Transmission
Most pathogens are transmitted particularly by droplet or smear infection. Especially in winter, when many people have a cold, cold viruses and bacteria are spread in the air by coughing and sneezing, and hitherto healthy people breathe them in. If the mucous membranes have already been damaged, for example, if they have been dried out by too warm heating air, the pathogens can settle down and cause an infection.
Another route of infection is through contact with surfaces that are touched by many people, such as door handles, public toilets and public transport. For example, if sick people cough with their hands and then touch the bus stop, they can spread their pathogens there. A healthy person then touches the pole, has the pathogens in his or her hand, then touches his or her face and the disease can be transmitted.
Symptoms
A sore throat usually manifests itself as a more or less severe sore throat, which can occur on one or both sides depending on the type of sore throat. Swallowing difficulties are often added. Depending on its severity, it may also be painful to speak.
At the beginning of the disease, the throat often feels dry, itches or scratches. The patient has to clear his throat again and again. The symptoms can also disturb sleep significantly at the beginning of the disease.
It is not uncommon for the sore throat to be accompanied by other cold symptoms, such as a cold, cough and fever. Especially when the palatal tonsils (tonsils) are affected and swell, speech can sound clumsy. Sometimes patients also complain of earaches.
When inspecting the throat area, reddened and swollen mucous membranes are noticeable. If the sore throat is caused by bacteria, white-yellow deposits – so-called pustule – are often visible in the throat area and on the palatal tonsils. These can cause bad breath and do not occur in a purely viral sore throat.
In a special form of sore throat, the so-called lateral strangulation, the lateral strands of the pharynx are also very much reddened and swollen.The symptoms of sore throat are often accompanied by a strong feeling of illness, tiredness, listlessness and loss of appetite. Tonsillitis (angina tonsillaris, tonsillitis) is a purulent inflammation of the palatine tonsils caused by either viruses or bacteria. Patients typically have severe sore throats and difficulty swallowing, and slight fever can also occur.
If the tonsillitis is caused by bacteria, treatment with antibiotics should be given, otherwise severe complications such as rheumatic fever can occur. In the case of viral angina, treatment is symptomatic with medication to relieve the pain. In addition, the patient can use various home remedies, such as gargle solutions, to relieve the pain.
Care should be taken with highly acidic fruit, such as oranges or pineapples, as the fruit acids on the inflamed tonsils aggravate the pain. Pus formation in sore throats is usually an indication of bacterial infection and purulent tonsillitis (angina tonsillaris). Typical pathogens are group A streptococci.
Infection of the pharyngeal mucosa leads to an immune reaction and the palatine tonsils become ulcerous. A purulent angina caused by bacteria must be treated with antibiotics, otherwise there is a risk of an abscess (peritonsillar abscess) forming or the bacteria attacking and damaging the heart (rheumatic fever). Swallowing difficulties are a frequent accompanying symptom of sore throats.
Due to the inflammation, the pharyngeal mucosa swells, hurts and causes problems when swallowing. A sufficient supply of fluid moistens the mucous membrane and makes swallowing easier. Cold quark also helps with swallowing problems. The quark can be swallowed easily and cools the inflamed areas. Curd cheese can also be used in the form of neck wraps and thus help to alleviate swallowing difficulties.