Sore Throat Health Article

Allopathic treatment

Sore throat caused by a streptococci or another bacteria must be treated with antibiotics. Penicillin is the preferred medication. Oral penicillin must be taken for 10 days. Patients need to take the entire amount of antibiotic prescribed, even after symptoms of the sore throat improve. Stopping the antibiotic early can lead to a return of the sore throat. Sometimes a single injection of long-acting penicillin G is given instead of 10 days of oral treatment. These medications generally cost under $15.

Because mononucleosis is caused by a virus, there is no specific drug treatment available. Rest, a healthy diet, plenty of fluids, limiting heavy exercise and competitive sports, and treatment of aches with acetaminophen (Datril, Tylenol, Panadol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin, Motrin, Medipren) are the prescribed treatments. Nearly 90% of mononucleosis infections are mild. The infected person does not normally get the disease again.

Aspirin should not be given to children because of its association with increased risk for Reye's Syndrome, a serious disease.

Expected results

Sore throat caused by a viral infection generally clears up on its own within one week with no complications. The exception is mononucleosis. Ninety percent of cases of mononucleosis clear up without medical intervention or complications, so long as dehydration does not occur. In young children the symptoms may last only a week, but in adolescents the symptoms last longer. Adults over age 30 have the most severe and long lasting symptoms. Adults may take up to six months to recover. In all age groups fatigue and weakness may continue for up to six weeks after other symptoms disappear.

In rare cases of mononucleosis, breathing may be obstructed because of swollen tonsils, adenoids, and lymph glands. If this happens, the patient should immediately seek emergency medical care.

Patients with bacterial sore throat begin feeling better about 24 hours after starting antibiotics. Untreated strep throat has the potential to cause scarlet fever, kidney damage, or rheumatic fever. Scarlet fever causes a rash, and can cause high fever and convulsions. Rheumatic fever causes inflammation of the heart and damage to the heart valves. Taking antibiotics within the first week of a strep infection will prevent these complications. People with strep throat remain contagious until after they have been taking antibiotics for 24 hours.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent a sore throat; however, the risk of getting one or passing one on to another person can be minimized by:

• Washing hands with warm water and soap frequently.
• Maintaining a balanced life with adequate sleep, nutrition, and personal fulfillment.
• Avoiding close contact with someone who has a sore throat.
• Not sharing food and eating utensils with anyone.
• Not smoking.
• Optimizing the functioning of the immune system by exercising and eating such immune-boosting foods as carrots, yams, shiitake mushrooms, etc.
• Avoiding sources of air pollution.

BOOK

Berkow, Robert. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Rahway, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 1992.

PERIODICALS

Larkin, Marilynn. "A Single, Rapid Test Suffices for Pharyngitis Diagnosis in High-Risk Patients." Lancet 358 (December 8, 2001): 1969.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Infectious Mononucleosis Fact Sheet http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/infmono.htm (September 1997).

Kathleen Wright

Rebecca J. Frey, PhD