Sore throat in pregnancy. What helps with severe pain when swallowing?
Pregnancy is a unique period in a woman's life, but despite the many benefits it brings, certain challenges are part of this life phase, often in the form of bacterial infections. Pregnancy cannot protect a woman from them, which means that such an ordinary sore throat becomes an inseparable part of pregnancy.
Author:Sarah Johnson
Updated: 04.12.2023
In the article, we summarized the most suitable forms of treatment for pregnancy sore throat, while we focused mainly on classical treatment, which a woman can perform on her own at home, without burdening the body with unnecessary clinical drugs.
Sore throat or tonsils
The symptoms of a sore throat are known to almost every mortal. This annoying disease is mainly manifested by a scratchy and dry feeling in the throat, problems with swallowing, fatigue and malaise, which can be "breathed out" normally, but this does not necessarily mean that this condition does not bother us. During pregnancy, however, due to hormonal changes that weaken immunity, a woman is more susceptible to various types of infections and irritations in the throat area, which can lead to more serious inflammation of the pharynx.
While in many cases it is possible to treat a sore throat with home remedies, inflamed tonsils often signal a much more serious problem that needs to be addressed by visiting a doctor. Inflamed tonsils are manifested by a visible coating on this area of the human body, while the mucus that a person coughs up due to inflammation of the tonsils usually has a pinkish color. Breathing or swallowing can also be difficult.
The fact remains that if you are not 100% sure whether you are suffering from a common sore throat or the infection has spread to your tonsils, we recommend a visit to a doctor who will determine the exact cause of your symptoms so that they can prescribe the necessary treatment.
Preventive measures against sore throat
From the point of view of prevention, a healthy lifestyle in the form of compliance with the drinking regime and sufficient fruit intake will definitely play a large role, while this preventive measure mainly affects the hydration of the body. It is this aspect that determines the level of infection risk to which a pregnant woman's body is exposed.
As for diet, during pregnancy you should include foods with a high content of the necessary vitamins and minerals, as well as proteins and fiber, in your diet. A balanced diet not only affects the susceptibility of a pregnant woman's body to disease and viruses, but also the healthy development of the fetus.
What works for a sore throat in pregnancy?
As is the case with diseases, the best medicine is sleep and enough rest. But what to do when rest, regular ventilation of rooms or liquids do not help? If a sore throat becomes a reality for a pregnant woman, there are several home remedies that can be applied the moment you feel a scratchy throat. We are talking about self-help treatment, because antibiotics, and therefore medications prescribed by doctors, can have harmful effects for both the mother and the unborn child. This form of treatment is therefore recommended to be avoided as long as the pregnant woman's health allows.
Gargling of throat with warm salt water
The basic first aid for an irritated and inflamed throat is gargling, and it is best to use warm salt water for this action. You can mix the preparation either with the help of ordinary or sea salt. This treatment method helps to flush out bacteria and germs in the throat, but also to alleviate the symptoms of an inflamed throat, which, in combination with other methods of treatment, can lead to a substantial improvement in health.
In addition to warm water, various types of tea can also be used for gargling. You can also prepare a homemade decoction for gargling by infusing motherwort and rapeseed in boiling water. Then let this tea cool until it is lukewarm. Such a temperature is the most suitable for gargling.
Intake of fluids and a healthy diet
Sore throat is characterized by dryness in the throat, which can greatly affect the intake of sufficient fluids. The most suitable way to hydrate the body at the time of sore throat is either pure water or various healing teas, among which, of course, rapeseed or sorghum tea must not be missing. These medicinal plants are characterized by their anti-inflammatory abilities, and unlike gargling, they penetrate the entire throat in the form of tea, and thus can eliminate a greater number of pathogens. When you are sick, you should definitely limit your intake of caffeine and sugary drinks.
From the point of view of eating habits, your diet should mainly be dominated by foods in the form of fresh vegetables and fruits, while the best medicine is chicken broth. Chicken soup increases the level of zinc and substances with antibacterial effects in the body of a pregnant woman. The effect of the chicken stock will increase rapidly if you finely chop a clove of garlic into it before eating.
You can also use garlic separately in the form of two or three cloves. It serves as a natural antibiotic to eliminate bacteria and viruses, while enriching the body of a pregnant woman not only with vitamin B, but also with various minerals, such as silicon and iodine. During pregnancy, garlic also acts as a prevention against the formation of thrombosis, but it also has positive effects on blood pressure and intestinal microflora.
Honey and its panacea function
Honey is popular not only because of its wonderful sweet taste, but also because of its healing and anti-inflammatory effects. The intake of honey also increases the level of vitamins and minerals such as iron, as a result of which the immunity of a pregnant woman improves. The most popular form of consuming this sweet panacea is as a sweetener in warmed milk or hot herbal tea. Honey also has a positive effect on sleep, and this aspect will be appreciated especially by those women whose sore throat during pregnancy prevents them from sleeping, despite the great fatigue and feeling of exhaustion caused not only by the disease itself, but also by pregnancy.
Warm compress and its effects on sore throat
Heat has always been the best cure for sore throats. If keeping the whole body warm with a thick blanket does not work, apply to the throat area, or neck compress in the form of a fabric towel soaked in cold water. It is important that this compress does not create any air spaces in the neck area. Subsequently, it is necessary to cover the fabric lining with plastic and cover this layer with a dry cloth.
This method does not need to be questioned at all due to the use of cold water. At first, your neck may feel cold, but gradually the tightly covered area of the neck will warm up, dilating blood vessels and speeding up the healing process. We also know this treatment method for inflammation as "Priessnitz compress".
Make homemade onion syrup
Despite the smell that onions can create in the home, which may not suit every pregnant woman and her tastes, this food has significantly positive effects on human health. It largely replenishes the body's zinc, but also vitamin C and B vitamins. The best form in which you can apply this medicine for sore throat is onion syrup. You can prepare it easily and quickly. The preparation of the healing syrup consists in cutting the onion into small pieces, which must then be sweetened with sugar and honey. Ideally, let this sweet-spicy combination sit overnight. It is advisable to apply the syrup orally, i.e. directly into the mouth, every two hours in doses limited to one to two teaspoons.
Throat lozenges as a supportive supplement for pregnant women
Throat lozenges, also known as pastilles, are a suitable alternative for soothing pain and scratchy throat, mainly because of their natural origin and natural, quick action. Lozenges are among the drugs commonly available in pharmacies, and compared to the bitter candies sold in food chains, they have much stronger and more intense effects.
Sore throat in pregnancy - experience
Internet forums are also full of practical advice and experience when it comes to treating sore throats during pregnancy. Gargling with salt water was described by many discussants as a proven and effective treatment method, while they also included ingredients such as lemon, milk with honey or a natural antibiotic, and thus garlic, in the treatment procedure.
Another proven grandmother's recipe for treating a sore throat during pregnancy is said to be a combination of boiled water with honey and lemon. However, what mothers definitely do not recommend are various herbal mixtures in the form of local throat sprays and other medicines available in pharmacies. They also added that during pregnancy it is necessary to be more careful when choosing medicines for a sore throat, because many contain herbs and plant extracts harmful to both the woman and the developing fetus.
The most frequent questions - FAQ
Are you interested in other information related to sore throat in pregnancy and its treatment? Can you think of other questions that were not answered in the text of the article or in the question and answer section? Feel free to put them in the comments below the article. We will try to answer them as soon as possible.
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