of antibiotic resistent organisms(germs)

Many antibiotcs are now ineffective and some experts believe that we will lose most of our antibiotic weapons unless a more responsible approach is taken with usage.

Go here for more info http://www.nhs.uk/nh...ntibiotics.aspx

or here if you prefer the American take on the same subject -----

http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/about.html

Edited January 26, 2013 by jrtmedic

[cheeryble]

Thankyou for all your kind replies, nice to feel thought of as I huddle up here in one of those brightly coloured small but very soft blankets so in favour here.

I have followed the NHS (and JRT) advice and no antibiotics (I am among those many English people who love and trust the NHS like it's a warm mother.....why did insurance companies ever need to be brought in to screw things up?).

I am taking the Decolgen (para and phenylephrine) and an occasional Strepsil and have now taken one of Sheryl's Redoxan.

I'm actually probably worse rather than better, more chilly so a nice fever I think, and my ears have been hurting so much that I've been trying to squeeze them hard to my head which I remember a girlfriend doing must be 40 years ago.....she was a ballerina. Very sore throat. But like my panic attacks (that's a separate issue!) it comes in waves with relief in between like now, when I feel well enough to start watching the 4th series of Justified on my laptop. Expectorating liquid and nose is getting runnier and I'm sitting here with a tissue spanning, and up, both nostrils to try to keep the top lip area dry and stop a cold sore developing as the days pass.

I am told I look very stupid!

Edited January 26, 2013 by cheeryble

[arthurwait]

All I can add is that the whole Thai Family where I just stayed came down with what you described in your OP in one form or another.

My gf still has her ailment now ... exactly as you described it.

Seems to last somewhere between 2 - 5 days.

Luckily I escaped it ... but maybe it's just lurking, waiting to strike.

.

Same here. MIL, myself, son and wife have had it to various degrees.

It will be 2 weeks on Tuesday for me. Although after the first 4 days it has just been tiredness earache/dullness and the sore throat (thin irratating flem). Felt swollen around the tonsil and the gland, painful swallowing. Went to the doctors and given pills, much better after a day or two. Whether the pills or it was going anyway, who knows. Got at least another week of the pills supposedly.

I think it's due to the humidity or changing weather.

[David48]

Zinc lozenges work wonders if you can find them, I think I once saw some in pharmacy section at Tesco lotus.

If you can't find the lozenges, then zinc in any form. I like Redoxan (effervescent tabs of Vit C + zinc). 2 or 3 days usually does the trick for me.

Actually there could be something solid in that.

I was on a course of Zinc tablets for a completely different reason and I didn't get the ailments described above ... despite all those around me dropping like flies.

Sheryl ... you should be in the medical profession with advice like that ...

.

[cheeryble]

.

It will be 2 weeks on Tuesday for me.

I wish you hadn't said that I prefer the 2 - 5 days.

I really do....was awake a lot of last night truly unpleasant experience, yes the same thin phlegm irritating the breathing and causing very painful throatclearing and swallowing....every couple of minutes.

I think it's due to the humidity or changing weather.

I hear that a lot from Thai diagnosticians (grandma and everyone) but am yet to understand a reasonable basis for it.

If this is going to remain for more days I think I've got to get some more powerful symptomatic relief.

Do the Strepsils have anaesthetic in them (writing too small to read).......if not can I buy anaesthetic lozenges? Strepsils used to have some sort of cocaine compound in them in Britain I think.

Edited January 27, 2013 by cheeryble

[cheeryble]

Useful information:

The "normal" lozenges from 7/11 do indeed NOT have anesthetic but both Strepsils Plus and Throatsils Plus which I bought from a pharmacy DO have lignocaine HCl 10mg......still painful but definitely an improvement.

Slept a bit better last night with just a couple of sessions of nighttime spluttering, am going to cycle gently in the sun this morning that must be a good thing for anyone to do.

Edited January 28, 2013 by cheeryble

[Sheryl]

Thankyou for all your kind replies, nice to feel thought of as I huddle up here in one of those brightly coloured small but very soft blankets so in favour here.

I have followed the NHS (and JRT) advice and no antibiotics (I am among those many English people who love and trust the NHS like it's a warm mother.....why did insurance companies ever need to be brought in to screw things up?).

I am taking the Decolgen (para and phenylephrine) and an occasional Strepsil and have now taken one of Sheryl's Redoxan.

I'm actually probably worse rather than better, more chilly so a nice fever I think, and my ears have been hurting so much that I've been trying to squeeze them hard to my head which I remember a girlfriend doing must be 40 years ago.....she was a ballerina. Very sore throat. But like my panic attacks (that's a separate issue!) it comes in waves with relief in between like now, when I feel well enough to start watching the 4th series of Justified on my laptop. Expectorating liquid and nose is getting runnier and I'm sitting here with a tissue spanning, and up, both nostrils to try to keep the top lip area dry and stop a cold sore developing as the days pass.

I am told I look very stupid!

If you have an actual fever with the sore throat that is an indication for antibiotics especially given that the sore throat has persisted for some time. ideally, a throat culture should be taken. Suggest you see a doctor to examine your throat and if possible culture it. As culture results take time it is usual to start antibiotics first and then if necessary change drugs if the culture sensitivites dictate.

While antibiotics are indeed over-used/abudsed, and most sore throats are indeed viral in nature and won't respond to abx, it is also quite dangerous to fail to treat a bacterial throat infection.

[arthurwait]

.

