Pharyngitis treatment may include medications such as anti-inflammatories or antibiotics. These may be prescribed by a primary care provider or ENT specialist to reduce inflammation or treat an infection.
These medications can help relieve symptoms such as throat pain, redness, swelling, fever, or difficulty swallowing. Treatment should depend on the cause of pharyngitis, which may be inflammation, a bacterial or viral infection, or allergies.
Some home remedies, such as ginger tea or peppermint tea, may also help relieve throat discomfort. These should only be used to complement the treatment recommended by a healthcare provider.
Common medications
Medications that may be used to treat pharyngitis include:
1. Antibiotics
Antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial pharyngitis, especially when symptoms include a red throat with pus, a severe sore throat, difficulty swallowing, high fever, or headache.
Some antibiotics that may be prescribed for bacterial pharyngitis include penicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, or erythromycin. These medications treat the infection and help prevent complications, such as rheumatic fever.
Treatment for bacterial pharyngitis usually lasts 7 to 10 days and should be followed exactly as prescribed. A healthcare provider will select the most appropriate antibiotic based on the person’s symptoms and any known allergies to antibiotics or other medications.
It is important to take antibiotics at the dose and for the length of time prescribed. Recurrent infections often happen when antibiotics are taken without medical guidance, or when the dose or treatment duration is not correct.
According to the CDC, antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections and do not work against viruses.
Also recommended: Strep Throat: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment tuasaude.com/en/strep-throat2. Pain relievers
Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, in tablet or liquid form, may be recommended for viral or allergic pharyngitis. They can help relieve a sore throat or headache.
Acetaminophen can also help lower fever, which may occur with bacterial pharyngitis.
3. Anti-inflammatories
Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen tablets or oral drops, may be recommended by a healthcare provider for viral, allergic, or bacterial pharyngitis in adults or children. These medications can help reduce throat inflammation, severe pain, or fever.
They should only be used with medical guidance. A healthcare provider can recommend the best anti-inflammatory, dose, and treatment length for each person.
4. Antihistamines
Antihistamines, such as desloratadine or cetirizine in tablet or syrup form, are allergy medications that may be recommended for allergic pharyngitis. This type of pharyngitis is usually related to allergic rhinitis.
Diphenhydramine is also included in some oral products, such as Benadryl, to help relieve throat irritation or pain associated with pharyngitis. These products may be used for allergic, viral, or bacterial causes, when recommended by a healthcare provider.
Children and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use diphenhydramine products unless approved by a doctor.
Antihistamines should be used with medical guidance, as the dose and treatment length may vary for each person.
5. Local anesthetics
Local anesthetics in the form of lozenges or sprays, such as benzocaine, can help relieve throat pain or difficulty swallowing caused by pharyngitis.
Local anesthetics may contain other ingredients, such as cetylpyridinium chloride, which has antiseptic effects. These products may provide fast, temporary relief from throat pain and irritation caused by inflammation.
Home remedies
Some home remedies for pharyngitis, such as ginger tea or peppermint tea, may help complement the treatment prescribed by a doctor because they have anti-inflammatory properties.
An anti-inflammatory diet may also be recommended, including foods such as Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, sardines, flaxseeds, oranges, and pineapple, for example, as these foods can help reduce inflammation in the pharynx. Read more about other anti-inflammatory foods to add to your diet.
It is important to note that these and any other natural treatments should not replace medications recommended by a healthcare provider. They should only be used as a way to help relieve symptoms more quickly.