Viral tonsillitis: treatment, causes, symptoms


What is viral sore throat?

Most often, viral tonsillitis develops in the autumn , when human immunity is at its lowest.
During the development of the disease, pathogenic viruses that enter the body settle on the palate and tonsils, causing inflammatory processes .

Reference! Unlike bacterial and infectious forms, which are caused by microorganisms already present in the body, viral tonsillitis is caused exclusively by microflora penetrating from the outside.

Since the likelihood of developing a viral form increases significantly in patients with problems with the immune system, it is not surprising that the pathology primarily affects children, since their body’s defense mechanisms are not yet well developed.

Viral tonsillitis usually occurs in an acute form and is less dangerous than any other types of disease , since it is easier to treat, and this disease does not leave serious consequences even after delayed and not very successful treatment.

Symptoms

Let's consider what signs are inherent in viral tonsillitis.

  • The throat turns red, which can be observed with the naked eye.
  • A mucous coating forms on the tonsils, and sputum with an unpleasant odor appears.
  • Sore throat, discomfort when swallowing.
  • Possible increase in temperature.
  • Viral tonsillitis is often accompanied by a runny nose; in addition, sometimes there is pain in the ears, they can even become blocked.
  • The lymph nodes under the jaw are enlarged.
  • If the disease affects a child, the symptoms are aggravated by abdominal pain. Often the baby may complain of a headache.

On video, detection of viral tonsillitis:

Unlike bacterial tonsillitis, viral tonsillitis does not form ulcers on the tonsils. Also, swelling of the larynx and enlargement of the tonsils are not inherent in the viral type of disease.

But if you or your child have been diagnosed with viral tonsillitis, this does not mean that you are not now at risk of bacterial tonsillitis. A bacterial infection may well join a viral one, but a little later. If this happens, ulcers will appear on the tonsils, and the throat will noticeably swell. In addition to these signs, a blood test will show an increase in the number of white blood cells.

Types of virus

Viral tonsillitis can be caused by microorganisms such as:

  • adenovirus;
  • herpes virus;
  • Epstein-Barr virus;
  • enterovirus;
  • cytomegolovirus, etc.

How to figure out, during an external examination of the tonsils, what type of virus has infected a person.

If the culprit of the disease is the herpes virus or a common enterovirus, then small rashes in the form of blisters can be seen on the tonsils. After some time, the bubbles burst, forming wounds.

If viral tonsillitis is caused by rubella, scarlet fever or influenza viruses, there will be no rashes, and the throat will simply become uniformly red.

In the case of tonsillitis caused by rubella, the throat will also first turn red, and then pinkish spots characteristic of this disease will appear on it.

How to diagnose

In order to understand what pathogen - bacterial or viral - has attacked your body, you need to go to see a doctor. Only a specialist with professional experience, knowledge and appropriate equipment can reliably establish an accurate diagnosis.

In addition, for ordinary people, sore throat, tonsillitis or some other inflammation of the throat is about the same thing. Accordingly, they will treat the emerging disease using proven methods. And this is very dangerous: if treated incorrectly, the disease can progress and cause complications. Also read how a sore throat differs from tonsillitis.

Video symptoms and treatment of viral tonsillitis:

The doctor will take a swab from the throat for bacteriological examination and accurately determine the causes of the disease and its causative agent. And the prescribed treatment will be fully consistent with the nature of the disease.

How chronic tonsillitis is treated without removing the tonsils, and how dangerous it is for health, is indicated in this article.

But this information will help you understand how to treat tonsillitis during pregnancy, and what home remedies are the most effective.

What effective medicine for tonsillitis should be used first, and how to choose it, is indicated here in the article:

But how acute purulent tonsillitis is treated, and what medications are the best in this matter, is described in detail in this article.

Causes of the disease

The causative agents of viral sore throat can be the following pathogenic microorganisms that enter the body:

  • adenoviruses;
  • rhinoviruses;
  • enteroviruses;
  • measles pathogens;
  • flu;
  • Epstein-Barr virus.

