Swallowing food comes naturally to human beings. But when there is a problem, it is usually called Dysphagia. Esophagus, a muscular tube-like organ located at the back of our throat, usually helps in swallowing food and transferring them to our stomach. When esophagus does not function properly, dysphagia happens. Patients suffering from brain or nerve disorder, seniors and babies might have this problem. 

People with dysphagia might witness the following issues:

Difficulty in swallowing solids and liquids.
Gaging, choking or coughing usually occurs when trying to swallow.
Experience pain when trying to swallow and also heartburn.
Swallowed food might come back up either through mouth or nose.
A chronic problem might result in weight loss.
Causes:
There are 2 main reasons, why the Esophagus might become dysfunctional.

Due to some medical condition the muscles and nerves that help the esophagus work have stopped working.
The esophagus is blocked by something.
There can be a number of reasons for both the condition. Here are the reasons why the muscles and nerves might not work.
Certain diseases can create problems with your nervous system, which in turn can affect the esophagus. These diseases are polio, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson s disease.

A brain stroke, spinal cord injury or brain injury can also affect swallowing.
Polymyositis or Dermatomyositis are immune system problems that can cause swelling or weakness.
The muscles of esophagus suddenly squeeze, which is called esophagus spasm.
Scleroderma causes the esophagus to become thin and weak.
The esophagus might be blocked because of these reasons:

Esophagus might have malignant or non-malignant tumours.
Esophagitis is a medical condition when the esophagus is infected, got some allergy or even if a pill got stuck on it.
People suffering from reflux diseases often experience the acid that backs up into the esophagus. This can cause an ulcer on it resulting in scars. Scars make Esophagus narrower, making it difficult to swallow.
There are small sacs called Diverticula on the esophagus or the throat, often making it difficult to swallow.
Lymph nodes, tumours, bone spurs can also obstruct esophagus and create difficulty in swallowing.

Difficulty in Swallowing - Are You at Risk of Dysphagia?

Are you suffering from a sore throat that is prolonged in nature? Although, a sore throat is not very severe, being prolonged in nature indicates that it is chronic. You should not ignore a sore throat that does not heal over a long period of time. This might be an indication of a serious problem, and you will require proper diagnosis.

When is a sore throat termed as chronic?

A sore throat may take various forms. It can be itchy, burning, scratchy in nature, and can also cause difficulty in swallowing food.
It is likely for a sore throat to be accompanied by a form of pesky cough that leads to further irritation of the throat.
Sore throats can also occur from common colds and several viruses. These usually resolve on their own.
However, when your sore throat is persistent and you cannot find relief, it is referred to as a chronic sore throat. The primary cause of sore throat includes strep throat, allergies, tonsillitis or the infection of your tonsils, inhaling air pollutants, influenza, cigarette smoking, and inhaling via the mouth.
Among these conditions, strep throat and tonsillitis may turn into severe problems, if not treated properly.
Smoking is a major cause of chronic sore throat. You should control your smoking to eliminate these sore throat symptoms.
Snoring is also a major cause for sore throat.
Relief from chronic sore throat
No matter what is the cause of your chronic throat pain, or sore throat is, you should follow some steps and undertake simple home remedies for soothing your scratchy, itchy and painful throat. Some of them include the following:

Do hot water steam inhalation daily, which will help
You must stay well hydrated and should moisten your throat by drinking lots of fluids throughout the day. You should add honey to warm drinks and hot tea.
You may take over the counter pain relievers.
You should install a humidifier in your home for preventing dry air that causes irritation to your throat.
You may try gargling regularly with warm water and salt, at least twice a day.
It is difficult to diagnose the exact cause of a sore throat, but when it worsens or does not tend to leave, something serious is indicated. You must consult a doctor and undertake a physical examination of your throat in order to detect the cause.

Prolonged Sore Throat - Can It Be Chronic?

Throat infections can affect anyone. Your throat will feel swollen and sore and swallowing may become difficult. The flu and common cold flu virus can cause infections along with allergies, bacterial infections, breathing polluted air or smoking.

