2009-09-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

A throat infection is discomfort, pain, or scratchiness in the throat due to any infectious condition. A sore throat often makes it painful to swallow in cases of throat infection. Sore throats are common. Most of the time soreness is worse in the morning and improves as the day progresses.

Like colds, the vast majority of sore throats are caused by viral infections. This means most sore throats will NOT respond to antibiotics. Many people have a mild sore throat at the beginning of every cold. When the nose or sinuses become infected, drainage can run down the back of the throat and irritate it, especially at night. Or, the throat itself can be infected.

Strep throat is an inflamed (red and swollen) throat caused by infection with bacteria called Streptococci. It is diagnosed with a throat culture or a rapid strep test at the doctor's office. With treatment the fever and much of the sore throat are usually gone within 24 hours. It is important to treat strep throat to prevent some rare but serious complications such as rheumatic fever (a disease that affects the heart) or glomerulonephritis (a disease that affects the kidneys).

A sore throat is less likely to be strep throat if it is a minor part of a typical cold (with runny nose, stuffy ears, cough, and similar symptoms). Strep can't be accurately diagnosed by looking at the throat alone. It requires a laboratory test.

Sometimes breathing through the mouth will cause a sore throat in the absence of any infection. During the months of dry winter air, some people will wake up with a sore throat most mornings. This usually disappears after having something to drink.

In addition, allergies (allergic rhinitis) can cause a sore throat. Usually, treatment will be delayed until the culture results are known. Doctors will often begin treatment of a sore throat immediately if there is a family history of rheumatic fever, if the patient has scarlet fever, or if rheumatic fever is commonly occurring in the community at the time. Otherwise, antibiotics should NOT be given without a positive strep test (culture or rapid strep test).

When antibiotics are started, it is important to complete the entire course as directed, even after symptoms improve. Children can return to school or day care 24 hours after antibiotics are started. Gargle warm saltwater (1/4 teaspoon of salt per glass) or an antacid solution. You can suck on hard candy (butterscotch seems to be a soothing flavor). Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) for throat pain or fever over 102°F (39°C). Swollen tonsils can make some foods hard to swallow. Eat a diet of soft foods for a few days. You are no longer contagious after you have taken the antibiotic for 24 hours. Therefore, you can return to school after one day if you are feeling better and the fever is gone.

For medical consultation about throat infection kindly visit us at http://www.simplyanswer.com and post your medical queries online.

Back Pain and Pregnancy

2009-09-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

Back pain is a common complaint during pregnancy. And it's no wonder. You're gaining weight. You're walking in a new way. Your hormones are relaxing the joints and ligaments throughout your body.
But you don't have to grin and bear it. Often, you can treat — or prevent — back pain during pregnancy with simple self-care strategies or complementary therapies.

Women who are most at risk for back pain are those who are overweight or had back pain prior to pregnancy. Here is a list of potential causes of back pain or discomfort during pregnancy:

Increase of hormones – hormones released during pregnancy allow ligaments in the pelvic area to soften and the joints to become looser in preparation for the birthing process of your baby; this shift in joints and loosening of ligaments may affect the support your back normally experiences.

Center of gravity – your center of gravity will gradually move forward as your uterus and baby grow, which causes your posture to change.

Additional weight – your developing pregnancy and baby create additional weight that your back must support.

Posture or position – poor posture, excessive standing, and bending over can trigger or escalate the pain you experience in your back.

Stress – stress usually finds the weak spot in the body, and because of the changes in your pelvic area, you may experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.

Conservative management of back pain in pregnancy generally includes performance of appropriate exercise and use of proper body mechanics. These efforts promote and support proper posture, which is essential to avoiding unnecessary stress to supporting structures.

Often just one or two visits to a physical therapist experienced in pre/post partum treatment can be very helpful to help minimize or alleviate unwanted back pain during pregnancy. If more extensive treatment is required, a physical therapist should perform an individual evaluation and recommend a treatment program for you.

Typical treatments from your healthcare professional may include:

1. Instruction in proper posture while pregnant
2. Instruction in specific body mechanics for routine activities, such as housework, job, sleeping.
3. Instruction in a home exercise program appropriate for your stage of pregnancy
4. Self help techniques for pain management and mobilization during pregnancy
5. Hands-on treatment (such as soft tissue work, gentle mobilization and stabilization exercises) as determined by evaluation by a health care professional

Remember, while back pain is fairly common during pregnancy, it should definitely not be accepted as just part of the process. To help make your pregnancy as pleasant as possible and facilitate an easier delivery, back pain should always be addressed as quickly as possible and managed throughout your pregnancy.

For more fruitful information about treatment for back pain during pregnancy ask the doctor online available at http://www.simplyanswer.com Here we will give you the exact treatment and medical advice.

Author bio:

Vinay Gupta is the CEO of Simply Answer, provides ask a doctor services and has written informative articles on swine flu treatment, pain during pregnancy, back pain and other topics.