Note! In the latter case, the disease is most severely tolerated by patients of any age, and complications occur more often, affecting vital organs and systems of the body.

Symptoms of viral sore throat

Usually in the first stages, viral sore throat is difficult to distinguish from any cold , as the following characteristic primary symptoms appear:

  • painful sensations and sore throat;
  • increase in body temperature to 39-40 degrees ;
  • enlarged submandibular lymph nodes;
  • decreased appetite;
  • increased salivation;
  • fever and chills;
  • aches in joints and muscles.

Such signs are observed during approximately the first two days, after which secondary symptoms develop such as hoarseness, cough, runny nose, redness and swelling of the tonsils and the formation of small purulent blisters on them.

Characteristic symptoms

The main signs of viral sore throat in adults appear as redness of the back of the throat, enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes, and the appearance of white nodules or yellow plaque on the tonsils. also possible for body temperature to rise to 38.5 degrees, but often this symptom does not appear . Increased body temperature occurs more often in children.

Important. A person experiences a sore throat when swallowing and talking, a cough, a sore throat, headaches, stomach cramps, and irritability.

In addition to the main signs, there are a number of symptoms characteristic only of a certain type of viral sore throat:

  1. Lacunar tonsillitis. During this type of illness, the main symptoms appear in severe form. The tonsils turn red, pain occurs in the heart area, sleep is disturbed, and the person becomes irritable.
  2. Catarrhal. The mildest form of viral sore throat. During it, there is aching in the muscles and bones, the throat is sore and dry, and the secretion of saliva increases. It hurts for a person to swallow.
  3. Ulcerative film . This type of sore throat is not characterized by general intoxication of the body. But a purulent plaque with a specific unpleasant odor forms on the tonsils and throughout the oral cavity. In addition, loose ulcers appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth, which cause even greater discomfort to the person.
  4. Follicular. An inflammatory process occurs in the tonsils with the formation of pus. The nasal passages become swollen and breathing becomes difficult. The person experiences chills and often a sharp rise in temperature.
  5. Herpetic sore throat. The most dangerous type of viral sore throat, which can often turn into mass infection. The main causative agent is the Coxsackie virus, which is most dangerous for children under 3 years of age. In this case, infection can occur not only from a person with pronounced symptoms, but also from the so-called carrier of the virus. The route of transmission of herpetic sore throat is oral and fecal.

To determine the type of sore throat at home, you need to focus on a symptom such as body temperature. If an adult’s temperature rises sharply to 39 degrees or higher, then this is not a viral sore throat. Viral sore throat is characterized by an increase in temperature to a maximum of 38.5 degrees.

Differences between viral and bacterial sore throat

Important! A particular difficulty in diagnosing infectious tonsillitis is the fact that the disease’s symptoms are similar to the bacterial form of tonsillitis.
Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the signs of these, although similar to each other, but different when thoroughly studying the disease:

  1. With bacterial sore throat, there is no runny nose and cough, characteristic of the viral form .
  2. Lymph nodes with an infectious form of the disease do not always enlarge and not so much , which cannot be said about bacterial sore throat.
  3. Tonsils with viral tonsillitis almost never become covered with pus , but at the same time they significantly increase in size and turn red. If the disease develops against the background of bacterial damage, the opposite picture is observed when the tonsils remain almost unchanged even in the presence of inflammatory processes. But at the same time they become covered with a continuous purulent film, or small pinpoint ulcers develop on the affected areas.
  4. The posterior wall of the larynx changes its color and size when affected by infection , but practically does not react to bacterial microflora.

Symptoms and treatment of viral sore throat in children and adults. Unpleasant consequences of the disease

symptoms of viral tonsillitis
Viral tonsillitis (also known as viral tonsillitis) is a disease in which the tonsils become inflamed. Its main difference from bacterial tonsillitis is the pathogen, which can be represented by rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, herpes simplex virus and any others.

