What to do against a sore throat?

The most important points in brief

• They often surprise you without any warning and spoil the fun for a few days - a sore throat.
• If it hurts when swallowing and it scratches the throat, a cold is usually not far.
• Usually the upper respiratory tract is infected. More than 200 different pathogens can be triggers.
• What can you do when the prevention of the common cold has failed and the sore throat has arrived?

Everyone knows this extremely uncomfortable feeling - that moment when you realize that a cold is inevitable because the first symptoms are already there. You may have been a little exhausted for a few days and wonder about it, but once the sore throat has spread, there are no more doubts. Now only the answer to the question: What can be done against a sore throat?

Preventing a sore throat is good, but doesn't always work

It is already too late to prevent this. Even if we always take care to avoid catching a cold, it won't always work. Of course there are factors that strengthen the immune system and thus prevent cold viruses from outsmarting the body's own barriers.

But even enough sleep, lots of exercise in the fresh air or sport and a balanced, vitamin-rich menu in conjunction with little alcohol and avoiding nicotine are no guarantee that you will not catch a cold at some point, the harbingers of it the sore throat are. You can also use a room humidifier and regular ventilation to ensure a great indoor climate, at home and in the office, and still catch a cold. Because the viruses come from other people - it's easy to get infected with colleagues or on public transport on the way to work.

When to see a doctor for a sore throat?

So the prevention only works to a limited extent. If you have a mild sore throat, there are a few ways to alleviate the symptoms; more on that below. If you get bad, you should see a doctor, for example if you have a temperature of 39 degrees or more, combined with a severe sore throat or severely swollen tonsils. It is not uncommon for the throat to swell up and breathing becomes more and more difficult.

If even minor pain in the throat and pharynx does not go away after a few days, you should also visit an ENT specialist, who will give you a prescription for the symptoms.

What can be done against an acute sore throat?

If the agony is not so great, then throat lozenges, sprays & Co. often help to get through the day well. Of course, there are also a number of home remedies available. For example, it is advisable to drink at least two liters of liquid a day; unsweetened tea (preferably with sage!) And still water are best. Gargling usually also helps, a little salt dissolved in warm water is sufficient - applied twice a day, you will soon have the pain under control.

A neck that is warmed from the outside can also alleviate the symptoms. So if you wrap a scarf or scarf around your neck indoors, that will help. And if you have the feeling that you simply have to treat yourself to a day or two of rest in order to be able to get rid of the sore throat sustainably, then you should do just that and just take it easy and sleep a lot. This is the only way for the organism to regenerate properly.