Treatment for a Throat Infection

Strep throat and tonsillitis are two of the most common types of throat infections. To treat a throat infection, it is important to understand the cause. Tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils) is usually caused by a virus. Strep throat is a type of tonsillitis that is caused by streptococcal bacteria. With proper treatment, most throat infections go away relatively quickly.

Home Remedies

• In the case of viral tonsillitis, you can treat your throat infection at home. Drink plenty of liquids, especially water, to stay hydrated. Drink warm liquids such as soup to help ease the pain of a sore throat and loosen nasal mucus. Mix six to eight ounces of warm water with two tablespoons of salt, and gargle. Continue gargling for about 10 seconds and spit out the solution. Repeat until you've finished the glass. Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce pain and fever.

Medical Intervention

• If your sore throat lasts longer than several days, gets progressively worse and/or is accompanied by a fever of 102 degrees or more, visit your doctor. Various bacteria can cause throat infections, and to treat a bacterial infection (such as strep throat), you will need antibiotics. Make sure you take the entire amount of antibiotics you have been prescribed, even if you already begin to feel better. In cases of bacterial throat infections, your doctor will probably advise you to take over-the-counter pain relievers as well.

Surgery

• Tonsillectomy is the removal of the tonsils. This type of surgery sometimes is recommended for children, but rarely recommended for adults. Reasons for a tonsillectomy include frequent bouts of throat infections and infections that interfere with breathing passageways. A tonsillectomy requires a couple of weeks for complete recovery and should greatly reduce the amount of throat infections a person experiences.