Of course, only a professional can distinguish a viral sore throat from a bacterial one, and also prescribe the appropriate treatment. It’s not worth the risk: untreated sore throat, regardless of its nature - viral or bacterial, can cause serious complications, including chronic severe diseases.

Symptoms and hallmarks

The first symptom that begins to bother the sick person is redness of the throat and pain in the larynx. A popular method for distinguishing a sore throat, including a viral one, from other acute respiratory infections is pain when swallowing.

The patient's lymph nodes enlarge almost immediately, his appetite disappears, and he is haunted by severe headaches and aches in the joints. Another symptom of viral sore throat is severe irritability and nervousness.

The virus can cause indigestion, severe, prolonged diarrhea, and in some cases, vomiting, which is noticeably painful for an already sore throat. Viral tonsillitis in children manifests itself in whims atypical for a child, causeless tears or general lethargy and weakness even in fidgets. And, while adults can force themselves to swallow at least some food, realizing that the body needs strength to recover, children often flatly refuse to eat, citing severe pain in the throat and the feeling of the presence of a foreign sharp body in it.

Body temperature may remain unchanged, and if it rises, it is not much, usually up to a maximum of 38.8 degrees. Symptoms of a viral sore throat may appear after the typical symptoms of ARVI - cough and runny nose.

Additional signs characteristic of the viral type of disease are a hoarse voice and conjunctivitis. When examining the throat, the doctor reveals several more symptoms: severe redness of the throat, a slight yellowish or whitish coating, and sometimes small bubbles up to 5 mm in diameter, which, when bursting, form small ulcers.

Although viral tonsillitis is considered less dangerous than bacterial tonsillitis, in some cases, for example, when it is caused by an enterovirus or the Epstein-Barr virus, medical care is simply necessary, as it will help avoid serious consequences.

Causes of the disease

Sore throat, caused by various types of viruses, spreads much faster in the cold season. Cases of infection become more frequent at the very beginning of November, when the human body does not have time to wean itself from the heat and adapt to the new temperature regime.

Spring warming in March or April is also a time for viral sore throats, as people tired of too heavy winter clothes change them to light jackets and raincoats too early and risk catching a cold and catching the virus. In the winter months, people spend much more time indoors, in direct contact with each other, and the virus, which is quite easily transmitted by airborne droplets, affects those whose immunity is weakened at the moment under the influence of factors such as hypothermia, fatigue, general health status.

Causes of viral sore throat such as drinking cold drinks in the cold or eating ice cream in excess even in the heat are indirect. All this can create favorable conditions for the virus in the larynx.

Those who have constant contact with the patient or his personal belongings, which pose a danger to healthy people, are also at risk. The patient's utensils and hygiene items must be their own, belonging only to him, and after any touching of them, hands must be thoroughly washed.

Treatment methods


Antibiotics are not able to cope with viral tonsillitis - this is noted by both doctors and those who have had viral tonsillitis, in some cases more than once. Since such drugs themselves cause significant harm to the body, just for this reason it is still worth checking with the doctor what exactly caused the disease that affected the patient, viruses or bacteria.

Treatment of viral sore throat must be comprehensive. It includes the following components:

