Latest news with #treatment
Health Line
2 hours ago
- General
- Health Line
What Causes a Dry Throat, and How Is It Treated?
A dry throat is often caused by a head cold, dehydration, or sleeping with one's mouth open. Effective home treatments are available, but consider seeing a doctor if symptoms last longer than one week. A dry, scratchy throat is a common occurrence, especially during the cold winter months when the air is dry and upper respiratory infections are spreading. Usually, a dry throat is a sign of something minor, like dryness in the air or a head cold. Looking at your other symptoms can help you determine the cause of your dry throat and whether to call a doctor. This article reviews ten common causes and treatment options for a dry throat. 1. Dehydration The dryness in your throat may simply be a sign that you haven't had enough to drink. Dehydration can also be caused by loss of body fluids, such as vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, or increased urination. When you're dehydrated, your body doesn't produce as much of the saliva that normally moistens your mouth and throat. Dehydration can also cause: dry mouth increased thirst darker urine, and less urine than usual fatigue dizziness Treatment options Drink extra fluids during the day. Recommendations on how much to drink vary, but a good average is 15.5 cups of fluid for men and 11.5 cups for women. One study found that adults get between 27 % and 36% of their fluid from fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Foods' water content is highly variable, and many factors influence daily food selection. Make sure you're drinking fluids that hydrate, such as water or sports drinks. Avoid caffeinated sodas and coffee, which can cause your body to lose more water. 2. Sleeping with your mouth open If you wake up every morning with a dry mouth, the problem might be that you sleep with your mouth open. The air dries up the saliva that normally keeps your mouth and throat moist. Mouth breathing can also cause: bad breath snoring daytime fatigue Snoring could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing repeatedly pauses throughout the night. Congestion from a cold or chronic allergies, or a problem with your nasal passages, like a deviated septum, can also lead to mouth breathing. Treatment options If you have a sinus or congestion problem, applying an adhesive strip to the bridge of your nose can keep your nose open while you sleep. Adhesive strips for noses can be purchased online or at your local pharmacy. For obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor can prescribe an oral appliance that repositions your jaw or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to keep air flowing into your airways during the night. It's worth noting that not everyone with sleep apnea needs an oral appliance or CPAP. Treatment options depend on the severity of your symptoms. Mild cases may be managed with behavioral changes. Also, the FDA recently approved tirzepatide for obstructive sleep apnea. 3. Hay fever or allergies Hay fever, also called seasonal allergies, is caused by an immune system overreaction to normally harmless substances in your environment. Common allergy triggers include: grass pollen pet dander mold dust mites When your immune system senses one of your triggers, it releases chemicals called histamines. This can lead to symptoms like: stuffed, runny nose sneezing itchy eyes, mouth, or skin cough Congestion in your nose may make you breathe through your mouth, which can dry out your throat. The extra mucus can also drip down the back of your throat. This is also known as postnasal drip, and it can make your throat feel sore. Treatment options To prevent allergy symptoms, avoid your triggers as much as possible. It may be helpful to: Stay indoors with the windows closed and the air conditioning on during the peak of allergy season. Put dust mite-proof covers on your bed. Wash your sheets and other bedding weekly in hot water. Vacuum your carpets and dust your floors to pick up dust mites. Use an air cleaner/air purifier. Be sure to change your air filters regularly and keep the humidity setting below 50%. Clean up any mold in your house. Keep pets out of your bedroom. You can also control allergy symptoms with these treatments: antihistamines decongestants allergy shots eye allergy drops 4. Cold A cold is a common infection that's caused by many different viruses. The infection can make your throat feel dry and scratchy. You'll also have symptoms like these: stuffed, runny nose sneezing cough body aches mild fever Treatment options Most colds last a few days. Antibiotics don't treat colds because they only kill bacteria, not viruses. To help you feel better while your body gets over the cold, try these remedies: Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to relieve a sore throat and body aches. Suck on a throat lozenge. Drink warm liquids, such as broth and hot tea. Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use a decongestant nasal spray to relieve a stuffy nose. Drink extra fluids to keep your mouth and throat moist and prevent dehydration. Get plenty of rest. Turn on a humidifier to moisten the air in your room. 5. Flu The flu is a respiratory illness. Like a cold, a virus causes the flu. But flu symptoms tend to be more severe than those of a cold. Along with a sore, scratchy throat, you may have: fever chills cough stuffy, runny nose muscle aches headache fatigue vomiting and diarrhea The flu can lead to serious complications, especially in young children, older adults, and people with chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system. Complications of the flu include: pneumonia bronchitis sinus infections ear infections asthma attacks in people who already have asthma Treatment options Antiviral drugs can reduce flu symptoms and shorten the amount of time you're sick. But you have to start taking these medications within 48 hours of when your symptoms start for them to work. While you're sick, try these methods to relieve your sore throat and other symptoms: Rest until your symptoms improve. Suck on a throat lozenge. Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to lower your fever and ease body aches. Drink warm fluids, such as tea and broth. 