Anyone have colds/sore throat drag on for weeks? Any fixes?

[tribe1689]

I've had a sore throat for about 2.5 weeks, on and off. At first, it was the whole general throat area. Then, it switched to the left throat area as well as the area which feels like it's going to the ear.

It was more or less alright yesterday and day before, from what I remember, but today, the right part of my throat hurts.

For the last 2.5 weeks, other than the sore throat, I had other cold symptoms for about a day or two (stuffy nose, phlegm...or however it's spelled).

I get the feeling that my colds usually last longer than other peoples'. I don't know what it is, I eat healthy, get plenty of vitamins, go to the gym.

Are there any tips someone can give? A friend recommended ColdFX. From what I read about it, there is no evidence that it even works. Any tips from you guys? I'm getting sick of this, year after year (no pun intended, lol).

[mahoro]

and you didn't see a doctor?

[Muncher]

I used to have to do business travel with a cold/flu + sore throat. What helped me was, just as the symptoms start, taking echinacea/goldenseal pills and Strepsils. I also sucked continually on Halls 'cos there's a limit on the amount of Strepsils you can take.

[tribe1689]

No, I didn't. From what I heard, they don't want people who have a sore throat or the sniffles to come to the emergency room. I'm not in my home City for the summer. I'll probably schedule bloodwork with my doctor in September, to see if I may be defficient in something.

You guys think this is a situation where I may want to see a doctor? I don't feel weak or anything....

[edvc520]

- Drink more water....
- Drink some honey water (1 teaspoon of honey in a cup mix with water)
- Go buy Vicks cold medicine, it gets u very drowsy though because it's very strong

[TapemanPL]

why don't you go to a walk in clinic?

[tribe1689]

why don't you go to a walk in clinic?

Because, in my experience, there is nothing useful the doctor can do for a cold. They'll most likely tell me to drink hot liquids, and the regular stuff, no?

As far as I know, there is no cure for the common cold, and there is debate about whether stuff like ColdFX, or even taking lots of Vitamin C during the year vs taking an average amount, does anything to help with colds.

I do make sure for a fact that I am getting over 100% of the recommended daily dose of vitamins and nutrients, though. I started making sure a couple of years ago, when I noticed my colds tend to go on longer than other peoples'.

[George W. Bush]

Hmmm... not a good sign. I specialize in walk in clinics and am a doctor. If you had cold symptoms over 2.5 weeks and still have it, this can mean a lot of things.

1. It could be the resistant variation of the bird flu. Not good. Nope.
2. You need to eat more soups (ie. liquids) as it is healthy. Soups are good!
3. You should drink water! Water detoxifies the system. Tap water is better.

Go and see a doctor to get checked up. You should have done this earlier. It is possible that what you may have could be very contagious and may infect others with this very dangerous strain of the virus. Good luck.

[tribe1689]

What I mentioned on here is more or less what I woudl tell the doctor. I feel fine, other than the sore throat, my colds seem to last forever, but this time it's more of just a sore throat without the usual stuffy nose, phlegm, coughing.

As a doctor, what would you do if I walked in and told you the above? Would you do any concrete tests which would determine anything, or just recommend what you have just recommended in the post?

As far as I know, anti-viral medications basically do nothing against the cold/flu. The cold is something that you pretty much get, unless you wash your hands very often and stay away from other people with colds. The flu is something you can only vaccinate against, and once you have it, you just try to keep the symptoms in check, while your body fights it off.

Correct me if I'm wrong...in fact I hope I am wrong and one of you can prove me wrong, as that will mean that I may not have to suffer from the same long lengths of colds every time I catch them.

I will, in the mean-time, I will call the ontario tele-health number and talk to a nurse. If she recommends walk-in, the only walk-in in Kingston is at the hospital, hopefully the wait times are a bit better than emergency room wait-times, otheriwse...yikes!

[TenzoR]

Gargle salt water before you go sleep each night. It's nasty but it works every time I have a sore throat. That's what my family doctor suggested.

[George W. Bush]

On a serious note I would look into:

- strengthening your immune system (eating foods and taking natural medication only to do so)
- chicken soup, spiced and peppered
- honey early in the morning on empty stomach
- mix salt in warm water, put salted in your mouth and try to cleanse your throat by "gargling it" - do not know the name of this process
- vitamins/minerals as supplements on top of your normal diet
- stay more in the sun, clear the air in the house/apartment you are staying/sleeping for air circulation
- fruits and vegetables and food that helps the body strengthen

Your "colds" will not disappear overnight. I truly suspect you need to get your immune system in better shape, and if you take antibiotics, stop using them.

[whampoa]

OP, do you have itchy eyes, runny nose and constant cough too?

If that's the case, you might have seasonal allergy. The symptoms are very similar to cold except you have to suffer through it from Spring to Fall, nonstop.

Your only salvation is to see an allergist or wait for old man winter.

