We’re all familiar with what a sore throat is. This condition is defined as the inflammation of the throat and it’s often painful, which could bring about discomfort or even difficulty breathing and swallowing. However, a sore throat during pregnancy may cause alarm to most expecting women. Here’s what you should know about sore throats during pregnancy and other prenatal care tips.
What is causing my sore throat?
Let’s start by trying to understand what causes a sore throat. Several causes include bacterial and fungal infections, asthma, acid reflux, and allergies, among others. For prenatal care, if you have a sore throat, it’s most likely caused by congestion and postnasal drip.
How do I distinguish sore throat from other aches during pregnancy?
Symptoms of sore throat during pregnancy include very red and swollen tonsils, headache, white spots in the throat or tonsils, difficulty in eating and swallowing, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, loss of appetite, and a noticeable lack of energy overall fatigue.
How is sore throat treated during pregnancy?
When it comes to prenatal care, it’s always best to seek the advice of your doctor. Antibiotics are often used to treat strep throat but any form of medication should be carefully monitored during pregnancy.
Some of the most common antibiotics are amoxicillin, penicillin, and cephalexin. Make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions as the risk of overdose or insufficient intake of antibiotics can be harmful to both the mother and the baby.
Are there are any at-home remedies for treating sore throat during pregnancy?
Some at-home remedies to treat sore throat would include getting plenty of rest so that your body can heal, avoiding any form of cold liquids as these can aggravate a strep throat, and ensuring you are hydrated at all times. You can also drink chamomile or lemon tea or any caffeine-free herbal drinks.
You can also gargle with warm saltwater. This will help clear any irritants, as well as loosen the mucus, allowing you to be able to breathe and properly. Salt is capable of drawing any excess moisture and reducing any form of inflammation. Gargle at least 3 times a day to get relief from strep throat.
Drinking warm turmeric milk is also an effective way of combatting pain in the throat. Turmeric has analgesic components, which are responsible for reducing irritating pain. Curcumin, an active compound known to reduce inflammation, is another component found in turmeric.
When should I visit the doctor?
When talking about prenatal care, a sore throat during pregnancy would require a visit to the doctor if the symptoms have lasted for more than 24 hours.
Keep in mind that it’s not a risk factor to have sore throat during pregnancy. However, if the symptoms have lasted for 24 hours, it’s best to seek medical advice from your doctor. In addition, if you have small children at home, they will most likely come into contact with you and the strep bacteria.
Sore Throat During Pregnancy: What You Should Know And What Kind Of Treatment Is Safe For You
