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 Why Am I Coughing? What to know about your cough Coughing is a common reflex action that clears your throat of mucus or foreign irritants. While everyone coughs to clear their throat from time to time, a number of conditions can cause more frequent coughing. A cough that lasts for less than three weeks is an acute cough. Most episodes of coughing will clear up or at least significantly improve within two weeks. If your cough lasts between three and eight weeks, improving by the end of that period, it’s considered a subacute cough. A persistent cough that lasts more than eight weeks is a chronic cough. You should see a doctor if you cough up blood or have a “barking” cough. You should also contact them if your cough hasn’t improved with a few weeks, as this could indicate something more serious. What causes a cough? A cough can be caused by several conditions, both temporary and permanent. Clearing the throat Coughing is a standard way of clearing your throat. When your airways become

  What is a sore throat? A sore throat is a painful, dry, or scratchy feeling in the throat. Pain in the throat is one of the most common symptoms. It accounts for more than 13 million visits to doctor’s offices each year (1Trusted Source). Most sore throats are caused by infections, or by environmental factors like dry air. Although a sore throat can be uncomfortable, it’ll usually go away on its own. Sore throats are divided into types, based on the part of the throat they affect: Pharyngitis affects the area right behind the mouth. Tonsillitis is swelling and redness of the tonsils, the soft tissue in the back of the mouth. Laryngitis is swelling and redness of the voice box, or larynx. Sore throat symptoms The symptoms of a sore throat can vary depending on what caused it. A sore throat can feel: scratchy burning raw dry tender irritated It may hurt more when you swallow or talk. Your throat or tonsils might also look red. Sometimes, white patches or areas of pus will form on the t

 Home remedies for a sore throat You can treat most sore throats at home. Get plenty of rest to give your immune system a chance to fight the infection. To relieve the pain of a sore throat: Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt. Drink warm liquids that feel soothing to the throat, such as hot tea with honey, soup broth, or warm water with lemon. Herbal teas are especially soothing to a sore throat (5Trusted Source). Cool your throat by eating a cold treat like a popsicle or ice cream. Suck on a piece of hard candy or a lozenge. Turn on a cool mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. Rest your voice until your throat feels better. Shop for cool mist humidifiers. SUMMARY: Most sore throats can be treated at home. Warm liquids or frozen foods feel soothing to the throat. A humidifier can moisturize a dry throat. When to see a doctor Sore throats that are caused by a viral infection usually get better on their own in two to seven days (6Trusted Source). Yet

  Medicines You can take medicines to relieve the pain of a sore throat, or to treat the underlying cause. Over-the-counter medications that relieve throat pain include: acetaminophen (Tylenol) ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) aspirin Don’t give aspirin to children and teenagers, as it’s been linked to a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome. You can also use one or more of these treatments, which work directly on the pain of a sore throat: a sore throat spray that contains a numbing antiseptic like phenol, or a cooling ingredient like menthol or eucalyptus throat lozenges cough syrup Shop for throat lozenges. Shop for cough syrup. Some herbs, including slippery elm, marshmallow root, and licorice root, are sold as sore throat remedies. There’s not much evidence these work, but an herbal tea called Throat Coat that contains all three did relieve throat pain in one study (7Trusted Source). Shop for Throat Coat herbal tea. Medications that reduce stomach acid can help with a sore th

  Essential oil for strep throat Essential oils are distilled from the leaves, bark, stems, and flowers of plants. They may help promote healing by killing germs and reducing inflammation. The medical benefits of essential oils are controversial. However, studies show the following essential oils can be an effective alternative to over-the-counter medications for treating the symptoms of strep throat: thyme lavender tea tree wild carrot, eucalyptus, and rosemary blend eucalyptus lemon peppermint ginger garlic Ingesting these oils isn’t recommended. They can be inhaled or diluted with oil and added to a bath. Explore more about using these essential oils to treat a sore throat. Strep throat vs. cold Most common colds are caused by a virus, while a bacterial infection causes strep throat. If you have a common cold, you usually have symptoms such as coughing, a runny nose, and hoarseness. These symptoms, especially coughing, are not common with strep throat. When your throat is sore due t

  Strep throat treatment Because strep throat is a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to treat it. These medications inhibit the spread of bacteria and infections. Several types of antibiotics are available. It’s important that you finish your antibiotic treatment course to kill the infection completely. Some people stop taking their medication when symptoms improve, which can trigger a relapse. If this happens, the symptoms can return. Penicillin and amoxicillin are the most common medications given for a strep infection. If you’re allergic to penicillin or amoxicillin, your doctor may prescribe the antibiotic azithromycin. Find out more about azithromycin for treating strep throat. Strep throat home remedies In addition to antibiotics, there are at-home treatments that can help relieve the symptoms of strep throat. These remedies include: drinking warm liquids, such as lemon water and tea drinking cold liquids to help numb the throat turning on a cool-mist

   What is strep throat? Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and pain in the throat. This common condition is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat can affect children and adults of all ages. However, it’s especially common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. Sneezing and coughing can spread the infection from one person to another. Strep throat symptoms The severity of strep throat can vary from person to person. Some people experience mild symptoms, like a sore throat. Other people have more severe symptoms, including fever and difficulty swallowing. The common symptoms of strep throat include: a sudden fever, especially if it’s 101˚F (38˚C) or higher a sore, red throat with white patches a headache chills a loss of appetite swollen lymph nodes in the neck trouble swallowing These symptoms typically develop within five days of exposure to the strep bacteria. Find out more about having strep throat without a fever. Strep throat picture