{"id":8365,"date":"2018-05-31T09:48:20","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T15:48:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osteopathic.org\/?page_id=8365"},"modified":"2025-05-01T10:37:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T15:37:08","slug":"sore-throat","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/osteopathic.org\/what-is-osteopathic-medicine\/sore-throat\/","title":{"rendered":"Sore Throat"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It starts as a persistent tickle in the back of your throat before the sensation progresses into a prickly sensation every time you swallow. The trick to treating a sore throat is knowing when it\u2019s time to make the transition from at-home therapy to seeing the doctor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA sore throat can be caused by any number of factors, including a common cold, low humidity, smoking, air pollution, yelling or nasal drainage,\u201d says Brett M. Scotch, DO, an osteopathic physician from Wesley Chapel, Florida.<\/p>\n<p>There are other less common causes for a sore throat, which can include strep throat, mononucleosis (otherwise known as \u201cmono\u201d) or tonsillitis.<\/p>\n<h3>Home treatment<\/h3>\n<p>When it come to treating a sore throat, you can try:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Gargling at least once an hour with warm salt water to reduce swelling and discomfort.<\/li>\n<li>Drinking hot fluids such as tea or soup, which soothe the throat and help thin sinus mucus allowing for better drainage and decreased stuffiness.<\/li>\n<li>Stopping smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.<\/li>\n<li>Taking nonprescription medications, such as throat lozenges, decongestants, acetaminophen or anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Seeing a physician<\/h3>\n<p>In most cases, your sore throat will improve with at-home treatment. However, it\u2019s time to see your doctor if a severe sore throat and a fever over 101 degrees lasts longer than one to two days; you have difficulty sleeping because your throat is blocked by swollen tonsils or adenoids; or a red rash appears.<\/p>\n<p>If you have any of the symptoms listed above, it could mean that you have a bacterial infection. In that case, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat your infection.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor adults who have repeated bacterial throat infections within a relatively short period of time, a physician may recommend a tonsillectomy,\u201d says Dr. Scotch.<\/p>\n<p>Your doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy (the surgical removal of the tonsils) if:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Abscesses of the tonsils do not respond to drainage.<\/li>\n<li>There is a persistent foul odor or taste in the mouth that does not respond to antibiotics.<\/li>\n<li>A biopsy is needed to evaluate a suspected tumor of the tonsil.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cHowever, a tonsillectomy should always be the last resort for treating sore throats,\u201d warns Dr. Scotch. \u201cThe best treatment for a sore throat is prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Prevention<\/h3>\n<p>You can prevent a sore throat by replacing your toothbrush every month and tossing an old toothbrush once you\u2019ve recovered from a sore throat to prevent re-infection. You should also refrain from smoking, which can be abrasive to the throat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBe sure to wash your hands often, eat right and get plenty of sleep,\u201d advises Dr. Scotch. \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It starts as a persistent tickle in the back of your throat before the sensation progresses into a prickly sensation every time you swallow. The trick to treating a sore throat is knowing when it\u2019s time to make the transition from at-home therapy to seeing the doctor. \u201cA sore throat can be caused by any &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/osteopathic.org\/what-is-osteopathic-medicine\/sore-throat\/\" class=\"readmore\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":10129,"parent":8393,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.4 (Yoast SEO v21.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sore Throat: When to See a Doctor | American Osteopathic Association<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"According to Brett M. 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