Bad sore throat for 9 days--what could I have?!
Question: 20 yr old male, who hasnt been sick in about 3 years. It started on new years day with a mild sore throat...then came some cold symptoms, nasal congestion and slight cough, along with sore throat. most of the cold symptoms have gone (aside from occasionally coughing up of phlegm). It is now early morning january 10th, and my sore throat is even worse, very painful when i swallow. Saw the doctor twice already, strep came back negative both times, he even had me take a mono test, which was also negative.
he prescribed me antibiotics (cefzil) and he said to take it tonight if my throat gets worse (which it did) so I took it a few hours ago, and throat still hurts like hell. He said to call tomorrow morning.
What could I possibly have?
Answers: 20 yr old male, who hasnt been sick in about 3 years. It started on new years day with a mild sore throat...then came some cold symptoms, nasal congestion and slight cough, along with sore throat. most of the cold symptoms have gone (aside from occasionally coughing up of phlegm). It is now early morning january 10th, and my sore throat is even worse, very painful when i swallow. Saw the doctor twice already, strep came back negative both times, he even had me take a mono test, which was also negative.
he prescribed me antibiotics (cefzil) and he said to take it tonight if my throat gets worse (which it did) so I took it a few hours ago, and throat still hurts like hell. He said to call tomorrow morning.
What could I possibly have?
Hi,
I am a doctor..
Well, i know that the cold and sore throat is such a pain.
Since there is a link betwen the throat and the middle ear , sore throat can easily extend and cause otitis media..(middle ear infection)
For the time being, use salt water to gargle your throat.do it 3 times per day.give it some time, it may take about 3 days..
if you feel slat water is not working for you, do the gargling with betadine solution..
when you goto sleep do it as the last thing so that you wont wash you mouth after the salt water/betadine gargle.
do some steam inahaltion.do it about 2/3 times per day.it would help.
take some hot water into a bowl.then cover you head with a towel and inhale the steam.Do it for about 6 mintues..
but you may have to take antibiotics if it is a bacterial infection.amoxycillin 500mg , 3 times per day for 5 days may work..but it again depends on whether you have penicillin allergey and on whethr the organism is penicillin resistant..
so not take amoxycillin if you have penicillin allergy..
the best thing is to get a throat swab culture and ABST done.
it would determine whether this bacterial or viral.consult your doctor for this.
if its viral there may be no need to take anitbiotics. but you just cant sometimes differentiate from examination alone.
for the time being do the above mentioned things.
also avoid drinking cool things and drink more and more hot water and hot beverages.
honey may also soothe your throat..
Do you work in a very cold environment? if so , avoid that place for the time being and goto a warmer area of your workplace..
The first point is that to it to get cured, the antibiotics have to act for atleast 3 days, but even after that, you have to take the full course till it finishes..
The other fact is that the bacteria which infected you may be resistant to the antibiotcs you already had..
Thirdly,after all it may be viral and may go off in a few days.. Remeber that some viruses are really stubborn..take some time to go off..Till then the above mentioned measures may help you..
If you want more info, feel free to write to me or visit
www.medicguide.org
This is a free site done by me and other doctors to answer health querries for free.
I honestly don't know what you could have, especially since you have been to the doctor and everything... I had a really bad sore throat over the holidays that lasted for nearly two weeks, also. Every morning and evening, when the pain was the worst, I made a hot drink with 6-8 oz of hot water (hot as you can stand it), with about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and about a tablespoon of honey. I couldn't believe how much it helped!!! I don't know if this is a solution to the overall problem, but it should at least help you get some relief.
Feel better!
Please ifyou are not happy with your Doctor seek a second opinion.I will just make a point to you.Several years ago my husband had a sore throat .For 6 weeks he attended our local doctor who was treating him for a throat infection.We went else where for a check-up only to be sent for scans.My husband was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroids.He is still here to this day after alot of treatments and operation.I am only giving you advice if you are not sure what is going on with your throat please seek that 2nd opinion.I wish you all the best.