II. Management: Mild to moderate Pharyngitis
- Maintain adequate hydration
- Liquid Acetaminophen
- Liquid Ibuprofen
- May offer greater relief than Acetaminophen
- Requires adequate hydration
- Salt water gargles (1 tsp salt in quart warm water) or warm broth
- Diet of smooth, slippery and wet foods
- Ice cream
- Jell-O
- Hard sucking candies (e.g. butterscotch)
- Honey (2 tsp) to coat throat
- Avoid in age under 1 year (Botulism risk)
- Soothing throat lozenges
- Menthol lozenges (e.g. Vicks)
- Pectin (e.g. Halls Breezers)
- Herbal tea containing "Demulcents" (e.g. Throat coat)
- Contains Elm bark, licorice root and marshmallow root
- Offers short-term relief of Pharyngitis (<30 minutes)
- Brinckmann (2003) J Altern Complement Med 9:285-98 [PubMed]
III. Management: Severe Dysphagia and Odynophagia
- Trial of oral fluids 20 minutes after Pain Medications
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25 mg gargles up to qid
- Maalox 10 ml swish gargle and spit before meals
- Magic Mouthwash (gargle and spit)
IV. Management: Medications to Avoid
- Topical throat Anesthetics are not recommended due to Rebound Pain
- Phenol (Chloraseptic)
- Dyclonine (Sucrets)
- Benzocaine (Cepacol)
V. Precautions
- Avoid Systemic Corticosteroids (ineffective) in mild to moderate Acute Pharyngitis (aside from Peritonsillar Abscess)
VI. References
- (2021) presc lett 28(1):5