How long does a Sore Throat Last?
The duration of a sore throat, just like its symptoms, depend upon the underlying causes of sore throat.
- A sore throat caused by such reasons as smoking or pollution in the environment will last as long as you smoke or stay in such an environment. As soon as you get rid of smoking or pollutant environment, you automatically relieve a sore throat too.
- If a virus like that of common cold causes your sore throat, it will go away within 5-7 days. No specific treatment with medicines is needed for such sore throat caused by viral infection. In fact, antibiotics may deteriorate your condition by making you antibiotic resistant. These medicines are not meant for fighting off viruses. Certain home remedies may actually soothe a sore throat during its natural course of time in such a case.
- If however, your sore throat is caused by bacterial infection, such as strep throat, what do you think, how long sore throat last in such a case? As long as it doesn’t get the required treatment. Yes, you need to get the proper doses of antibiotic medicines to relieve sore throat in such cases of bacterial infections.
When to Consult a Doctor?
If your sore throat is severe and lasts more than five-to-seven days (normal course of a cold or flu) and you are not able to recognize any irritant or allergy that could have made your sore throat last for such a long period, go to your doctor. If you see such signs or feel such symptoms as difficulty in breathing or swallowing to an extreme extent, difficulty in opening your mouth, joint pain, earache, high fever, blood in phlegm, lump in your neck or hoarseness in voice for more than a fortnight, immediately see your physician and do not take your sore throat lightly.
However, if no such symptoms occur and yours is a mild sore throat that reflects cold or flu like symptoms, the best thing to do is to follow certain home remedies for sore throat.
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