Excruciating sore throat- any tps please?

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I've had a dreadful sore throat since Sunday evening which accompanied blinding headache, body aches all over and shivers- I fealt really awful. The aches have gone now and the headaches much more bearable but this sore throat is agony. I can hardly swallow at all- all I can eat is soup. The pharmacy recommended a throat spray that;s supposed to numb it but it hasn;t worked at all. Al it did was really burn my throat. Painkillers haveny touched it iether. I'd really appreciate any advice you may have, I've hardly slept for three days either. TIA

Gargle with aspirin. Thats what I was told to do when I had glandular fever. I always do it when I have a sore throat now.

You might need antibiotics if it is that sore. I would be getting a Gp appointment.

Chloraseptic spray... fab stuff... instant relief.

Thanks everyone- I tried the spray and it burnt the back of my throat and up my nose. Th aspirin sounds like a good idea- will send DH out to get some!If it carries on I'll make an appointment at the docs. I can't keep not sleeping. Thanks again.

if the spray hasnt worked ,buy a botle of difflam and gargle with it. If you can tolerate aspirin (ie not asthmatic) gargle with that aswell and then spit it out. Use soluble Aspirin as it is better

Where abouts in your throat is it sore? If it is round the tonsil area/back of throat then topical things can help. If it is round the larynx then clearly sprays and stuff won't work.

Just recovering from this one myself - was told to gargle with room temp/warm salt water, drink hot/warm drinks - ie tea/peppermint tea, hard candies to suck continuously... I managed to get soluble paracetamol too which was great because I couldn't manage swallowing a pill. It seemed to ease a bit around day 6 and then was back to normal by day 10. Good luck!

What does your throat look like -- any white spots?

If the pain is really extreme and you see any spots at all, do see your GP just in case it is tonsillitis.

It may not be, of course, and even if it is it may not be too bad -- but I had it really badly last year, and it was the absolute worst illness and pain ever, so I really wished I'd gone in for ABs early on as it wouldn't have gotten so extreme! We're talking a week in bed with no food, almost unable to swallow own saliva and knocked out on cocodamol the entire time. Only avoided hospital by a whisper. Am now extra-careful to have a GP look at any suspicious throat... (of course usually it's not that bad, don't mean to freak you out)

I found that I could manage jelly more easily than swallowing liquids; maybe try that? M&S jellies are nice and fresh-tasting if you can persuade someone to go get you some (just leave the lumps of fruit to one side).

disclaimer: not the worst illness and pain ever for anyone, obviously -- just for me! don't mean to claim trumps over people with deadly disease. it did really suck though.

tyrocets are good they numb the throat.

merocaine are good too.

strefen lozenges are good too. They are an anti-inflammatory

I'm very prone to sore throats and after many years and having tried everything suggested on this thread I would gargle with TCP. It works every time.

My GP will give me antibs if my throat has been really really really sore for over a week.

OMG sugar How can you stand the taste of TCP (it makes me feel violently sick)

Try eating honey slowly, off a spoon, like sucking a lozenge but in liquid form. I don't know how it works but it does make a sore throat stop hurting when you swallow.

I second the gargle with soluable aspirin.

It really will help.

really good natural remedy (from my dad)..take the juice of 1 or 2 limes..depends how juicy..use a teaspoon and drink the juice..try to swallow where it hurts most...really helps ..kills bacteria and you throat will feel so much better...

Full sympathy, it is rotten. I went to doctor and was given penicillin for pharyngitis so consider getting to the doc if no improvement.

A traditional poultice for pain is cabbage (often called the poor man's poultice)

This might sound mental, but I tried it when I was at the end of my tether with a sore throat that felt like razors in my throat, and it really did help.

If you're game, here goes ...

A herbalist would tell you to go for an organic white cabbage and if you can get such a thing then do (and that's what I used) but I reckon a normal cabbage would be worth a try too.

Break the leaves a little, then blanche in hot water. Take the hot leaves out - not so hot they'd burn you obviously, but as hot as you can take comfortably.

Wrap them round your neck. (I also used a cloth round the outside to help keep them in place.)

You will probably feel very silly! And it smells like cabbage, of course! But it worked for me.

Also definitely recommend going to the Dr if it doesn't get better!

This is what a couple of New Scientist readers say about cabbage

GP