Sore Throat Specialist
Quality First Family Health
Ebony Washington, FNP-BC
Family Practice located in Humble, TX
Sore throats are a common symptom of all manner of health problems, from throat infections, colds, and flu to digestive and sleeping disorders. At Quality First Family Health in Humble, Texas, practice founder Ebony Washington, FNP-BC, provides care and advice for all members of your family when they have a sore throat, no matter the cause. Call Quality First Family Health today for more information or book an appointment online. They accept cash and cards but prefer cash payments.
Sore Throat Q & A
What causes a sore throat?
Sore throats are a very common symptom that can have many different causes. They’re often due to upper respiratory tract infections like colds and flu, or diseases that target the throat, like tonsillitis, laryngitis, and strep throat.
Sore throats can also be a symptom of problems like sleep apnea, which causes you to sleep with your mouth open. This makes your esophagus dry out, and you wake up in the morning with a sore throat.
Another common cause of a sore throat is acid reflux or heartburn, and the chronic form of this problem, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). The strong stomach acid that comes up your esophagus can irritate your throat and even burn it, giving you a sore throat.
What can diagnose a sore throat?
Ebony at Quality First Family Health can diagnose common causes of sore throats by carrying out a physical exam and looking down your throat. For example, she can see if you have enlarged tonsils or white spots in your throat that would indicate infection.
Ebony also asks you about other symptoms you have and relevant lifestyle information that could help, like whether you smoke and what your diet’s like.
If you have an upper respiratory tract infection, you could well have symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, and a cough. Unless the infection is very mild, you might have a raised temperature or fever as well.
If there’s any doubt about the cause of your sore throat, or Ebony needs to identify the exact type of infection in order to prescribe the most appropriate medication, she might do a blood test or take a swab from your throat for analysis.
What’s the best treatment for a sore throat?
If your sore throat is due to a viral infection, the best treatment is rest and self-care. You can also use anti-inflammatory medication and over-the-counter remedies for sore throats if they ease the discomfort.
In a few days, your body should kill off the virus that’s causing the sore throat, and you’ll make a full recovery.
If the sore throat is due to a bacterial infection, as is strep throat, you might need a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics don’t have any effect on viruses, but the right antibiotic used correctly can cure a bacterial sore throat.
If your sore throat is due to an underlying condition like GERD or sleep apnea, it’s important to treat the cause. Both these conditions can lead to life-threatening complications as well as a sore throat, so don’t dismiss a chronic or recurring sore throat as nothing to worry about.
If you have a sore throat, call Quality First Family Health today or book an appointment online.
