7 Tips for Immediate Tonsillitis Pain Relief
Tonsillitis, sometimes casually just called ‘tonsils’, is a condition in which the pads of tissue which are present at the back of the throat are inflamed. This occurs due to an infection in the tonsils. The infection can be caused by bacteria and viruses. It is a painful condition which causes discomfort and requires some form of intervention. Tonsils are soft tissues which are present at the back of the throat.
Symptoms of Tonsillitis
The common symptoms of tonsillitis are: ⦁ Throat pain ⦁ Inflammation of tonsils ⦁ High Fever ⦁ Difficulty in Swallowing ⦁ Pain in ear ⦁ Changes in voice ⦁ Sore throat ⦁ White spots on tonsils
How to Get Rid of Tonsils Pain?
The following activities can be done for immediate relief from tonsillitis:
⦁ Gargling
Gargling is a very effective method of dealing with pain caused by tonsillitis. Use warm saltwater and gargle for a few seconds. The warm salt water provides immediate relief from tonsils. Gargling is a good solution because it can be repeated multiple times. It provides short term relief whenever needed.
⦁ Monitoring Diet
Maintaining a diet in tonsillitis is a very important question as there are food substances which can be helpful as well as harmful.
What to eat in tonsils?
A cooling sensation in the throat provides a soothing action. Eating cold foods can be very helpful. The following foods can be helpful:
⦁ Icecreams ⦁ Popsicles ⦁ Menthol chewing gums ⦁ Yoghurt
What not to eat tonsillitis?
Food items which are hard may harm the throat. The items which should be avoided are:
Credits: Pexels Caption: Hard food items such as chips should be avoided in tonsillitis.
⦁ Cereal ⦁ Chips ⦁ Toasted bread ⦁ Carrots ⦁ Apples ⦁ Crackers
⦁ Inhaling Steam
Inhaling Steam can provide immediate pain relief from tonsillitis pain. Dry air can be harmful to the throat. Air which has moisture content helps with sore throat and pain. A humidifier is also helpful. Humidifiers are devices which increase indoor humidity. An increase in the humidity eliminates discomfort causing dry air.
Credits: Pexels Caption: Taking steam increases the moisture in the throat providing pain relief.
⦁ Warm Liquids
Ingesting warm liquids has a soothing action on the throat. Warm liquids provide relief from throat trouble. Do not use both warm liquids and cold foods at the same time. It is better to stick to one.
The warm liquids can include soup, tea and broth among others. Many different types of herbal teas such as tulsi and ginger can also be used.
Credits: Pexels Caption: Warm liquids have a soothing effect on the throat
⦁ Painkillers
Some medications can be taken without consulting a doctor. These are called over-the-counter medications. These medications act directly on the pain and reduce it. It is advised to take these only after consulting a doctor or a pharmacist so that you have a correct dosage.
Common painkillers used in tonsillitis are: ⦁ Ibuprofen ⦁ Acetaminophen ⦁ Aspirin
⦁ Throat Lozenges and Sprays
A throat lozenge a small which dissolves in the mouth. It does not require water. Throat lozenges are specially designed to provide relief to the throat.
The lozenges and sprays can have anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory or analgesic action all of which are helpful in pain relief. Sprays and lozenges are preferred because they act directly on the site of action in the throat.
They are available in pharmacies. The pharmacist will guide you on how to use them. Throat sprays commonly include phenol and dibucaine.
⦁ Rest
Resting your voice as well as your body is important. Tonsillitis often leads to a muffled voice which people try to overcome by speaking loudly. Do not strain your voice by increasing the volume. Rest your voice as much as possible for pain relief. The strain on your voice causes damage to the throat.
Overall rest is also important. Your body is fighting an infection and resting can be helpful in that.
Takeaway
Tonsillitis or Tonsils are a common condition. You can use the above-mentioned remedies for pain relief. If your pain is increasing then you should see a doctor.
It usually lasts for 4 to 10 days.
The treatment for bacterial tonsillitis involves antibiotics which a doctor has to prescribe whereas in viral tonsillitis symptomatic treatment is