Sore throat during pregnancy can be treated with simple, homemade measures, such as gargling with warm water and salt, ginger tea with lemon or eating foods with vitamin C, such as orange or tangerine, as they help to increase the body’s defenses and , consequently, to fight inflammation or infection faster.
A sore throat during pregnancy can be caused by viral infections, such as the flu or cold, or bacteria, but it can also arise due to allergies, sinusitis or gastroesophageal reflux, for example.
Normally, with home measures, throat inflammation improves in about 3 days. However, if symptoms persist or are intense or accompanied by fever, pus in the throat or difficulty swallowing, you should consult an obstetrician or otorhinolaryngologist to identify the cause of the sore throat and recommend the most appropriate treatment.
Natural ways to treat sore throat during pregnancy
Sore throat during pregnancy can be treated with home measures that help relieve pain and inflammation in the throat and include:
1. Gargle with warm salt water
Gargling warm salt water has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, helping to soothe a sore throat and remove bacteria that can cause inflammation and infection in the throat.
To gargle with warm salt water, place a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and mix. Gargle several times a day.
Gargling with warm water and salt does not harm the baby and should be done with caution if the pregnant woman has high blood pressure or a diet that limits salt intake. In these cases, it is recommended to consult your obstetrician before gargling.
2. Ginger tea with lemon
Ginger tea with lemon has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, reducing pain and the production of inflammatory substances, such as prostaglandins, in addition to increasing the body’s natural defenses, relieving sore throat.
Ginger tea can be used during pregnancy, as long as you do not exceed 1 gram of dry root per day for a maximum period of 4 days.
Ingredients
- 1 4 cm peel of 1 Galician or normal lemon;
- 1 cm of ginger;
- 2 cups of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Place the peel of 1 Galician or regular lemon and the ginger in 2 cups of boiling water, let it cool and drink 2 cups of tea divided into two doses per day.
Ginger tea should be avoided if it is close to childbirth or in women with a history of miscarriage, clotting problems or who are at risk of bleeding. Check out the list of teas that should not be used during pregnancy.
3. Room humidifier
Humidifying the environment, placing a basin or bucket with warm water inside the rooms of the house is an excellent way to relieve a sore throat, as when breathing in water particles from the environment, the airways become more hydrated and less irritated, making it easier to eliminating phlegm and relieving the discomfort of a sore throat.
This tip is especially useful at night to make it easier to sleep and avoid waking up with a stuffy nose, for example.
Another way to humidify the environment is to use a humidifying device. However, care must be taken not to use the humidifier excessively, as excessive humidity can lead to the growth of mold in the environment and cause allergies. Check out other simple ways to humidify the environment.
4. Chamomile tea
Chamomile tea, made from the medicinal plant Matricaria recutita, It is rich in phenolic compounds such as apigenin, quercetin and patuletin, with anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve sore throat during pregnancy.
It is important to check the type of chamomile used, as there are two types, and chamomile tea prepared with the species Matricaria recutita, can be used safely in pregnancy. However, the Roman chamomile species A noble chameleon It should not be taken during pregnancy as it may cause uterine contraction.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers;
- 250 mL of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the dried chamomile flowers to a cup of boiling water, cover, let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes and strain before drinking.
This tea can be taken 3 times a day, or in small amounts throughout the day, and sweetened with honey which helps to hydrate the throat, relieving pain. However, honey should be avoided by pregnant women who are allergic to honey, propolis or pollen. Check out other ways to prepare chamomile tea.
5. Pomegranate juice with honey
Pomegranate has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic action, helping to disinfect the throat and reduce inflammation and honey lubricates the throat, reducing pain.
Ingredients
- Pulp of 1 pomegranate;
- 1 glass of water
- 1 teaspoon of honey.
Preparation mode
Blend the pomegranate pulp, water and honey in a blender. Pour into a glass, stir well and then drink. Pomegranate juice with honey can be drunk once a day.
6. Pomegranate tea
Another way to use pomegranate is to make tea to relieve sore throat symptoms as it has anti-inflammatory action and helps eliminate microorganisms that may be causing inflammation.
Pomegranate berry tea, which are the red grains contained inside the fruit, are considered safe during pregnancy, including eating the fruit fresh or preparing the juice, as it is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, folate and iron. See other benefits of pomegranate.
However, tea made from pomegranate flowers, leaves, seeds or peel is contraindicated during pregnancy as it can cause uterine contractions and miscarriage.
Ingredients
- Pomegranate berries;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Wash and sanitize the pomegranate well, cut it in half and remove the berries. Then, crush the pomegranate berries, take 1 teaspoon of the crushed berries and add it to the cup of boiling water and cover the cup for 15 minutes. Drink 1 cup of pomegranate tea a day.
This tea should be avoided by pregnant women who use anticoagulant or high blood pressure medications, or who have gastritis, stomach ulcers, hypotension or allergies to pomegranates, and should consult their obstetrician before drinking the tea.
7. Foods rich in vitamin C
Foods rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries, oranges or broccoli, for example, have antioxidant properties, helping to fight free radicals that can cause damage to cells and lead to inflammation.
Furthermore, vitamin C in food increases the body’s defenses, helping to fight inflammation more quickly, improving sore throat. Check out the complete list of foods rich in vitamin C.
The daily dose of vitamin C for pregnant women is 85 grams per day and, to add this vitamin to the diet, it is recommended to consult a nutritionist or obstetrician who provides prenatal care.
8. Dark chocolate square
Chocolate can help relieve a sore throat as it is rich in anti-inflammatory flavonoids, as well as helping to lubricate the throat, reducing pain. However, dark chocolate should be used as it has less sugar and fat.
To use the properties of chocolate for a sore throat, you must suck on a square of dark chocolate and swallow it little by little.
The consumption of dark chocolate during pregnancy should be guided by a nutritionist or obstetrician, especially in women who have restricted sugar consumption.
Can a sore throat during pregnancy harm the baby?
A sore throat during pregnancy itself does not harm the baby, but it can be a sign of an infection caused by bacteria or viruses, which can cause fever or difficulty for the pregnant woman to eat and drink fluids, which can cause dehydration or a lack of important vitamins for development. of the baby.
In these cases, you should always call the obstetrician or go to the hospital for tests to begin the necessary treatment.
When to go to the doctor
It is important that pregnant women consult an obstetrician or otorhinolaryngologist in the following situations:
- Sore throat for more than 3 days;
- Intense sore throat;
- Difficulty swallowing and eating;
- Fever or chills;
- Cough;
- Throat red, swollen or with dots of pus;
- General malaise.
In addition, you should also consult your doctor if you experience nausea, headache, neck pain or loss of appetite, as this will allow you to identify the cause of the sore throat and begin the most appropriate treatment.