Conventional treatment only suppresses the symptoms; it also has side effects. Homeopathy focuses on rooting out the disease from within, instead of just concentrating on suppressing on the symptoms. All the homeopathic remedies gradually treat and cure your disease and have no side effects whatsoever.

1. Belladonna: Belladonna is the best homeopathic remedy for throat infections. Belladonna is also good for Tonsillitis (swollen and red tonsils with white patches inside your throat) and difficulties in swallowing.
2. Hepar Sulph: If you have a splinter-like sensation in your throat along with soreness, Hepar Sulph can be very beneficial in treating the symptoms.
3. Phosphorus: Phosphorus is the best medicine for "clergyman's throat" (agitated tickling in your larynx when you speak).
4. Lachesis: Difficulty in swallowing fluids when you have a sore throat is best treated with Lachesis. Chronic tonsillitis is also treated with Lachesis.
5. Ignatia: If you feel like you have a lump in your throat and you cannot gulp food easily, Ignatia can work well.
6. Bryonia: Bryonia is used to treat dry cough along with a sore throat.
7. Drosera: Spasmodic, dry coughs with a sore throat are best treated with Drosera.
8. Merc Sol: Red, swollen and sore throats are treated with Merc Sol. Throat problems that worsen with weather changes can be taken care of with this medicine.
9. Arsenicum Album: If your common cold also gives you a sore throat, then you can opt for Arsenicum Album. This medicine is also useful if you have watery and thin nasal discharge.
10. Aconite: Burning and a painful sore throat induced by common cold and sneezing are treated well with Aconite.
11. Causticum: Sometimes your throat can get sore from shouting or if you talk loudly at a stretch. In such a situation, Causticum can prove to be beneficial.
12. Argentum Metallicum: If your throat is sore and feels raw and worse after straining your voice, then Argentum Metallicum is helpful.
13. Chamomilla: Chamomilla is mostly prescribed to children with sore throats and mucus formations in their chests.
14. Baryta Carbonica: Enlarged tonsils, painful and sore throats in children are best treated with Baryta Carbonica.

Homeopathic Medicine for Throat Infection

Homeopathy is considered to be an untested medicine for many. This is why so many patients who have a sore throat immediately turn to tablets, hot water or even syrups to relieve the pain. Different causes of a sore throat will have different remedies.

Here are the some of the homeopathic remedies for different causes of a sore throat.

    Belladonna: This is the best medicine when there is any difficulty swallowing. It is also very readily available.
    HeparSulph: Heparsulph is generally used when there is a sensation in your throat, which feels like there is some sort of splinter.
    Phosporus: Phosphorus is a more widely used homeopathic remedy. It is used to treat what is called as 'clergyman's' sore throat. This is when there is a tickling sensation in the larynx.
    Lachesis: This is also a very uncommon and rarely required medicine. However, sometimes our throat feels sore only when we take liquids. In this case, lachesis is the ideal remedy.
    Bryonia: Bryonia is a much more common homeopathy. It is used when there is a cough accompanying the sore throat.
    Merc sol: Tonsilltis is generally considered to be a condition too serious to cure with homeopathy. However, Merc sol does do this effectively. Belladonna is also pretty good at it. They also help with a sore throat.
    Arsenicum album: This medication is most commonly used when a sore throat is accompanied by a cold.
    Aconite: Aconite is considered even better than arsenicum album in treating a sore throat which is also accompanied by a cold.
    Capsicum: This is a great homeopathic rememdy for a pain in the throat which goes all the way to the ears.
    Argentium Metallicum: Argentium Metallicum is used when the soreness of your throat worsens with the use of the voice. Professional singers and public speakers are especially in need of this medicine as they frequently use their voice.
    Chamomilla: This remedy is especially great for helping cure sore throat in children. 
    Baryta Carbonicum: This is a remedy used for a very similar reason to what chamomilla is used for.