6. Acid reflux or GERD Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that causes acid to back up from your stomach into your esophagus. The esophagus is the pipe that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Acid burns the lining of your esophagus, causing symptoms like: a burning feeling in your chest, called heartburn trouble swallowing dry cough burping up sour liquid hoarse voice If the acid reaches your throat, it can cause pain or burning. Treatment options GERD is treated with: antacids, such as Maalox, Mylanta, and Rolaids, to neutralize stomach acids H2 inhibitors, such as cimetidine (Tagamet HB) and famotidine (Pepcid AC), to reduce stomach acid production proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as lansoprazole (Prevacid 24) and omeprazole (Prilosec), to block acid production Try these lifestyle changes to help relieve symptoms of acid reflux: Maintain a moderate weight. Extra weight puts pressure on your stomach, forcing more acid up into your esophagus. Wear loose-fitting clothing. Tight clothes — especially tight pants — press on your stomach. Eat several small meals a day instead of three big meals. Raise the head of your bed while you sleep. This will prevent acid from flowing upward into your esophagus and throat. If you smoke, consider quitting. Smoking weakens the valve that keeps acid in your stomach. Avoid foods and drinks that can trigger heartburn, such as spicy or fatty foods, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, mint, and garlic. 7. Strep throat Strep throat is a throat infection caused by bacteria. Usually, your throat will be very sore, but it can feel dry, too. Other symptoms of strep throat include: red and swollen tonsils white patches on your tonsils swollen lymph nodes in the neck fever rash body aches nausea and vomiting Treatment options Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics — drugs that kill bacteria. Your sore throat and other symptoms should improve within two days after you start taking these medications. Make sure you take the full dose of antibiotics your doctor prescribed. Stopping too early can leave some bacteria alive in your body, which could make you sick again. To relieve your symptoms, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). You can also gargle with warm water and salt rinse and suck on throat lozenges. 8. Tonsillitis Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils — the two soft growths in the back of your throat that help your body fight infections. Both viruses and bacteria can cause tonsillitis. Along with a sore throat, symptoms of tonsillitis can also include: red, swollen tonsils white patches on the tonsils fever swollen lymph nodes in the neck hoarse voice bad breath headache Treatment options If bacteria caused tonsillitis, your doctor could prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Viral tonsillitis will improve on its own within a week to 10 days. Here are some things you can do to feel better while you recover: Drink a lot of fluids. Warm drinks like tea and broth are soothing to the throat. Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt a few times a day. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). Put on a cool-mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. Dry air can make a sore throat worse. Suck on throat lozenges. Rest until you feel better. 9. Mononucleosis Mononucleosis, or mono, is a disease caused by a virus. It passes from person to person through saliva. One of the hallmark symptoms of mono is a scratchy throat. Other symptoms include: tiredness fever swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits headache swollen tonsils Treatment options Because a virus causes mono, antibiotics won't treat it. Here are some tips to help you feel better until your body gets over the infection: Get plenty of rest to give your immune system a chance to fight off the virus. Drink extra fluids to avoid dehydration. Take over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to bring down a fever and relieve your sore throat. Suck on a lozenge and gargle with warm salt water to help with throat pain. 10. Overuse of voice Overusing your voice, like yelling during a music concert, can cause your vocal cords to become irritated or inflamed. It can also lead to laryngitis. Other symptoms include: hoarseness weak or lost voice raw or sore throat Treatment options Viral laryngitis will improve on its own, usually within two weeks. Here are a few tips to help you feel better: Rest your voice. Drink extra fluids, especially warm tea or broth. Suck on a lozenge and gargle with warm salt water to help with throat pain. Take over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to relieve your sore throat. When to see your doctor In some cases, you may be able to relieve your symptoms with home treatment. But if your symptoms last longer than a week or worsen, see a doctor. They can make a diagnosis and work with you on a care plan. You should also see a doctor if you experience more severe symptoms. Severe symptoms include: a severe sore throat that makes it painful to swallow shortness of breath, wheezing rash chest pain excessive tiredness during the day loud snoring at night fever higher than 101°F (38°C)
The Sun
3 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
More Brits developing cancer than ever before but survival rates have doubled since 70s
MORE Brits are developing cancer than ever before but we are twice as likely to survive the disease than patients in the 1970s, a report shows. Cancer Research UK studied 50 years of data and found tumour rates increased by nearly half – 48 per cent – between 1973 and 2023. 1 There are now 607 cases per 100,000 people per year, compared to 413 per 100,000 then. Cancer has become more common as people live longer and the risk rises with age, but cases are now increasing fastest in younger people. Scientists are investigating whether unhealthy lifestyles now are driving up the disease further. Meanwhile, treatment advances mean cancer is less deadly than ever, with the death rate tumbling from 328 per 100,000 to 252. The proportion of people who survive 10 years or more after diagnosis has doubled from 24 to 50 per cent. Michelle Mitchell, chief of Cancer Research UK, said: 'It's fantastic to see that thanks to research, cancer death rates have drastically reduced over the last 50 years, and survival has doubled. 