Easy home remedies for sore throat

An itchy, scratchy and burning throat is something we all experience, at least once a year, if not more. Depending on your body's immunity, it occurs more often. While there is good medication to cure the problem, there also exist home remedies which can cure it. Keep a note of these things also to prevent a bad throat.

Fix sore throat with:

1. Salt water gargle - this might not be new to you as it is the first remedy elders in the family advice about - to gargle with salt water. The warm water with salt in it relieves the discomfort in the swollen tissues and pulls the mucous out.

2. Over-the-counter throat lozenges: these are extremely convenient and dependable. On days when the throat won't stop itching and you have a lot of speaking to do, these lozenges help calm the itching. They contain menthol which makes the throat tissues numb. Cough drops and candies ensure constant production of saliva in the mouth. These have choking hazards though, so avoid giving to children.

3. Ginger, clove, tulsi - chewing on pieces of ginger is beneficial. Ginger juice soothes the throat and calms the itching. Especially helpful during the nights, so that one can sleep peacefully. Cloves and tulsi leaves when chewed individually also give similar soothing effects to a sore throat.

4. Drink loads of water - it is important to stay hydrated because dehydration leads to decrease in production of mucous and saliva in the mouth. More fluids in the mouth help deal with sore throat better.

5. Warmth of honey - warm tea with honey is an ideal way to soothe the irritated throat. Honey is said to be effective in suppressing coughs. 

6. Avoiding cold drinks - whatever you drink, make sure it is warm or even better, hot. Avoid drinking or eating anything cold as they will only aggravate the condition of the throat.

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Peace with Sore Throat - How Many of These Remedies Do You Already Know?

Tinnitus is a specific kind of ear disease that can occur in patients of all age groups. This is basically an ear disorder where the patient suffers from buzzing, clicking, swishing or any other kinds of noises in the ears. These noises generally seem to originate from the inside of the head or ears and not from any kind of outside source. What one needs to realise is that tinnitus can be a symptom of many other diseases as well such as an ear infection or an ear trauma of some kind. It can also lead to intense hearing problems or Meniere s disease, brain tumours, pregnancy or even anaemia.

Symptoms of tinnitus

The most basic symptoms of tinnitus are the problem in hearing that one has to face due to hearing different sounds in the ear. This, in turn, leads to extreme dizziness. As tinnitus may lead to many other problems, it should primarily be diagnosed by a doctor so as to not let the matter intensify. 
Patients with subjective tinnitus exhibit the symptoms of hearing particular and peculiar sounds which no one else can hear. 
The sounds produced in the ears generally follows the rhythm of the heartbeat. In case of objective tinnitus, the doctor who is examining the patient might in certain cases hear the sounds that the patient is hearing while examining them from close quarters.
Causes of tinnitus
Tinnitus is caused by various other diseases. And each of these cases has a different treatment as per various diagnoses. If tinnitus is caused by trauma, then it usually observed in both the ears simultaneously as both the ears get affected by similar kinds of hearing problems and subsequently have to be treated with similar medications.

On another case, tinnitus can also be caused, by chance with an increase in age. The cochlea is no longer able to send signals to the brain properly then, in that case, the brain gets easily confused with the information that it gets and in turn, it is not able to do its work properly.
Tinnitus can also be caused due to exposure to certain kinds of medication and drugs for a long period of time by the patient. Certain antibiotics and quinine has extremely adverse effects on one s hearing system which may in turn lead to tinnitus as the patient might be allergic to these medicines.
In other cases, constant exposure to very loud music could be a cause for tinnitus. This is a reason why a majority of young adults have been affected by tinnitus.
Acoustic neuroma is also a major cause of tinnitus.

Tinnitus - Understanding The Signs Of It!

You know that breathing is very much integral to staying alive. It is the only visible symptom that you are alive. Breathing helps in providing oxygen to the body which is essential to carry out various physiological processes. The nose is the organ through which we breathe and should be kept clean so that it does not interfere with the breathing process or cause any sort of breathing difficulty.