It will be 2 weeks on Tuesday for me.

I wish you hadn't said that I prefer the 2 - 5 days.

I really do....was awake a lot of last night truly unpleasant experience, yes the same thin phlegm irritating the breathing and causing very painful throatclearing and swallowing....every couple of minutes.

I think it's due to the humidity or changing weather.

I hear that a lot from Thai diagnosticians (grandma and everyone) but am yet to understand a reasonable basis for it.

If this is going to remain for more days I think I've got to get some more powerful symptomatic relief.

Do the Strepsils have anaesthetic in them (writing too small to read).......if not can I buy anaesthetic lozenges? Strepsils used to have some sort of cocaine compound in them in Britain I think.

It's pretty much all gone now except a bit of a cough still. Which is worse when I forget I'm not meant to drink cold drinks.

Went swimming on Friday in the sun which did seem to help and a short run last night, although coughing through it did also seem to help. As several people had told me exercise would help. Just couldn't face it at the time they were advising it.

[arthurwait]

If anyone is interested the pills prescribed were 'pseudoephedrine' 60 mg 1 pill after meals twice a day 14 in total, unless I've thrown some empty packaging away and 'amoxycillin' 500mg , 2 pills twice a day after meals.28 pills in total.

[JDGRUEN]

Thankyou for all your kind replies, nice to feel thought of as I huddle up here in one of those brightly coloured small but very soft blankets so in favour here.

I have followed the NHS (and JRT) advice and no antibiotics (I am among those many English people who love and trust the NHS like it's a warm mother.....why did insurance companies ever need to be brought in to screw things up?).

I am taking the Decolgen (para and phenylephrine) and an occasional Strepsil and have now taken one of Sheryl's Redoxan.

I'm actually probably worse rather than better, more chilly so a nice fever I think, and my ears have been hurting so much that I've been trying to squeeze them hard to my head which I remember a girlfriend doing must be 40 years ago.....she was a ballerina. Very sore throat. But like my panic attacks (that's a separate issue!) it comes in waves with relief in between like now, when I feel well enough to start watching the 4th series of Justified on my laptop. Expectorating liquid and nose is getting runnier and I'm sitting here with a tissue spanning, and up, both nostrils to try to keep the top lip area dry and stop a cold sore developing as the days pass.

I am told I look very stupid!

OP - from what you say here - from what you describe ... I highly recommend that you go see a doctor - soon... (OP ... I am not a doctor - but I am very educated in Health and Medicine with lots of experience) Your condition could get a lot worse -- so a Doctor visit is in order - soon.

[whybother]

If anyone is interested the pills prescribed were 'pseudoephedrine' 60 mg 1 pill after meals twice a day 14 in total, unless I've thrown some empty packaging away and 'amoxycillin' 500mg , 2 pills twice a day after meals.28 pills in total.

Take note of the previously posted links on antibiotics. Make sure you finish all of the tablets regardless of how good you feel.

[moouaan]

I got this information from a doctor in Australia when I had a sore throat and tried Strepsils and some of those other lozenges. He told me to stop wasting my money and take an aspirin dissolved it in a little bit of water and gargle with that. Do that a few times a day. Don't drink the aspirin, only gargle with it. I now always make sure I carry a box with me whenever I travel.

[cheeryble]

Thankyou again for your continuing interest.....

Well, it's 1145pm and on reading the latest posts I thought of seeing the doc at the Ram where my wife is nearly finished.

I took another runthrough of the NHS symptom checker. What I DON'T have is any of the meningitis signs or white anything on my tonsils. Although my tongue had white fur today the epiglottis backwards was only shades of red, and despite my great respect for Sheryl et al here, I think I'll give it one more night with only symptomatic relief, I can always go tomorrow. This bearing in mind I slept better last night, and sore throat not screaming quite so much.

If you don't hear from me tomorrow you'll know I made the wrong decision!

ps:

A sore throat is a common symptom of cold or flu.

Your answers suggest that you can treat your sore throat safely yourself with the care advice on the next page.

• Most sore throats are caused by viral or bacterial infections.
  
• Your body will normally fight off the infection within 3 weeks without the need for medical treatment.
  
• Antibiotics are only needed if you become very unwell and your infection seems to be getting much worse.
  

More about using antibiotics when you have a cold or flu.

Feedback any comments related to this health and symptom checker.

Edited January 28, 2013 by cheeryble

[cheeryble]

Well just to tie up this thread....

the great news is last night I got much more sleep and today has been a gradual improvement, sore throat/earache no big deal now and my energy is creeping back.

That makes a total of two days coming down a wee bit sick, then four days truly sick. Could be a whole lot worse.

As a matter of fact I met an American couple here this evening, he had just recovered and she was a couple days into what seems like the exact same thing. He said it was the worst sore throat he had ever had in his life.

Didn't notice your post about aspirin gargle Moouan.

Interesting that aspirin should pass the mucous membrane barrier well. It would mean that those with sensitive stomachs could use a gargle instead of ingesting it?

Thanks again for all the comments!

[maturebrit]

Salt water to gargle for sore throat. You will probably need antibiotics from doctor to clear inflammation (throat and ear inner canal). Sponging whole body can bring down temperature- especially neck area, armpit, forehead. Strepsils may ease sore throat, but personally I find it gives me more phelgm. Plenty of water.

Get well soon:)

100% right..... Salt water is as good as any gargle solution....amphicillin 500mg 3 times a day for a week will help

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