What medications are available for treating a sore throat?

Generally speaking, the throat refers to the pharynx. Sore throat may be caused by excessive voice use, poor sleep, laryngitis, epiglottitis, gastroesophageal reflux laryngopharyngopathy, and other conditions. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention and follow medical advice to use medications such as ribavirin granules, azithromycin dispersible tablets, cefuroxime axetil granules, omeprazole enteric-coated capsules, and domperidone tablets for treatment. A detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Excessive Voice Use

Prolonged loud talking, singing, shouting, or continuous coughing can cause fatigue of the throat muscles, damage to the vocal cords, and inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa due to excessive friction, resulting in pain. Usually, no medication is required. It is important to schedule voice use appropriately, rest periodically, and drink water to keep the throat moist.

2. Poor Sleep

Severe snoring or mouth breathing during sleep can dry out the throat mucosa and airflow impact on the throat area, easily causing throat pain. Generally, no medication is required. For individuals with severe snoring, improvement can be achieved through adjusting sleeping positions, weight loss, or using oral orthodontic appliances.

3. Laryngitis

Laryngitis is often caused by viral or bacterial infections, inhalation of harmful gases, and other factors. Inflammation occurs in the laryngeal mucosa, causing congestion and edema. The nerves in the throat are stimulated by the inflammation, which may lead to throat pain, especially noticeable during speaking, and may also be accompanied by hoarseness, coughing, and other symptoms. Under the guidance of a physician, medications such as ribavirin granules, azithromycin dispersible tablets, and Huangshi Xiangsheng Pills can be used for treatment.

4. Epiglottitis

Epiglottitis is mostly caused by infection, allergic reactions, trauma, and other factors leading to inflammation of the epiglottis and surrounding tissues. Epiglottal swelling can compress surrounding tissues, block the airway, cause severe throat pain, difficulty swallowing, and the pain often radiates to the ear. Patients may also experience symptoms such as fever and difficulty breathing. Patients can follow medical instructions to use medications such as cefuroxime axetil granules, prednisone acetate tablets, and acyclovir granules for treatment.

5. Gastroesophageal Reflux Laryngopharyngopathy

Gastroesophageal reflux laryngopharyngopathy is caused by dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter, excessive gastric acid secretion, and other conditions, where gastric contents reflux to the throat, irritating the throat mucosa, causing mucosal congestion and edema, leading to throat pain, and may also be accompanied by symptoms such as heartburn and acid regurgitation. Patients can follow medical advice to use medications such as omeprazole enteric-coated capsules, domperidone tablets, and hydrotalcite chewable tablets for treatment.

In daily life, it is important to maintain fresh and humid indoor air, avoid excessively dry or polluted air, and reduce irritation to the throat. At the same time, develop good living habits, ensure adequate sleep, engage in moderate exercise, enhance physical immunity, and reduce the risk of throat infections.