- complete rest and bed rest. Study and work should be postponed until complete recovery, which will come quite soon if you allow yourself to rest well. A viral sore throat transmitted to the legs takes a long time to resolve and often gives complications, which, in turn, will certainly force the patient to go to bed and be treated as expected. It’s better to take advantage of, albeit forced, rest, get some sleep and at the same time strengthen your immune system. restoration of immunity. Even if you are sick, you can take certain measures to strengthen your immune system. Of course, hardening will have to be postponed until better times, and the inclusion of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet, as well as other sources of vitamins, including medications, will significantly speed up the recovery process. Sweet, spicy and heavy foods should be limited during illness. Digesting them requires additional strength, some of them can irritate the throat quite strongly, and sugar itself is an excellent environment for the development of pathogenic viruses and bacteria. - gargling. The traditional and most popular method of treating sore throat involves the use of decoctions and infusions of herbs - chamomile, sage, plantain and mint, as well as a saline solution with the addition of iodine. Almost every family has its own recipes - and, as a rule, they are quite successful in washing and disinfecting a sore throat. It is important to remember that the water for rinsing must be warm, but in no case scalding hot. - drinking plenty of fluids. A sufficient amount of moisture will help the body quickly cope with the infection and remove more toxins through urine. The ideal drink for patients with viral sore throat, both children and adults, is warm homemade berry fruit drinks, which contain a lot of vitamin C or jelly, which soften the throat and relieve pain. Tea lovers are advised to add a slice of lemon and honey to it, but it is better to avoid coffee - this drink will not bring any practical benefit to viral tonsillitis; moreover, it stimulates excessive nervous activity, which is contraindicated for the patient. - compresses. A warm compress applied to the neck accelerates blood circulation, relieves pain and is an additional method of treating viral sore throat. The compress is a kind of traditional medicine’s answer to the question of how to treat viral tonsillitis, along with rinsing. It is usually prepared from fairly accessible ingredients - cabbage leaves dipped in boiling water, crushed boiled potatoes or honey, vodka and flour. The prepared mass is placed in cling film, wrapped in gauze, a towel and fixed on the patient’s neck with a warm scarf. - medications. For viral sore throat, they are used to relieve symptoms of the disease. These could be painkillers, antipyretic medications that do not cause allergies, or throat sprays. It is not recommended to give aspirin and alcohol tinctures to children. The most important condition in the treatment of viral sore throat is regularity. You should gargle and make compresses, as well as take medications according to a specific schedule, at regular intervals. Then, after 10-12 days, there will be no trace left of the symptoms of a viral sore throat.

Possible complications

There is an opinion that viral tonsillitis is the mildest of all forms of tonsillitis, so many people take the process of its treatment lightly. Most patients do not consider it necessary to see a doctor and go to the hospital only when the complications of a viral sore throat become impossible to ignore.

Any inflammatory processes in the throat are quite insidious phenomena: the fact is that the course of the disease, mild or severe, does not in any way affect the likelihood of complications. The body, weakened by the virus that has penetrated it, loses the ability to resist bacterial infections: streptococcus, staphylococcus and pneumococcus.

The affected tonsils are not able to “hold the line” and the infection can spread to other organs located both close to the larynx and quite far from it.

The most common complication in children is a retropharyngeal abscess. Its main symptom is severe pain in the throat, worsening when opening the mouth. This is a very dangerous disease, since when the abscess ruptures, pus penetrates into the posterior mediastinum and posterior mediastinitis develops, which can lead to cardiovascular failure and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Complications after viral tonsillitis include inflammation of organs such as the tissue of the neck, lymph nodes, middle ear, and parotid salivary gland. An infection that spreads from the tonsils into the blood and lymph can affect the heart, kidneys and joints. Timely diagnosis and accurate implementation of specialist recommendations will help to avoid the occurrence of chronic diseases against the background of viral sore throat.

Features of the disease in children

In addition to the characteristic general symptoms of infectious sore throat in children, additional signs can be found in the form of decreased appetite and symptoms of intoxication and disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea, nausea and vomiting).

If the cause of the development of the disease is the Coxsackie virus, on about the third day ulcerations can be found on the surfaces of the laryngeal mucosa , which soon burst, releasing purulent contents.

Treatment methods for viral tonsillitis

The formation of a therapeutic course when diagnosing this type of disease in a patient depends on which particular strain of the microorganism was sown during a laboratory study of the mucous membrane of the tonsils and throat. In general, the following treatment methods are used in accordance with the age category of the patient.

