That Bothersome Sore Throat

(Edited my original work)

It started out as an itch the day after I had a cook-out session for my Mom's birthday. The kitchen was so hot that every now and then I glugged iced cold colas and water. The morning after, the itch in my throat had started and I began clearing my throat hoping it would go away.

At lunch, my throat felt hot. When I ate, I had a hard time swallowing the food. It wasn't painful yet but just uncomfortable. I slept it off thinking it will go away when I rested.

After 3 hours or so of sleeping, I woke up cold and feverish. Scrambling to get the thermometer on the table next to our bed, the reading was 39.4°C. No wonder I felt like I was drowning in my own breath.

I rummaged at our medicine bottles and drank paracetamol and mefenamic tablets on one go. My throat was blistering hot, and it was painful to talk and swallow.

Curiousity got the better of me; I went in front of the mirror with a flashlight and opened my mouth wide to look at what's happening in my throat area. I saw my tonsils swollen, red and irritated.

My mom said I should gargle with salt in water. I alternated gargling with salt-water and an antiseptic mouthwash.

After 1 day, white spots broke out on my tonsils making it very, very painful to swallow. These meant infection but I refused to see my doctor and continued with the medicines I took. I also suck on Pei Pak Koa candy which is minty and has honey to ease the burning in my throat.

Since I still manned my mom's little store, I got a few homemade tips to get rid of sore throat from our friendly neighbors and customers:

1. Gargle with salt, water and a little vinegar

2. Eat unripe papaya dipped in vinegar

3. Gargle with pure apple cider

4. Stay away from cold and hot liquids (didn't stay away from cold water or hot coffee/tea though)

5. Buy sore throat spray (available in the Philippines are difflam, kamillosan, betadine throat spray)

6. Suck on lozenges (my favorite is pei pa koa like I said earlier)

7. Gargle with antiseptic mouthwash

8. Drink antibiotic (which meant going to the doctor for a prescription)

Well, except for #s 3, 4, 5 and 8, I tried them all.

For a week, I suffered that pesky sore throat and an on-and-off fever. I was gradually getting better though. The other annoying thing having a sore throat was not being able to eat properly or eat hard foods. I only ate when I can take the pain while swallowing food and drinks. I was feeding for more than a week on"lugaw" or congee, oats, biscuits/bread soaked in milk.

On the 9th day, I had no more fever and my throat had lost its soreness.

I have no aversions going to the doctor but I have been taught growing up to always try the natural ways of healing. My father once told me, "go to the doctor if pain is abnormal; otherwise, stay home and let your body combat the illness with the help of natural remedies."

(CTTO urgentcaresouthaven.com for the article lead image)