Homeopathic Remedies for a Sore Throat

Strep throat is a common bacterial infection mostly seen among young adults and children, caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, a group A bacteria, that leads to pain and inflammation in the throat. While some people may have mild symptoms, others may encounter more serious symptoms such as high fever and chills, sore throat, swollen glands, loss of appetite, and difficulty in swallowing food.

If you don t treat the condition soon enough, strep throat can be really painful and troublesome. Although the ideal treatment option for this condition is antibiotic medications, research studies show that they are only effective in reducing the span of the infection by about half a day. Moreover, antibiotics have adverse side effects on your health, so it is always advisable to steer away from those heavy doses. The best way to keep yourself healthy and free from a strep throat is to prevent it from the very beginning. Here are a few steps you can follow to prevent yourself from getting a strep throat-

Avoid contact- Coughing and sneezing which are the usual symptoms of a strep throat, can be contagious. The infection usually spreads from person to person so make sure you do not come in contact with the person suffering from a strep throat for at least a week or two. Also, keep your mouth covered if you ever come in contact with a sick person.
Maintain good hygiene- Good hygiene is the key to a healthy body. In order to keep the infection at bay make sure you use an anti-bacterial soap or hand wash to clean your hands before and after you have your meal. If you re traveling around then always carry a hand sanitizer.
Change your diet- Include lots of fluid to your diet. Drinking lots of water and fluids will not only keep you hydrated, but will also moisten and lubricate your throat therefore reducing your chances of being affected by a strep throat. Include vitamin supplements or food that are rich in vitamins and avoid spicy or citrus food as they are likely to cause an irritable strep throat.
Avoid smoking- Smoking causes irritation to the throat tissues, which in turn increases the chance of getting a strep throat. So stop smoking, and avoid coming in contact with smokers as well.
Although strep throat may not sound like a chronic illness, it can lead to serious complications if not prevented at the outset. Since there are no proven vaccines to prevent the infection, adopting these aforementioned steps can help you stay away from a strep throat.

Follow These Steps To Prevent Yourself From Getting A Strep Throat!

Sore throat can have many kinds of manifestations and the extent of soreness varies as well. Homeopathy offers multiple remedies for the varying degrees of an inflamed throat. These are some of the best homeopathic drugs in accordance with their symptoms:

Aconitum: This medicine should be taken at the early onset of a sore throat. When there is redness of the throat and in addition to it swelling and burning, this can be the ideal remedy.
Apis: This medicine is advisable when children have inflamed, red throat along with tonsils which become swollen with the consumption of hot food and beverages. In such instances, the child can t swallow without experiencing recurring pain. The inflamed outer and inner throats are accompanied by a feeling of something being stuck in the throat due to an enlarged uvula.
Belladonna: Acute tonsillitis is best treated with belladonna. Preferably it should be used at the onset of a sore throat. The tonsils appear scarlet red. Even though swallowing is painful, there is a desire to do so nevertheless. The throat feels constricted. In such cases the extremities are very cold despite the head feeling hot.
Arsenicum: This is again a wonder drug for children experiencing pain in the larynx that is relieved when hot drinks and food are consumed, and worsened by any cold edibles. The right side of the throat generally experiences greater pain. This pain is accompanied by a dry mouth and an increased thirst.
Ferrum Phos: This is an effective remedy for nonviolent and acute tonsillitis. The pain is often bearable and the onset of the inflammation is gradual. Swallowing often becomes difficult and leads to pain whereas cold brings relief to the throat.
Lachesis: This drug is usually prescribed when the child has throat pain on the left side. The right gland of the throat is less swollen than the left. There is also a constant tickling sensation. The throat becomes extra sensitive to any kind of touch or pressure and these children hence dislike wearing tight clothing and collars.
Hepar Sulph: This medicine is advisable for children when they start experiencing a sore throat right after they have been out in the cold, for way too long. The tonsils swell up and there is a constant throbbing pain. This pain tends to fluctuate and it also radiates to the ears when the child swallows. Some relief is experienced when consuming hot drinks. These children tend to be highly irritable.

Sore Throat - 7 Effective Home Remedies for it!

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