'However, there is more that can be done. 'This report highlights that over 460 people die from cancer every day in the UK, and too many cases are diagnosed at a late stage. 'If we want to change that, we need bold action from the UK government and the upcoming National Cancer Plan for England must improve cancer survival and transform cancer services.' The Cancer in the UK report warned that there has been almost no improvement to early diagnosis in the past 10 years. If I had access to more information on breast health when I was younger, I may have caught my symptoms earlier Nearly half of cases are still diagnosed in the later stages three and four, when a cure is much less likely. CRUK said: 'The Government must make a concerted effort to reduce the number of people diagnosed with cancer at a later stage, with a focus on cancers that would lead to the greatest benefit in survival such as lung and bowel.' What does it mean to be 'in remission' after cancer? Hearing 'remission' after receiving cancer treatment is good news. Being 'in remission' after cancer means that there are no signs or symptoms of cancer detectable in the body with the use of scans or blood tests. The person show no signs directly related to the cancer either. It can be partial or complete - even with the latter, it does not mean the cancer is cured. 'Cured' is not a term doctors would like to use, because they cannot guarantee there are zero cancer cells in the body. Regular follow-up appointments and monitoring are essential to watch out for a possible return of the cancer. People might need to take medication to keep their cancer at bay, for example hormone treatments. Remission indicates that the cancer has responded to treatment and is currently under control. Partial remission: Some, but not all, signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. Complete remission: All signs and symptoms of cancer are gone, although this does not necessarily mean that the cancer has been cured.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Cancer experts warn of coffee enemas and juice diets amid rise in misinformation
Cancer patients are snubbing proven treatments in favour of quackery such as coffee enemas and raw juice diets amid an 'alarming' increase in misinformation on the web, doctors have said. Some were dying needlessly or seeing tumours spread as a result, oncologists said. They raised their concerns at the world's largest cancer conference in Chicago, the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco). Dr Fumiko Chino, a cancer researcher and assistant professor at MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, Texas, co-authored a paper presented in Chicago that said cancer misinformation had 'acutely worsened in the past decade'. With more people being diagnosed amid a growing and ageing global population, misleading or false information about cancer had become a significant public health concern, the study said. While most people trusted doctors, the paper found, more than half of those surveyed said experts seemed to contradict one another. One in 20 had no trust in scientists to provide cancer information. 'We're losing the battle for communication. We need to regain that battlefield,' Chino said. Dr Julie Gralow, Asco's chief medical officer, said: 'Several patients of mine wanted an all-natural treatment approach after I had explained my treatment recommendations. They go online and search for something natural and they find a clinic in Mexico which promises an all natural treatment for cancer, which includes caffeine colonics, vitamin C infusions and other things.' Instead of scolding patients for shunning surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, Gralow said she tried to win their trust by still offering support. 'In several cases, they came back after three months and didn't feel any better. And then they stayed in our clinic and eventually we could gently ease them into more evidence-based treatments,' she said. 'A few times, they didn't come back. And then I would learn within nine months they tragically had died.' Liz O'Riordan, a retired breast surgeon who was diagnosed with breast cancer, shares evidence-based information with her thousands of followers on social media. She said: 'There is a huge amount of cancer misinformation online. Every day I get messages from scared women who want to know if they need to stop eating dairy, soy, flaxseeds. Do they need to stop wearing underwired bras, using deodorants? Is it true that juicing can cure cancer? What about miracle supplement cures like mushrooms and CBD?' O'Riordan wants more doctors to engage with patients online. 'But this is hard as it takes a lot of time to script, film, edit and publish content as well as the effort needed to grow a community to get your voice heard above the noise … And when you don't have a million followers, it's impossible to get traction,' she said. 'What we're saying isn't sexy or exciting – we can't promise a cure. The drugs we give have side-effects and some people still die.' Speaking at Asco, Dr Richard Simcock, the chief medical officer of Macmillan Cancer Support, said misinformation was 'very worrying' as it had 'exponentially increased the problem' of misconceptions about cancer. 'I have recently seen two young women who have declined all proven medical treatments for cancer and are instead pursuing unproven and radical diets, promoted on social media,' he said. 'A person is perfectly entitled to decline that therapy but when they do that on the basis of information which is frankly untrue or badly interpreted, it makes me very sad. It's clear that we have work to do to build back trust in evidence-based medicine.' Prof Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, said: 'Social media can provide a supportive community for people faced with a cancer diagnosis but at the same time, we're also seeing an alarmingly high level of misinformation on some of these platforms. 'I would urge people to be sceptical of any 'miracle cures' you may see on social media around cancer and use trusted, credible sources like the NHS website or your care team to verify anything you are unsure of – because these fairytales aren't just misleading, they can be harmful.'
Al Jazeera
12 hours ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Gaza mother pleads for help to save emaciated 5-year-old
NewsFeed Gaza mother pleads for help to save emaciated 5-year-old Video shows 5-year-old Osama al-Ruqab is wasting away from Israel's forced starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. His mother pleas to get him specialised treatment abroad have been ignored.
CBC
15 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
N.W.T. government ends relationship with B.C. treatment facility
The N.W.T. government is no longer contracting a B.C. facility to provide addictions and PTSD treatment to territorial residents, but past participants credit the program with their continued sobriety and healing. Edgewood Health Network in Nanaimo was "not successful" in securing a renewed contract, spokesperson for the facility Mary Doyle said in an email. In its own response, the N.W.T. Health department said Edgewood did not apply on a request for proposals in August 2025. Department spokesperson Andrew Wind said in an email the government sent 105 residents to the facility in the last year. He said clients of the Nanaimo program with intake dates up to and including March 14 would still be funded for the duration of their treatment and a year after. Neither the department nor Edgewood could confirm how many people were waitlisted when the contract lapsed on March 31. The end of the contract could be discouraging for patients who relapse and want to return to a facility they are familiar with, said Peyton Straker, who attended Edgewood and is active in Nanaimo's recovery community. Straker, who is originally from the N.W.T., celebrated 12 months of sobriety in May. Past participants say program helped, but had flaws Straker said they found the treatment effective — the program they were in lets clients leave the facility for Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and interact with the recovery community through support groups and rallies. It wasn't perfect, though. Straker said there was room for improvement, especially where Indigenous cultural sensitivity was concerned, since smudging and beadwork supplies weren't allowed into the facility when they were there. The facility applied "rigid" visitation policies that recognized nuclear families, but turned away visitors with other ties, they said. Straker said they thrived in the reading and writing components of the program, but saw N.W.T. clients with low-literacy struggle. Straker observed that clients fluent in Dene languages, but who could not read or write in English, were not given accessibility accommodations to understand reading and writing assignments. For those patients, "not having the ability to read or write really interferes with your treatment plan, but nobody tells you that before you arrive," they said. Aftercare options to help people stay sober are also costly, and not subsidized despite being a "key piece of what keeps people clean," said Straker. A privately-operated living space that is a safe, substance-free place to maintain your recovery can cost between $1,600 and $3,500 and is not covered by the government, they said. Staying clean post-treatment is critical, because relapse after treatment carries the highest fatality risk, they said. "The financial strain makes it so that patients aren't actually able to follow the recovery suggestions that are given by the recovery treatment itself," they said. Straker said when they attended Edgewood, the program cost between $40,000 and $50,000 for anywhere from 50 to 120 days of programming, which is paid by the territorial government. The health department budgeted $3 million for facility-based addictions treatment in 2024/25, and contracts six different facilities in Alberta, Ontario and B.C. Other ways to access programs Edgewood told CBC News that N.W.T. residents can still access its treatment programs through "other available funding channels" like Jordan's Principle, employer benefits, or unions. The Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) is another funding pathway. Edgewood offers a program for first responders seeking treatment for PTSD. Seann May, a firefighter in Yellowknife, said he attended the program last year — nearly 20 years after he responded to a 2005 fire where the building collapsed and killed two firefighters. May turned to alcohol to cope with the feelings brought on by that workplace fatality. May said at the worst points, his wife had packed her bags. In 2019, he was diagnosed with PTSD. May said he put in a claim to the WSCC in 2024, and got into treatment by going through counselling at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre in Yellowknife. He said the contract with Edgewood lapsing is a "big shame," because its counselling for addictions was "phenomenal." He said the sessions he took through Edgewood gave him tools to regulate his emotions, helped him rebuild trust with his children and made him more focused at work. May said once he got in, he "thought the world" of the program. "I wake up happy every day, rather than doing the morning ritual, trying to drink coffee so I can hide my breath," he said. "I feel like I can take my day on."