In children

For a child’s body, medications are selected individually, depending on how old the little patient is. Its weight, rate of development, and the presence or absence of a tendency to allergic reactions, which is a fairly common phenomenon in young children, are also of great importance. Therefore, in the treatment of viral tonsillitis, gentle drugs and methods of therapy are used, which include the following manipulations:

  • rinsing the mouth and the surface of the tonsils with antiseptic solutions of Miramistin, Chlorophyllipt, Propolis, tea tree essential oil, Chlorhexidine (these are universal solutions for combating any form of tonsillitis, ideal for children due to the minimal number of side properties);
  • antiviral drugs Amantadine, Adapromin, Grippferon, Influcid, Panavir (medicines are available both in the form of tablets and as intramuscular injections, which makes the treatment process as effective as possible);
  • lubricating the surface of the tonsils with Lugol's solution (also a drug that effectively resists bacterial and viral infections that parasitize the tissues of the tonsils of children).

Depending on the clinical picture of the development of the disease, the attending otolaryngologist can select other medications and methods of therapy in order to achieve the most positive result in a short period of time.

In adults

In patients of the adult age group, the principle of treatment of viral tonsillitis is based on the same principles as in children, but stronger antiviral drugs are used, namely:

  • Poludan;
  • Reaferon-EC;
  • Remantadine;
  • Triazavirin;
  • Ergoferon;
  • Cytovir-3.

Other methods of treatment also consist of rinsing the surface of the throat and directly the tonsils with the same antiseptic solutions, which for many years have demonstrated high levels of effectiveness in the fight against enteroviral tonsillitis in adults and children.

Diagnostics

Viral sore throat is dangerous due to its complications in the absence of a competent approach to treatment.

To do this, it is first necessary to determine the causative agent of the disease, after which appropriate drug therapy is prescribed .

To do this, a specialist can resort to the following diagnostic complex:

  1. Performing a pharyngoscopy procedure .
  2. External examination of the lymph nodes by palpation.
  3. Electrocardiographic procedures (performed only if complications are obvious).
  4. General blood analysis .
  5. Diagnosis of serological type.
  6. Taking a swab from the mouth .

All this allows you to find out exactly what type of virus caused the disease, after which adequate treatment can be prescribed.

Drug treatment

Treatment of tonsillitis with medications and antibiotics

For tonsillitis caused by a virus, the underlying disease is treated first. Most often these are ARVI and influenza. For treatment, a variety of antiviral drugs are used, which can only be correctly selected and prescribed by a doctor, as well as indirect-acting drugs - antihistamines, vitamins, especially C and group B, immunostimulants and immunomodulators, restoratives, painkillers and other medications. Only a doctor can give the correct treatment regimen, so at the first signs of the disease you need to seek help from the hospital and take a smear for analysis. It will show what pathogen caused the disease and help you quickly find the right treatment.

Local methods for the early stages of angina are very effective. These are rinses, inhalations, lubricants of the throat and disinfectants in the form of sprays. Various physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed for complete recovery from the disease.

In cases where it is known for sure that viral tonsillitis is occurring, antibiotic treatment is not prescribed, since it is not only pointless, but can also be harmful to health. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics.

Antibiotics are introduced into the course of treatment if a secondary infection of a bacterial nature has occurred.

The prescription and choice of an antibiotic can only be made by a doctor, based on the patient’s health condition and the appropriateness of using such a drug. The latest generation of antibiotics are most often used; they have the least side effects and are well tolerated by patients. They are usually prescribed if other drugs do not give the desired effect within 2 to 3 days of use. The most commonly prescribed drugs are cephalosporins and penicillin drugs. Pathogens are resistant to other types of antibiotics. Proper treatment and compliance with all medical recommendations will help you get rid of a dangerous and serious disease – viral tonsillitis – as quickly as possible.

Tonsillitis: main signs and forms of the disease

How to treat viral sore throat in adults and children?

