At present the weather is often changing and it is very unfriendly to our health condition if our bodies are not really ready for this kind of condition. Changing weather conditions very often make people experience strep throats which is certainly very disturbing our daily activities, especially when you are enjoying food.
Strep throat or pharyngitis is a condition when the back of the throat (pharynx) becomes inflamed. In general, laryngitis is often referred to as deep heat. Pharyngitis will make the throat feel uncomfortable. Usually this condition causes a sensation of pain or heat, making it difficult for you to eat and swallow. Usually strep throat becomes one of the common symptoms of several different diseases. It could also, this condition occurs due to other diseases, such as flu, fever, and mononucleosis (glandular fever). This condition will usually subside without medication in less than a week but in certain cases if the immune system does not improve or we also experience flu symptoms then it can become worse by not being cured for a long time. Strep throat can attack anyone regardless of age and gender. Everyone can experience strep throat both children, adults, or elderly people. However, children aged between 5 and 17 years tend to experience this problem most often. In adults, 10% of their sore throats are caused by streptococcus bacterial infections.
Signs and symptoms of strep throat (pharyngitis)
When you experience strep throat or pharyngitis, usually you will feel an uncomfortable sensation in the throat. Other symptoms that appear usually depend on the cause. The general symptoms that most often appear when strep throat, namely: Sore throat, fever, headache, joint pain and muscle aches, skin rashes, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
Known the signs of strep throats before going worst
Because the causes can be different, the symptoms can also vary. Generally, symptoms of strep throat or pharyngitis caused by fever, namely: Sneezing, Coughing, Fever with a temperature of 38 degrees celcius, mild headache.
Meanwhile, symptoms of strep throat caused by flu are: Fatigue, Aches, Chills, Fever with temperatures more than 38 degrees Celsius. For the symptoms of strep throat caused by mononucleosis or glandular fever are: Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, Swollen tonsils, Headaches, Loss of appetite, Swollen spleen, Inflammation of the liver.
If you feel that the symptoms of strep throat are interfering with daily activities, then try to take action as soon as possible by going to the doctor and taking medication.
How to prevent strep throat (pharyngitis)?
wash your hand before eat to prevent strep throat
Although strep throat can be caused by many things, there are several ways to prevent the onset of strep throat (pharyngitis). Here are various things you can do to reduce the risk of infection:
a. Always wash your hands regularly, especially after using public facilities.
b. Clean items that are often used together at home or work, such as telephone handles, door handles, and television remotes.
c. Use a hand sanitizer with 60 percent alcohol content if you can’t wash your hands with water.
d. Avoid sharing food, drinks, and eating and drinking utensils.
e. Avoid cigarette smoke.
f. Avoid sources of allergies or other irritants that can trigger a sore throat, such as dust and pollen.
Treatment for strep throat at home
Generally strep throat can heal by itself in less than one week. Sore throat medications prescribed by your doctor can usually help to relieve your symptoms. In addition, reported by the American Osteopathic Association, you should do the following things when experiencing strep throat:
– Consumption of warm drinks and soft foods.
– Avoid smoking or breathing cigarette smoke.
– Gargling with salt water or antiseptic mouthwash, Gargling with warm salt water can help soothe the itchy throat. Salt will remove mucus from the swollen and inflamed tissue and help relieve discomfort from strep throat. Try stirring ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt with 4 to 8 ounces of warm water until it dissolves. Then, gargle with the water for a few seconds and remove it. Repeat this step several times every day.
– Drink plenty of water, especially water. Staying hydrated is important for treating strep throat. When you are dehydrated, the body cannot produce enough saliva to lubricate your throat. This will make the inflammation worse. As an option, you can drink tea or warm soup. Do not consume alcohol and caffeine because it will worsen the condition of your strep throat.
– Sucking ordinary candy or lozenges to increase saliva production. Some over-the-counter suction drugs contain menthol which gently kills the tissues in your throat. This can provide temporary relief from the burning sensation due to strep throat. In an emergency, candy can have the same effect as the drug. Candy and cough medicines together increase your saliva production and help lubricate your throat. However, candy or cough medicine will not relieve sore throat in the most effective way.
Tea mixed with Lemon and Honey for Strep Throat Treatment
-Don’t drink drinks that are too hot or too cold because they can cause irritation. Drinking hot tea with honey can help you reduce the discomfort in the throat. Tea also keeps you well hydrated, which is an important step in treating sore throat. You should have green tea because it contains antibacterial, pain relief, and rich in antioxidants.
– Get plenty of rest, including temporarily limiting speech.
– Creating a comfortable air at home with a humidifier so it is not too dry so that it triggers irritation.
– Take a warm shower
If you don’t have a humidifier, you might be able to take advantage of the humidity from something else. One of them by breathing steam while taking a warm bath. This method can help reduce throat swelling and ease discomfort.
– Use an extra pillow. If strep throat is accompanied by a blocked nose, adding a pillow under your head might help. This can help you breathe younger. With a blocked nose, you don’t need to sleep with your mouth open. This can relieve strep throat and prevent it from feeling more painful.
Hopefully the above explanation can help you to prevent getting strep throat and also for those who have experienced it, you become know how to treat it easily.
