Sore Throat

Overview

A sore throat, or “pharyngitis,” is a scratchy, painful feeling in the back of your throat (pharynx). It happens when the tissue lining your throat (mucosa) becomes inflamed. If you have a sore throat, it may hurt to swallow or talk.

Many things cause pharyngitis, from viral and bacterial infections to allergies and sleeping with your mouth open. Most sore throat symptoms go away with home care within a few days. But you should contact a healthcare provider if your sore throat lasts longer than a week, gets worse or you develop symptoms like a fever or swollen lymph nodes.

Types of pharyngitis

There are two main types of pharyngitis. Healthcare providers categorize them based on how long symptoms last:

Acute pharyngitis: A sore throat that lasts from about three to 10 days. Most sore throats are acute pharyngitis.
Chronic pharyngitis: A sore throat that lasts for more than 10 days (usually several weeks) or that keeps returning after you get better.

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Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

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