Since viral tonsillitis is caused by microorganisms resistant to antimicrobial drugs, antibiotics are not used even as an addition to the main course, since they are completely ineffective .

First of all, with this form of the disease, it is necessary to adhere to general treatment recommendations (in particular, these rules must be followed by the patient himself):

  1. The patient should be provided with complete rest . It is important to adhere to bed rest, and during illness you need to take sick leave (for children, stop attending school or kindergarten).
  2. To relieve symptoms, gargling with herbal decoctions is allowed , and this is the only acceptable traditional medicine that relieves the symptoms of the disease, but it cannot become the main one.
  3. Treatment with antibiotics not only does not produce results, but also worsens the picture of the disease as a whole, since such drugs are powerless against viruses, but destroy the beneficial intestinal microflora, causing digestive disorders.

Remember! The main course of treatment for viral tonsillitis should be aimed at producing antibodies in the body aimed at destroying pathogens.

These medications include neovir, kagoecl, cycloferon (for adults), anaferon in tablet form, viferon, cyclovir-3 (for children).

Antipyretic drugs should be used only in cases where the temperature rises to 39 degrees or higher.

In general, a high temperature indicates that the body has activated defense mechanisms and is independently fighting viruses, and we can talk about a pathological increase only when it exceeds the norm by two or more degrees.

If there is still a need to bring down the temperature , it is recommended to use aspirin and paracetamol , but instead of these medications, it is better for children to give Nurofen, Cefekon or Ibuprofen , which have fewer side effects.

Adult patients are required to take rehydron (to reduce the risk of dehydration) and amixin (as an immunomodulatory drug).

The child has

When treating viral tonsillitis in children, the following drugs can be used:

  • fenistil, zyrtec and zodak (antihistamines to relieve swelling and inflammation);
  • Travesil, Lizobakt and Faringosept (antiseptics);
  • gargling with soda-salt solutions or furatsilin to relieve inflammation and wash away pathogenic microorganisms from affected surfaces;
  • irrigating the throat with antiseptic sprays (Hexoral, Tantum Verde).

Need to know! Regardless of age, during treatment you can additionally take vitamin complexes that will help strengthen the immune system and speed up the healing process.

With favorable prognosis, treatment will not take more than two weeks, and possible negative consequences and complications of viral tonsillitis are almost completely eliminated.

Features of treatment

Sometimes doctors joke that viral tonsillitis in adults with treatment goes away in exactly the same period as without it. There is some truth in this, given the lack of specific means of control. The main treatment is aimed at combating symptoms and maintaining the body. Some people do without medication at all. This is the main difference between the viral form and the bacterial one, in which it is usually impossible to do without an antibiotic. At the same time, it is difficult to treat without medications for people with chronic diseases, as well as in severe cases.

Once the virus enters the body and begins to multiply, it can no longer be eliminated with medications. It takes a certain time (usually 3-4 days) for the body to begin producing antibodies. After this, the disease will subside. If the doctor has diagnosed viral tonsillitis, treatment comes down to the following measures:

  • Increase fluid intake. Moisture will help normalize thermoregulation, improve the hydration of the mucous membrane, and help speed up the regeneration of the tissues of the tonsils and nasopharynx. In addition, the liquid removes toxins from the body.
  • Provide a comfortable environment for the patient. The air in the room should be cool (20-22 degrees), humidity - about 60%. At the same time, the patient should be warm. The room must be periodically ventilated and wet cleaned.
  • Limit physical activity. At high temperatures, any load is contraindicated. Once recovery begins, you can take short walks in favorable weather.

the child is sick

The most problems usually arise with nutrition. While the disease is “gaining strength” its symptoms appear most clearly. Sore throat, high temperature, lack of strength - all this does not contribute to the appearance of appetite. The patient should not be forced to eat. Meals for viral sore throat should be fractional, portions should be small. Preference should be given to liquid foods, stewed or baked vegetables, and cereals. It is better to avoid fried and spicy foods. The disease negatively affects the liver, so loading it with heavy food can only worsen your condition. Food should be eaten warm so as not to irritate the mucous membranes with cold or too hot dishes.