[Desolatax]

On a serious note I would look into:

- strengthening your immune system (eating foods and taking natural medication only to do so)
- chicken soup, spiced and peppered
- honey early in the morning on empty stomach
- mix salt in warm water, put salted in your mouth and try to cleanse your throat by "gargling it" - do not know the name of this process
- vitamins/minerals as supplements on top of your normal diet
- stay more in the sun, clear the air in the house/apartment you are staying/sleeping for air circulation
- fruits and vegetables and food that helps the body strengthen

Your "colds" will not disappear overnight. I truly suspect you need to get your immune system in better shape, and if you take antibiotics, stop using them.

Some great tips there. I drink lots of tea loaded with honey, along with tons of various vitamins to boost the immune system. LOTS of water too!

OP, is your throat really dry in the morning? I had something similar, on and off sore throat, and it ended up being that the air was too dry + my ravaged throat. There was no phlegm and it was just sore. Perhaps try turning on a humidifier when you go to bed. Although in your case (since you said it was moving) that might not be it.

[mself084]

OP - i went through something similar about 2 months ago....drove me nuts.

I had a sore throat, mostly on the left side/tonsil, as well as an earache (everything is connected back there)...I went to the doctor 3 times over about 4 weeks - first time I got a swab done to check for strep, which it came by with a tiny hit (not sure the medical term for that) so i went on antibiotics (2nd trip)...after about 1.5/2 weeks, nothing changed, so i went back....eventually it went away - the doctor said it was likely a VIRAL INFECTION, so nothing could really be done with antibiotics. lots of salt gargling, tylenol for pain, and fluids. keep at it.

[Sheek]

Gargle salt water before you go sleep each night. It's nasty but it works every time I have a sore throat. That's what my family doctor suggested.

+1.

This works for me.

[tribe1689]

Your "colds" will not disappear overnight. I truly suspect you need to get your immune system in better shape, and if you take antibiotics, stop using them.

I agree with you somewhat. I do think my immune system seems to be crap, but I don't think it has to do with what I am eating. I eat very healthy, and get all my nutrients and vitamins. I go to the gym 5x a week religiously and am in excellent shape (from a cardio/strength point of view at least).

I have always suspected my immune system sucks, but I just don't see how I can blame it on what I eat.

I'm not taking antibiotics for anything, and I tend to stay away from medication that just relieves symptoms. I know there are variety of drugs for colds that relieve symptoms but don't solve the underlying problem, and I don't bother taking those.

I will try the salt water thing tonight. I also might go to the walk-in clinic.

[tribe1689]

taking natural medication only to do so

What kind of natural medications are we talking about, for example?

Also, as a doctor, what is your opinion, if any, on ColdFX? Some people swear by it.

[Dimension]

Gargle salt water before you go sleep each night. It's nasty but it works every time I have a sore throat. That's what my family doctor suggested.


+1, works for me too. Just don't swallow.

Also, rub Vicks on your neck.

[caliente]

OP, do you have itchy eyes, runny nose and constant cough too?

If that's the case, you might have seasonal allergy.


+1. Not saying there isn't anything wrong with you, but consider seasonal/environmental allergies. Also, do you have asthma?

I sometimes have a sore throat too +/- runny nose and itchy eyes, but feel fine. I think it is allergies since:
- it improves with antihistamines
- it worsens during really hot/smoggy periods
- it worsens when I work in a building with poor air circulation/no air conditioning
- it improves if my house has hardwood flooring

I've never seen an allergist about it, but I'm pretty sure I have environmental and seasonal allergies.

[gmark2000]

Could be herpes.

[tribe1689]

No, I don't think I have allergies.

I'll do the salt thing tonight.

[ndrew029]

Could be herpes.

Not the only one that read "cold sore" at first glance.

[tribe1689]

Not the only one that read "cold sore" at first glance.

Haha I thought he was just saying it randomly to be an ass before you pointed it out :P

[George W. Bush]

What kind of natural medications are we talking about, for example?

Also, as a doctor, what is your opinion, if any, on ColdFX? Some people swear by it.

Yes. I do advise my patients to use ColdFX. There were analytical studies performed on this drug and its effects are helpful in combating flu. It is good to check with your personal family physician before taking ColdFX or any other drug since people may react to it differently, some may be even allergic. Check with your family physician before taking any drugs.

1. Eat plenty of leeks and green onions. These herbs have powerful cold fighting properties.You can eat healthy vegetable soup with leeks or green onions in it. This will make you sweat , but don't take a shower while you have fever. Just clean your body with wet towel and change the night clothe and sleep well.

2. Take a large clove of garlic, peel and keep it in your mouth. Bite down every so-often to release the natural juices. Replace with a new clove every four or five hours. Your cold symptoms should be to gone in twenty four, to forty eight hours.

3. Your nose all stuffed up? Try eating some hot or spicy foods which should open up those blocked nasal passages and you won't have the rebound effect of taking too many nose drops!

4. Not hungry? Try a few minutes of vigorous exercise. The increased oxygen demand of your body will almost certainly cause you to breathe deeper and help open-up your blocked nasal passages naturally.

5. Chest congestion can be effectively cleared up by breathing a mixture of hot vinegar, or white wine. Breath in the vapors for a few minutes, and you should get relief!

