Prophylaxis | Pharyngitis

Prophylaxis

It is not always possible to avoid a sore throat. Especially in the winter months, when many people have a cold, the risk of infection is very high. A healthy lifestyle with sufficient exercise and a healthy diet generally has a protective effect, as the immune system is strengthened in this way.

Alcohol and cigarette smoking should be avoided, as these substances irritate the mucous membranes and make them more susceptible to inflammation. Nevertheless, these measures cannot always prevent infection.It is therefore advisable to wash your hands thoroughly after contact with other people or surfaces that are touched by many people (e.g. door handles, handrails in public transport) and to touch your nose, mouth or eyes as little as possible. These are the preferred entry points for pathogens.

Avoid close contact with sick people, as cold viruses/bacteria are transmitted from one person to another mainly by droplet infection when coughing or sneezing. It can also be helpful to ensure that the rooms in which you are staying are not overheated. The heating air dries out the mucous membranes and makes them more susceptible to infection. Make sure you get enough fresh air and enough sleep.

Prognosis

An acute sore throat caused by pathogens usually subsides within three to five days even without specific therapy. In rare cases, complicated processes with abscess formation or similar occur. which make further medical intervention necessary.

In the case of bacterial sore throats, which require the use of antibiotics, the period of time until the disease is completely over may be somewhat longer. However, the inflammation should have subsided after two weeks at the latest. Chronic sore throats after chemo- or radiotherapy usually improve on their own in the weeks following the end of therapy.