Home Remedies For Strep Throat
Author: Sharon Hopkins

Sore throat ailment is widespread during winter months and
viral outbreaks. Signaling the onset of cold or flu, it is
preceded by sneezing, coughing, runny nose, pain in the throat
and fatigue.

Chamomile tea had every few hours will ease the pain and reduce
inflammation. Sage is beneficial in treating throat pains by
reducing inflammations and protects the membranes of the mouth
and throat, while garlic is a natural antibiotic helpful in
speedy recovery and removal of bacteria in case of sore throat
caused by flue or bacterial infection. Beside the above
alternatives, one should take proper rest; drink extra fluids
and gargle twice or thrice a day with warm salt water.

Strep throat is a contagious infection of the pharynx (throat)
by the streptococcal bacteria, resulting in pain and
inflammation. Symptoms of strep throat are sore throat, pain
during swallowing of foods, headache, fever, general ill
feeling, appetite loss, ear pain especially when swallowing,
tender or swollen red glands in the neck, tonsil swelling,
redness, and infection. The infection spreads through saliva
and nasal secretions through coughing, sneezing, and touching.
Strep throat is caused by person to person contact with an
infected individual. Strep throat occurs most commonly in
children between the ages of 5 and 15, but it affects people of
all ages.

Strep throat if left untreated can cause complications such as
tonsillitis, sinusitis, ear infection, fever and rashes,
inflammation of kidney and rheumatic fever.

Strep throat can be prevented with proper hygiene. Proper
cleaning of hands prevents all kinds of infection. Hence it is
important to clean your hands every time it gets dirty and also
teach the same to your children. Educate on your children on
covering their mouths while coughing or sneezing. Despite take
care, if you or your child still gets infected, none should use
the same utensils, drinking glasses or share any other common
sources of infection transmission.

Doctors will prescribe antibiotics when the condition gets
worse, though one still has to take utmost self care.

- Getting plenty of rest and sleep helps to fight body
infection.

- By drinking plenty of water the throat is lubricated, moist,
eases swallowing and prevents dehydration.

- Eat foods such as soups, cooked cereals, mashed potatoes,
soft fruits, yogurt and soft-cooked eggs as they are easy on a
sore throat.

- Cold foods such as frozen yoghurts, fruit popsicles are also
soothing. It is ideal to avoid spicy and acidic foods.

- Gargling with warm salt water several times a day helps to
relieve throat pain.

- A cool mist humidifier will put more moisture in the air,
making sticky, dry, irritated throats feel better.

- Saline nasal sprays also help to keep mucous membranes moist.


- Irritants such as smoke, pollution, paint or products with
strong odor and smell can irritate the throat, lungs and
increase the likelihood of infection.

- Warm soaks will soothe throat pain as well, and reduce
inflammation to glands.

- Sage taken in a pill or tincture form will reduce the
inflammation in the throat and ear areas.

- Garlic is also effective for speedy recovery and removal of
bacteria with its natural antibiotic properties.

The reader of this article should exercise all precautions
while following instructions on the recipes from this article.
Avoid using if you are allergic to something. The
responsibility lies with the reader, not the site, and the
writer.


About The Author: Sharon Hopkins manages number of home
remedies sites like http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com. Strep
throat though common in children, affects people of all age
groups. Read on know the causes, symptoms and home based cures
for strep throat.