- Main causes of cold sore in the throat
- When to go to the doctor
- What to do to cure cold sore faster
- Remedy options to treat cold sore
A cold sore in the throat consists of the appearance of a small, round, whitish wound in the center and reddish on the outside, which causes pain and discomfort, especially when swallowing or speaking. In addition, in some cases, fever, general malaise and enlarged neck nodes may also appear.
Most of the time this type of cold sore arises after eating very acidic foods or being indicative of a weakened immune system due to diseases, such as herpes, flu or cold, for example. When canker sores are very large and take too long to heal, they can also indicate more serious problems, such as AIDS or cancer, and it is important to consult the general practitioner or dentist so that tests can be done and the cause of the canker sores can be identified.
The treatment of cold sore in the throat can be done with ointments guided by the doctor and the adoption of some precautions such as avoiding consuming acidic foods, for example. In addition, gargling warm water and salt can also help relieve discomfort.
Main causes of cold sore in the throat
The causes of the appearance of thrush is still not very clear, however some situations can favor its appearance, being most of the time related to the weakened immune system. Thus, the main causes of cold sore in the throat are:
- Weakening of the immune system, mainly due to infectious diseases, such as influenza, cold AIDS and herpes, as the virus can reach the mucosa of the mouth and throat; Cancer and cancer treatment, because it also leads to a decrease in the activity of the immune system, favoring the formation of thrush; Ingestion of very acidic foods, such as pineapple, tomato or pepper; Stomach problems such as reflux, as it leads to an increase in the acidity of the stomach, making it easier for thrush to appear in the throat and mouth; Nutritional deficiencies such as lack of B vitamins, folic acid or minerals such as iron can also be other causes of throat sore.
In addition, situations such as caseum, tonsillitis and foot-and-mouth disease can also lead to throat thrush. Foot-and-mouth disease is more frequent in babies and is characterized by the appearance of sores, canker sores and blisters in the mouth, while caseum corresponds to the presence of painful white balls in the throat that result from the accumulation of food debris, saliva and cells in the mouth, which causes discomfort and difficulty swallowing. See how to identify and treat the caseum.
If sores in the throat are frequent, that is, they appear once a month or less than 1 week apart, it is recommended to consult the general practitioner to do blood tests and identify any disease that may be causing the problem, to start treatment and prevent them from recurring.
When to go to the doctor
It is recommended to go to the doctor when thrush appears more than 6 times a year and other symptoms are also noticed, such as fever, discomfort when swallowing and feeling sick, for example. Thus, the doctor will perform an analysis of the signs and symptoms presented and indicate the performance of blood tests to investigate the cause.
Thus, some of the tests that can be indicated by the doctor are complete blood count, VSH count, iron dosage, ferritin, transferrin and vitamin B12, in addition to microbiological tests, if infection is suspected. In addition, if there are signs and symptoms of cancer, the doctor may recommend performing a biopsy to check for the presence or absence of malignant cells.
What to do to cure cold sore faster
To help cure cold sore in the throat, some precautions must be taken which include:
- Rinse your mouth with a mouthwash after brushing your teeth to help eliminate bacteria and clean the area, preventing the formation of thrush; Avoid eating acidic foods such as lemon, pineapple, tomato, kiwi and orange, as acidity increases pain and discomfort; Increase the intake of foods rich in B vitamins, folic acid and iron such as bananas, mangoes, low-fat yogurt or apple juice, since the deficiency of these vitamins can be a cause of the appearance of thrush; Gargle with warm water and salt, as they are antiseptic, leaving the area clean. To gargle, just add 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 glass of warm water or 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide 10 volumes in 1 glass of water. Avoid worsening the lesions in the mouth, avoiding eating hard foods such as toast, peanuts, nuts; Use soft toothbrush; Avoid oral hygiene products containing sodium lauryl sulfate during cold sore treatment, as they can increase inflammation.
With the treatment and adoption of these measures, the cold sore in the throat tends to disappear naturally in a few days. In addition, it is important to pay attention to food to speed recovery. So, see in the video below what to eat to cure cold sore more quickly:
Remedy options to treat cold sore
Treatment for inflamed throat sore can be done with topical corticosteroid and anti-inflammatory ointments such as Omcilon-A or Gingilone or with topical anesthetic ointments such as Xylocaine 5% ointment, prescribed by the doctor, which can be applied with your finger or with the help of a cotton swab.
Other remedies for cold sore in the throat that can be used to relieve pain are Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, for example, however, its use should also be guided by the doctor. To treat cold sore in the throat larger than 1 cm in diameter, CO2 laser and Nd: YAG can be used to treat recurrent cold sores that appear in the throat, making hydration and feeding difficult. The procedure must be done at the medical clinic.
See a more complete list of the main remedies used in thrush.
