Dr Osazuwa Innocent, a Medical Officer with Benin-based Calvary Estate Hospital, Edo, says sore throat can lead to other complications in human body, if not treated immediately.
Innocent told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Benin that sore throat is a painful, dry and scratchy feeling in the human throat.
According to him, most sore throats are either caused by infection from cold, flu and other viral infections, allergies, smoke, chemicals, irritants, tumour and injury or by environmental factors like dry air.
“Although sore throat can be uncomfortable and can lead to other complications in the human body if not treated within seven to 10 days of it been noticed.
“Majority of people have sore throat when they want to fall sick; it usually comes as a sign,” he said.
While saying that the ailment could be treated at home, he advised anyone with sore throat to get plenty of rest to allow the body immune system a chance to fight the infection.
The physician suggested some ways to get relief from the ailment including use of gargle with a mixture of warm water, half to one teaspoon of salt, drink warm liquid that felt soothing to the throat, such as hot tea with honey.
Innocent also prescribed soup broth, warm water with lemon, cooling of the throat by eating cold treat like a popsicle or ice cream and suck on a piece of hard candy or a lozenge as a cure.
He listed some of the symptoms of sore throat to include nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, cough, fever, chills, swollen glands in the neck and loss of appetite. (NAN)