6. Coughs and sore throats can be controlled with several home remedies. A classic requires a large lemon. Start by slowing roasting it until it just splits open. Now take up to half a teaspoon of honey with the juice from the lemon. Repeat at hourly intervals until the cough is under control.

7. Feel better with elderberry - elderberry tea to treat respiratory infections, now scientific evidence suggests that taking a standardized elderberry extract can shorten the length of time you're sick by 50 percent.

8. Soothe a sore throat - Drink a tea made of mucilaginous herbs such as marshmallow or slippery elm, which coat the throat.

9. Stop the cough - When you can't quit coughing, drink hot ginger tea. Ginger stimulates circulation and helps clear your sinuses and lungs of mucus. You may also get some relief with the natural cough suppressant, bromelain, an enzyme from pineapple.

10. Breathe easier - One of the best ways to open clogged sinus and bronchial passages is to breathe warm steam to which you've added essential oil of eucalyptus.

[burnt_toast]

Gargle salt water before you go sleep each night. It's nasty but it works every time I have a sore throat. That's what my family doctor suggested.

+1.

This works for me.

+1, works for me too. Just don't swallow.

Also, rub Vicks on your neck.

add me to this list...
and to add my 2 cents, use luke warm water...

[molala]

this been happening to me...i went ot the doctor and he said he won't prescribe me anything because there's no presence of fever...he told me to drink lots of water and rest more...it gets better when i avoid fried food and chocolate!

[Dustbunny]

Sometimes you have a strong enough system to basically fight a lot of things but it's just weak enough to be unable to fully shake what seems like a cold. From experience I can tell you this happens with me with strep. I never even get the sore throat but I get on and off cold symptoms until I get an antibiotic.

Here are some hints you can look for. One is feeling the skin on your throat/neck. If you feel little tiny bumps that almost feel like grains of sand under your skin, that is inflamed lymph nodes and that means your body is fighting something. You may also see tiny bumps on the back of your throat which may or may not be white. Those are pretty good signs you have something like strep and need meds.

I can tell you I have had doctors tell me there is nothing wrong because I don't usually get a full blown version of it, but I've had it often enough to know it when I feel it and have to convince them to swab me. Every time it has come back positive for strep. It's also very contagious until treated.

Otherwise, yes gargling with salt can really help but if you have strep it won't go away and can get very serious if left.

[Dimension]

add me to this list...
and to add my 2 cents, use luke warm water...

Lol, that's quite a list! Haha :lol: +1 use warm water. Also, don't be stingy with the salt. You should saturate the water with salt, so that the bottom of your cup have crystals. That way it's concentrated, and you only have to gargle like 3-4 times.

[gmark2000]

Haha I thought he was just saying it randomly to be an ass before you pointed it out :P

I'm not being an ass, you can indeed get sore throat from Herpes Simplex virus.

http://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=herpes+sore+throat

[Peckerwood]

Funny nobody mentioned tonsilloliths...aka Tonsil stones.

Sometimes they get stuck in the tonsils and don't like to come out. Easiest way to get rid of them is to use a popsicle stick to press against the inner side of the tonsils to push them out.

Usually they just come out when you cough...but the symptoms of a stuck one are exactly that...sore throat, runny nose..and especially an irritated ear.

To see if they are there simply use a smal flashlight and shine it into your mouth and look to see if your tonsils have white lumps sticking barely out of them.

When you press them out be cautious of your gag reflex...do it over a sink if you feel you might toss up.

:)

[Geese_Howard]

I used to get HORRIBLE sore throats from my deviated septum, it would get infected from fluid build up, might need some prescription drugs.

[Dimension]

GH, now that you mention it...I use to have bad cases of acid reflux. I get a sour taste in my mouth in the mornings and my throat killed me. I "cured" it by taking tums before bedtime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_reflux

[pupazzo]

AZT lol

[joeym]

drink pure lemon juice with honey every so often.
all natural and clears up the throat.

[tribe1689]

funny, because I was told to avoid citrus fruits. According to the doctor I talked to at the clinic yesterday, it's just a viral infection, and sometimes they take 2-3 weeks to clear up.

I will go see my doctor in Hamilton in September, do a full blood checkup and anything else she might suggest to see if there is anything I can do to clear up my colds faster than the 2+ weeks they seem to take.

[Topher]

OP, do you have itchy eyes, runny nose and constant cough too?

If that's the case, you might have seasonal allergy. The symptoms are very similar to cold except you have to suffer through it from Spring to Fall, nonstop.

Your only salvation is to see an allergist or wait for old man winter.

I was going to suggest this as well. I used to get the same symptoms, only I usually thought it was my allergies, and every once and a while it was actually a cold.

I used to take the over the counter cold/allergy stuff, but it didn't seem to work anymore. I also have been plagued with ear infections all my life. I started allergy shots back in February and never knew what it was like to breathe normally until this year, and I'll never accept anything less now.

[gmark2000]

Oral sex with a prostitute can give you a sore throat from Herpes. NOT from personal experience.

[tribe1689]

Yeah gmark, we heard you the first time when you suggested that