Some medications for pharyngitis, such as anti-inflammatories or antibiotics, may be recommended by your general practitioner or otorhinolaryngologist, as they help to reduce inflammation or fight infection, relieving pain, redness, swelling in the throat, fever or difficulty swallowing. , for example.
These remedies should be indicated by the doctor after evaluating the symptoms and diagnosing the cause of pharyngitis, which may be due to inflammation, bacterial or viral infections, or allergies, for example. Check out other causes of pharyngitis.
Additionally, some home treatment options, such as ginger tea or peppermint tea, can help relieve pharyngeal pain and complement treatment with medications recommended by your doctor.
Pharyngitis remedies that may be prescribed by your doctor include:
1. Antibiotics
Antibiotics are recommended by the doctor in the case of bacterial pharyngitis, in which symptoms such as a red throat with pus, intense sore throat with difficulty swallowing, high fever or headache appear. Learn how to identify the symptoms of bacterial pharyngitis.
Some antibiotics that may be recommended by your doctor for bacterial pharyngitis are penicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin or erythromycin, which treat the infection and prevent complications, such as rheumatic fever, for example.
Generally, the treatment of bacterial pharyngitis is carried out for 7 to 10 days, and should always be carried out with a doctor’s advice, who can indicate the most appropriate antibiotic, evaluating the symptoms or whether the person has any allergies to antibiotics or other medications.
It is important that the treatment is carried out with the doses and for the time established by the doctor, since recurrent infections occur in most cases due to the use of antibiotics on their own, with inadequate doses or duration of treatment.
Antibiotics should only be used in the case of bacterial pharyngitis, and are not used to treat viral pharyngitis.
2. Painkillers
Painkillers, such as paracetamol or dipyrone, in the form of tablets, syrup or drops, may be recommended by your doctor for the treatment of viral or allergic pharyngitis, as they help to relieve a sore throat or headache.
In addition, painkillers also help reduce fever, which can also occur in the case of bacterial pharyngitis.
3. Anti-inflammatories
Anti-inflammatories in the form of tablets or drops, such as ibuprofen, may be recommended by the doctor for viral, allergic or bacterial pharyngitis, in adults or children, as it works to combat inflammation in the throat, intense pain or fever.
These remedies should only be used with medical advice, who can indicate the best anti-inflammatory drug, in doses and for the duration of treatment on an individual basis.
4. Antihistamines
Antihistamines, such as desloratadine or cetirizine in the form of tablets or syrup, are anti-allergy remedies that may be recommended by the doctor in the case of allergic pharyngitis, which is normally caused by allergic rhinitis.
Another way to use antihistamines is in the form of lozenges containing diphenhydramine, such as Benalet lozenge, for example, as they help to relieve irritation or pain in the throat caused by pharyngitis, and can be used for allergic, viral or bacterial pharyngitis. The tablets are not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women. See other lozenge options for sore throats.
Antihistamines should be used under medical advice, for treatment duration and individual doses.
5. Local anesthetics
Local anesthetics in the form of lozenges, such as benzocaine, help relieve sore throat or difficulty swallowing caused by pharyngitis.
Generally, local anesthetics have other associated substances, such as cetylpyridinium chloride, which has antiseptic properties and is therefore indicated for quick and temporary relief of pain and irritation in the throat caused by inflammation in the pharynx.
Home Treatment Options
Some home treatment options for pharyngitis, such as ginger tea or peppermint tea, for example, can be used to complement the treatment recommended by your doctor, as they have anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve inflammation in the pharynx and the sore throat.
In addition, you should eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in selenium, zinc, vitamin C and E and omega 3, such as Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, oysters, salmon, sardines, linseed, oranges, pineapple, hazelnuts or almonds, for example, which are foods that help reduce inflammation in the pharynx and strengthen the immune system. Check out the complete list of anti-inflammatory foods.
It is important to emphasize that the use of these, or any other natural treatment, should not replace the medicines recommended by the doctor, being just a way to help alleviate symptoms more quickly.