Therefore, cleaning your nose on a regular basis is very important in terms of improving your health and increasing your lifespan. Cleansing your nose on a regular basis can improve the quality of breath and help in protecting your breathing passage as well.

Ayurvedic treatment: Neti
Generally Ayurvedic techniques are considered to be the safest ways to clean your nose. Neti in Ayurveda is a cleansing procedure, which involves using a modified cup referred to as a nasal rinse cup.  The cup is filled with water or saline solution and is normally used to clear the breathing passages or the nostrils in particular. Neti is administered in the following steps:

Prepare a saline solution by taking a quarter teaspoon of table salt and dissolve it in a cup of boiled and cooled or distilled water. You also need to take care of the fact that the salt is non-iodized.
After preparing the solution you need to put it in the 'Neti' cup. Then put the nozzle of the vessel firmly against one of your nostril in such a way that the water does not leak out.
Breathe in and out steadily through your mouth.
Lift the pot and tilt it in a manner such that water enters your nostril. After half of the water has passed into your nostrils, remove the nozzle and let the water to run out of your nostril.
Blow your nostril to remove any moisture that is left inside.
Repeat the process with the other nostril.
It is very important to ensure that your nostrils are fully dry and no moisture is present inside as it might lead to further complications such as infection and inflammation within the nasal or the sinus cavities. It has been observed that using a nasal rinse cup during cold seasons helps to reduce nasal congestion to a great extent. Excessive cough or mucus can also be cleared up by using this particular method. It also helps to improve the quality of breath and it also helps you to relax and stay calm.

Neti Treatment - Nose Cleansing for Clear Breathing

Dizziness is now a very common problem among the adults. Maybe people do not take this to be a serious problem in many of the cases, but repeated feeling of dizziness may lead them to visit a doctor. When in the case of such situation, you visit a general physician, not knowing the causes of such problem; often the doctor will refer you to an ENT. There have been some reasons of why you should visit an ENT for dizziness.

Symptoms of Dizziness

Often dizziness occurs along with some other symptoms too. Some of the symptoms that are accompanied by dizziness are:

Anxiety
Nausea
Buzzing noise in the ears
Pressure in the ears and the head
Hearing issues
Some Important Reasons for Dizziness
If you are facing dizziness on regular grounds, then it may happen that it is due to some very serious health complications that you are suffering from. Some of the problems that may cause dizziness are:
Inner ear issues,

Issues in the central nervous system,
Issues related to the cardiovascular system,
Bacterial or viral infection,
Side effects of any medicine.
Diagnosis of The Problem
Diagnosis of the problem is the most important step in case of dizziness. It is because the diagnosis is not about whether you are feeling dizzy or not, it is the diagnosis about why you are feeling dizzy. There are some tests related to balance to diagnose the cause of dizziness. To get the tests done related to balance, you need to visit an ENT because the balance system of the human body is there located in the inner ear.
Though the balance of the body is there to the inner ear, also the test of other sensory organs such as eye and brain is also done. This is because balance disorder or dizziness happens when there is a problem in the communication system of the body. One of the most important ways to diagnose balance is by doing an eye test that is known as nystagmus.

Treatment of The Problem
After several tests of various sensory organs, when the ENT expert reaches a particular result, then the treatment starts depending upon the diagnosis. Today treatment for such balance disorder or dizziness has become common. Some problems can get solved by a changed diet only while other may need the help of medicines. Again, some of the problems may get cured by doing exercises while for some; you may need the help of a physiotherapist too.

When it is about dizziness, it is surely about balance disorder due to some major problems. Balance is controlled from with the inner eye and other sensory organs also, hence it is important to visit the ENT in this case.

Why Should You Consult An ENT For Dizziness?

When there are vibrations in the top airways of the respiratory system because of obstruction to the air movement during the time of sleep, it leads to the sound of snoring. When a child gently squeaks or snores at night, it could be a warning sign of an underlying sleep disorder. 

