Can you eat ice cream when you have a sore throat?

Why can a sore throat

Often a sore throat is associated with hypothermia: if you don’t put on a scarf - hello, the well-known sensation of a cactus stuck in the throat. Therefore, people who have caught a cold look at ice cream with caution. In fact, inflammation causesPatient education: Sore throat in adults (Beyond the Basics) / UpToDate not the cold itself, but the viral and bacterial infections that attack the immune-compromised body. In addition, the pain can be very different - from local discomfort to serious problems with swallowing.

A fairly common type of sore throat is called pharyngitisPharyngitis / National Center for Biotechnology Information. Usually, with pharyngitis, the throat turns red, there is a sensation of tickling - it is unpleasant, but in general does not cause serious suffering to a person. ‎

If the inflammation has affected the ligaments, and the voice becomes hoarse, this is

laryngitisLaryngitis/NHS. It is characterized by scratching pain, you can also encounter a sensation coma in the throat or a feeling as if something tickles in the throat and makes you constantly cough.

But in acute tonsillitisTonsillitis / Medline Plus, or sore throat, each sip is accompanied by severe pain. The fact is that the disease affects the palatine tonsils: they are covered with purulent plaque and swell. Sometimes so much that they block the airways.

One of the serious complications of tonsillitis is abscessPeritonsillar abscess / Medline Plus. In this case, the bacterial infection spreads to the tissues around tonsils and an impressive abscess forms in the throat. With an abscess, it is difficult for a person to open his mouth, swallow saliva, excruciating pain can be given to the ears and teeth.

Can ice cream cure a sore throat?

Cure - definitely not. Since the causes of the disease lie in infections, therapy should be aimed at combating viruses and bacteria. To alleviate the condition, specialists appointSore throat / NHS antiseptic and anti-inflammatory drugs. And in severe cases resortPeritonsillar abscess / Medline Plus to the help of antibiotics or even surgical procedures.

However, many recommendations for self-treatment really help to cope with the symptoms of the disease. For example, heavy drinking moisturizesPatient education: Sore throat in adults (Beyond the Basics) / UpToDate inflamed mucous membranes and relieves irritation.

With cold drinks and ice cream there are nuances. So, experts at the Mayo Clinic research center advise eating dessert when pharyngitisSore throat / Mayo Clinic or inflammationStrep throat / Mayo Cliniccaused by streptococci to dull the painbecause the cold has an anesthetic effect. But for laryngitisLaryngitis / Mayo Clinic there is no such recommendation. Perhaps because the vocal cords love more warmly.

AT guideSore throat / CDC American Centers for Disease Prevention and Control about some practical benefits of ice cream (as well as other cold foods and drinks) is out of the question. Therefore, it is worth focusing on your own feelings: if a couple of pieces of popsicle really alleviates the condition, do not deny yourself the pleasure.

Standing out in this matter is abscess. If the disease is not "caught" at an early stage, then the doctor will have to openPeritonsillar abscess / Medline Plus abscess and drain the wound. In this case, it is better to ask a specialist for recommendations on nutrition in advance and find out what foods and at what temperature you can eat after manipulation.

How to eat ice cream when your throat hurts

When the throat is inflamed, there is no need to irritate it once again. Choose a "soft" treat - free of acidic additives, nuts, seeds and chocolate chips.

Do not overeat: not a single recommendation says that you can eat tons of ice cream. Also, don't forget that food should beHealthy Eating / World Health Organization complete and balanced. During illness it especially important.

If you find it difficult to swallow, do not bite into large slices that are difficult to crawl into the esophagus. Wait for the popsicle or sherbet to melt a little.

And after dessert, you should rinse your throat. Microorganisms pathogens loveH. Tytgat, S. Lebeer. The Sweet Tooth of Bacteria: Common Themes in Bacterial Glycoconjugates / Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews sweet environment, so it is better to wash off the remains of ice cream with an antiseptic solution.

Evgenia Mitkevich