It started as a small itch, but now it’s completely bloomed into a sore throat. Do you know the best way to treat it? No matter the cause, your doctor can help you alleviate the pain.

What Could Be Causing Your Sore Throat

The first step in figuring out how to treat your sore throat is determining its source. A sore throat can be a symptom of many different issues, such as smoking or allergies, but the three most common causes are—

A cold: Often, a sore throat is just the first sign of a viral cold. You’ll know if this is the case for you if the pain subsides after a day or two and if you begin exhibiting other cold symptoms, like a runny nose or cough.

Strep throat: Caused by an infection of the streptococcus bacteria passed through saliva and nasal secretions, strep throat is a more severe cause of a sore throat. Other symptoms common to it are white spots on your throat area, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in your neck.

Tonsillitis: This is a very painful sore throat caused by an inflammation of the tonsils from an infection by viruses or bacteria. Tonsillitis’s biggest additional symptom is swollen tonsils with white or yellow spots, but others are bad breath and an impaired voice from the swelling.

What You Can Do at Home

If your sore throat is caused by a virus, there isn’t much you can do other than let the virus run its course. But no matter what is causing your sore throat, there are steps you can take at home to ease your pain and help you get better, including:

• Get plenty of sleep and avoid speaking more than necessary
• Drink lots of fluids to keep your throat moist and you hydrated. Just avoid dehydrating liquids like coffee and alcohol.
• Stick to soothing foods and beverages. This includes warm liquids like soup or water with honey and cool treats like Jell-O or ice cream.
• Gargle with saltwater—¼–½tspn sea salt to 4–8oz warm water.

Lozenges and over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can also help alleviate a sore throat, but be cautious if you’re treating your child.

Treatment from Your Doctor

You should see your doctor as soon as possible if you are dealing with a severe or persistent sore throat. A rapid strep test is often needed to diagnose strep throat, and only your doctor can tell for sure if you have tonsillitis and if it is from a bacteria or virus. If the cause of a sore throat is bacteria, your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics like penicillin or amoxicillin to kill it. Always take all of the medication as prescribed, even if you already feel better, and stay home until 24 hours after starting the antibiotic.

Sore throats can definitely be painful but they don’t have to be frustrating or a cause for worry. If you have any questions or concerns about a sore throat or any other symptoms, don’t hesitate to call your doctor today.

Have you ever had a sore throat (pharyngitis)? Ir's a common symptom of a cold or the flu, and Medical News Today says that sore throats take many people to the doctor. Your ENT doctor in Washington, DC, Dr. William Bond Jr., regularly sees many cases of pharyngitis, can diagnose yours accurately and render proper treatment.

Causes of sore throat

For many people, pharyngitis results from the inflammation, coughing, sneezing, and postnasal drip of the flu or a cold. In particular, children find it hard to eat when their throats are sore, making swallowing and even talking difficult. Additionally, many individuals get sore throats when allergies, asthma, or chronic sinusitis flare up.

Some sore throats simply resolve after an acute illness or allergy issue. Others, however, are more serious and require medical intervention.

Strep throat is one such condition. Untreated, Strep infections affect the lymph nodes in the neck and can infect the tonsils, too. A throat culture pinpoints the cause, and typically, your Washington ENT doctor prescribes an antibiotic to cure the infection and reduce the sometimes drastic inflammation in the throat.

Additionally, constant exposure to indoor or outdoor pollution, allergens (such as grass pollen or animal dander), or tobacco smoke cause sore throats. People who have weakened immune systems are susceptible, too.

Finally, you may be surprised to know that acid reflux, or GERD, often creates a chronic sore throat. As the acidic stomach contents back up into the esophagus, the lining of this food pipe become irritated, causing a cough, raspy voice, and pharyngitis.

What you can do

Most sore throats are uncomfortable, but in the end, no big deal. However, some are worrisome (such as Strep throat) and can even lead to serious complications such as meningitis, pneumonia, kidney infections, and tonsillar abscess.

In rare cases, patients present with symptoms of dangerous epiglottitis, which leads to significant swelling of the larynx and airway. This can be a medical emergency if breathing becomes obstructed.

As such, you should know when a call to your primary care physician or otolaryngologist is warranted. Phone Dr. Bond if your sore throat:

• Lasts more than seven days
• Is accompanied by a headache, fever of 101, earache, or a lump at the side of the neck
• Makes you unable to open and close your mouth properly
• Is accompanied by blood in the sputum
• Keeps coming back
• Causes your throat to be extremely hoarse on a continuing basis

Still not comfortable?

Then, please don't wait. Contact Dr. Bond's office for an appointment in Washington, DC, and get to the root of your sore throat issues. Call (202) 726-7770.

Ear infections can be quite the nuisance, particularly if it’s something that your little one deals with often. While anyone can develop ear infections, babies and young children are at an increased risk for ear infections. Since children’s Eustachian tubes (a structure that connects the middle ear with the pharynx, the cavity that lies behind the nose and mouth) aren’t fully developed it makes it easier for factors such as a common cold to lead to blocked Eustachian tubes and ear infections.

If there is a family history of ear infections, if your child is exposed to secondhand smoke or if your child develops colds and flus regularly then they may be at an increased risk for an ear infection. The most common types of ear infections are a middle ear infection, swimmer’s ear (which affects the outer ear canal), and labyrinthitis (causes inflammation of the inner ear or nerves of the inner ear).

Of course, babies and toddlers won’t be able to tell you that they are experiencing ear pain; however, there are other signs to look out for, including:

• Tugging or pulling at the ear
• Drainage coming from the ear
• Increased irritability or crying more often
• Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
• Increased fussiness or clinginess
• Lack of energy

If your child is displaying any of these symptoms it’s a good idea to take them in to see their pediatrician. Of course, if your child is often dealing with recurring or severe ear infections, visiting an otolaryngologist might be the best medical professional to help you figure out what’s causing these frequent infections and how to put a stop to them.

Of course, adults may also face ear infections. You may wake up in the middle of the night with an ear that is throbbing and painful. If this is the case, turning to an ENT doctor can help alleviate your symptoms. Depending on the type and severity of you or your little one’s ear infection, an ENT specialist will tell you whether or not antibiotics will be necessary for fighting the infection.

Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and applying a warm compress to the ear can also help you manage your discomfort until the ear infection goes away. Leaving an ear infection untreated is never a good idea, as it can lead to complications such as hearing loss. This is why it’s important that you or your child receive the proper medical attention necessary if you suspect an ear infection.