Common Reasons for Snoring in Children 

  Infection in the Respiratory System- If the child suffers from a stuffy nose or from chronic allergies or cold then there is a chance that the snoring is brought on about by a blockage to the sinuses. The blockage to the nasal canal makes it difficult for the child to breathe normally and instead has to breathe through the mouth leading to the sound of snoring. 

  Inflamed Tonsils- Enlarged adenoids, as well as tonsils, are the primary reasons for snoring in children. It is also a strong indicator of sleep apnea. The inflamed glands block the airways and the child finds it difficult to breathe during the night. 

  Diverged Septum- When the airway of the nostrils is offset, it leads to the condition of a diverged or deviated septum. This again makes breathing through the nose quite a difficult job. This is because the passage is smaller as compared to others, lowering the quantity of airflow. 

  Obstructive Sleep Apnea- Obstructive sleep apnea is a severe condition where the airflow becomes obstructed completely via the respiratory system. This makes breathing difficult through the nose and can lead to other associated health issues. 

Symptoms of Various Snoring Problems in Children 

Each of the disorders stated above is characterized by a number of symptoms that lead to the problem of snoring in children. These may include-

  The child continues to snore almost regularly 

  The breathing is brought to a halt by snorts, gasps or pauses that extend longer than ten seconds 

  The child suffers from restless sleep or tends to sleep in awkward positions especially with the head tipped backwards. Remedies After observing your child s symptoms there are a few remedies you can try on the recommendation of your paediatrician. 

  Give the child some medications for allergy or congestion 

  You can put your child s head up with the help of a pillow. 

This can clear up the blocked nasal passage and bring the child some relief. Aside from these, your paediatrician might feel that you take your child and go see either an ENT specialist or a sleep specialist to figure out if the child suffers from obstructive sleep apnea. 

Snoring Problem In Children - What Causes It?

Hoarseness in the simplest sense means, 'hoarse voice'. It may be defined as an abnormal voice change. It is experienced in the form of strained, rough, thick, harsh and grating voice. Variations can be felt even in the loudness and pitch of the voice.

Hoarseness is a temporary infection associated with the larynx, which is also known as the voice box in animals as well as humans. Vocal cords are present inside the voice box. Depending on the vibration of the vocal cord, different sounds are produced.

What are the general causes of hoarseness?

Hoarseness may be caused by common cold, viral infection, cough, irritation due to screaming, smoking, allergy, thyroid problem, acute laryngitis and benign tumor. In adults, the stomach asset comes up to the throat causing hoarseness. Heartburn can also be one of the causes.

When hoarseness arises due to common cold and cough, it will last for 2 to 3 days and will subside using cough suppressant and home remedies like salt water gargling, drinking hot milk with turmeric and pepper powder. As cough or cold suppress, hoarseness will also reduce.

When to see an Otolaryngologist (ENT specialist)?

ENT stands for ear, nose, throat. Serious infections in these areas are treated by an otolaryngologist. It is very essential to consult this specialist if hoarseness lasts for more than 2 to 3 weeks; pain in ENT is not due to cold or flu, coughing up blood, lump in the neck.

Evaluation

The medical specialist starts his diagnosis by physically examining the vocal cord. Flexible light weight fiber optic tube scope is also used to visually examine the larynx area. Videotaping, acoustic analysis is also done to study voice irregularities, airflow to guide treatment.

How can hoarseness be treated?

The mode of treatments depends on underlying the cause of the problem. The patient may be advised:

In most cases, hoarseness can be treated just by resting your throat or modifying the use of your voice.
To avoid smoking or passive smoking
Referred to a speech therapist to improve sound of voice.
In case of benign tumor the nodule or polyp is removed by surgery.
How can you prevent hoarseness?

We've all heard the phrase, 'prevention is better than cure'. Alas, it is. Preventing hoarse voice and throat is a much better option than treating it. Here are some tips on how to prevent hoarseness:

Avoid smoking
Avoid overconsumption of caffeine and alcohol.
Consume plenty of water
Avoid eating spicy food.
Avoid speaking loudly for long intervals of time.

How Hoarseness Can be Treated

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