When treating sore throat in adults, it is not necessary to adhere to bed rest. It is needed only in the acute stage, when the signs of illness are the strongest. Once you feel relieved, don’t immediately rush to work. At the same time, short walks and simple household chores are quite within the capabilities of a recovering person. It is best to focus on your feelings.

How to treat a child?

Many mothers do not understand that treatment for viral sore throat in children can be done without an antibiotic. They want to save the child from the disease as quickly as possible. Often they even accuse the doctor of unwillingness and inability to treat correctly. In this situation, we can advise you not to panic and trust your doctor. Acting together with a specialist, parents will help the child cope with the disease and prevent the occurrence of complications.

To treat viral sore throat in children, doctors usually use the same drugs as for adults. The only difference is in the dosage and frequency of administration. Some forms are produced specifically for children, for example in the form of candles and syrups. The choice of drugs depends on the presence of certain symptoms and the strength of their manifestation.

If a child's temperature rises above 38.5 degrees, he is given an antipyretic. This could be Nurofen, Paracetamol, Efferalgan. The temperature should not be lowered so as not to disrupt the functioning of the immune system. Nurofen is distinguished by its duration of action, Efferalgan is considered the safest drug.

the girl has a sore throat

Antipyretics usually have an analgesic effect. Therefore, they also help to cope with severe sore throat. Additionally, you can dissolve lozenges, lozenges, tablets - Hexoral, Theraflu, Strepsils. Rinsing will help moisturize the mucous membrane and remove plaque from it. The main thing is that the liquid is warm. In children, treatment with sprays is permissible only from 3 years of age. For enlarged, swollen tonsils, the doctor prescribes an antihistamine - Suprastin, Loratadine.

If a child’s viral sore throat is caused by the flu, then specific drugs can be used against it. These include:

  • Tamiflu – contains oseltamivir;
  • Relenza contains zanamivir.

Their use can significantly reduce the time to recovery. It is important to start drinking them in the first two days of illness. Under the influence of these drugs, symptoms become less pronounced, and complications are less likely to develop. They will only help with the flu; they are powerless against other viruses. Until recently, doctors recommended taking Remantadine for the flu. However, viruses have adapted to it, and the drug has many similar effects.

Useless means

There is a list of drugs with which the treatment of viral sore throat is absolutely pointless. The first in this series are antibiotics. They have no effect on viruses, but can cause serious consequences and provoke the development of a fungal infection. Homeopathy is also powerless against the virus.

The statement about the effectiveness of immunomodulators is controversial. They supposedly stimulate the production of interferon. However, this statement has not been confirmed by tests. Traditional medicine will only help with symptoms. You can gargle with herbal decoctions, drink them as a diaphoretic or anti-inflammatory.

oral examination

Prevention

You can avoid the development of a viral form of sore throat by following the following preventive rules:

  • include more healthy foods in your diet and refrain from excessive consumption of synthetic foods and alcoholic beverages;
  • constantly monitor the state of your immune system and, if necessary, take vitamin complexes to strengthen defense mechanisms (especially in the spring, when the risk of developing vitamin deficiency increases, and in the fall);
  • regularly ventilate the room and do wet cleaning (these measures will help avoid the accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms in the rooms);
  • avoid hypothermia (dress appropriately for the weather, do not sit directly under the air conditioner and do not drink supercooled drinks);
  • pay special attention to the rules of personal hygiene , especially if you have to be in the same room with a patient with any infectious and viral diseases transmitted by contact or airborne droplets;
  • avoid public places during epidemics of influenza and other infectious diseases , and if this cannot be avoided, wear a protective mask.
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