Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment Of A Sore Throat

4. Treating Viral Infections

Viral infections usually do not require medical treatment as symptoms tend to get better on their own within five to seven days. During this time, over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen are available to treat pain and fever. Be cautious if giving aspirin to teenagers or children as aspirin has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, which is a rare but life-threatening condition that causes brain swelling, liver damage, and confusion. Aspirin should never be given to children who are recovering from the flu or chickenpox.

3. Treating Bacterial Infections

Bacterial infections such as strep throat are treated with antibiotics prescribed by a doctor only after a throat swab and proper diagnosis have been made. It is important to take the full round of antibiotics even if symptoms disappear as the infection may not be fully cleared. This can cause worsening of symptoms and may allow the virus to spread to other areas of the body. Children who do not take the full round of antibiotics for strep throat are at an increased risk of kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever.