Sore throat and runny nose cured - acid reflux

15 March 2018

I had a sore throat yesterday. I felt like something is cutting my throat. Also, I had running nose and felt mildly feverish. I had taken chicken (shawarma chicken+ curry cooked chicken) 3 times from day before yesterday until yesterday lunch. Also, I had taken thalisaadi vadagam tablets (1 tablet 3 times a day) from yesterday morning. Today morning, I am surprised to find no running nose and no sore throat and cutting feeling in throat. The same condition persisted until today evening indicating the curing of sore throat and runny nose. Thalisadi vadagam (syn: thaaleesaadhi vadagam) tablets is a Siddha formulation consists mainly ginger powder and long pepper.

Update on 1 Aug 2021:

Whenever I visit India, I eat spicy home cooked food. This increases acid reflux. Also, I sleep with different pillows which enhances acid reflux. This time also, it happened. I got sore throat and runny nose. I was afraid of Covid-19. I took azithromycin 500 mg once daily for six days. But, I had no fever and no body pain. Even after 3 days, the sore throat and runny nose did not decrease significantly. Also, whenever I bow down for prayer, I get cough. I consulted  a doctor. She suspected upper respiratory tract infection and asked to continue  azithromycin and prescribed cough syrup and antihistamines. I realized that the sore throat could be due to acid reflux and not due to infection. But, still, I continued the azithromycin tablet until its 6th day. I took Gaviscon gel after each meal. This helped fast curing of sore throat. This is clearly indicating that my frequent sore throat perhaps due to acid reflux and not due to infection. The treatment for acid reflux is taking proton pump inhibitors for long term. However, this may lead to dysbiosis in intestine. Hence, it is recommended to take Gaviscon gel after each meal to protect the throat from acid reflux. 

Recommendations:

1. Never eat full stomach

2. Avoid foods that can increase belching and acid reflux (oily food, onion etc)

3. Sleep with raised pillows always.

4. Do regular exercise to improve the tone of all muscles