Treating Strep Throat: Are Hot or Cold Liquids Better?

Strep affects between 11,000 and 13,000 Americans per year, and there is a continual debate on whether hot liquids or cold liquids work better for treating strep throat. This guide can help.

A sore throat can be a real pain, keeping you up at night, preventing you from eating a healthy diet, and even stopping you from working or being productive. When the source of the problem is strep, you may even struggle with a whole host of unpleasant symptoms at the same time.

The most common advice for at home strep management usually includes sipping hot tea or enjoying an icy-cold snack, like ice cream.

But which approach is the most likely to produce relief and treat strep? We skip the conjecture and dig into the science of strep, and answer this important question, in today’s post.

First Things First: What Is Strep?

In order to understand how hot and cold liquids help, you need to understand what strep is, how it happens, and how it is treated.

Sore throats can happen for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is tonsillitis. But sometimes, what seems like a simple case of tonsillitis can actually be caused by strep throat – and this can be much more difficult to endure.

Unlike tonsillitis, which tends to be viral in nature, strep is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. Symptoms can be similar to those experienced in tonsillitis, but they are often far more severe.

Symptoms of Strep

According to the CDC, the most common symptoms include:

• Pain in the throat, neck or back of the mouth
• High fever (often 102 Degrees or more)
• Difficulty swallowing (often with great pain)
• Red, swollen, tonsils with distinct white patches
• Red spots in or around the roof of your mouth
• Swollen lymph nodes around the throat

Most patients also experience typical “cold and flu” symptoms, like fatigue, aches and pains, headaches, nausea.

Treating Strep Throat

While most people heal from strep just fine with at-home care, the disease does carry a small risk for severe complications. This risk is especially high for the very young, the very old, and the immunocompromised. That’s why you should always see your doctor if you suspect you have it.

Antibiotics are an option for treating strep throat; however, they should only be prescribed when symptoms are severe and your doctor confirms the diagnosis with a positive test. Even then, he or she might tell you to fill your prescription and hold off on taking it until you feel you are no longer managing or your symptoms become difficult to control. This helps to limit antibiotic resistance, allowing your immune system to take the lead.

Over-the-counter pain and fever relievers, sore throat sprays, and lozenges are also a big help. Your pharmacist can help you find the right product or dose, but generally, it’s safest to stay within limitations listed on the package.

If you also have trouble swallowing or eating you may benefit from a numbing spray or lozenge. There are also prescription products, like viscous lidocaine, that offer a more powerful numbing effect. However, these should only be used if prescribed.

At-Home Strategies to Treat Strep Throat

Self-care for treating strep throat at home includes the three R’s:

1. Rest
2. Relaxation
3. Rehydration

Or, to simplify, drink plenty of fluids and let your body rest! Strep is a perfect excuse to get a little me time in, whether that means cuddling up to watch some daytime television or just cramming in a day or two of sleep.

Next, the question of the day: was grandma really right to swear by cold liquids for strep? Or, is your friend right when she says drink hot tea instead? They’re both helpful at-home self-care strategies, but each helps in a slightly different way.

Cool Facts About Cold Liquids

Ice water, popsicles, ice cream, and most other cool liquids relieve the pain associated with strep by reducing inflammation throughout the throat. They work best when you sip on them regularly and often, rather than just drinking a full glass of ice water or eating a whole ice cream cone in a five-minute span.

But there are also other benefits. Your throat is filled with nerve endings; these become desensitized when exposed to extreme cold. As a result, they begin to transmit fewer pain signals to the brain, which lessens the sensation.

If you’ve ever experienced numb fingers in very cold weather, you have experienced this phenomenon first-hand (pun intended).

As for which “cold item” is best?

• Start with ice water or low-sugar lollies.
• Ice cream and juices are also okay; in fact, they can be ideal if you’re unable to eat.
• Frozen hydration popsicles, available at your local drugstore, are also a great choice.

Hot News on Warm Liquids

Where cold liquids desensitize nerves, hot liquids help with treating strep throat in a different way. For the most part, they encourage your mouth and throat to produce more saliva. This helps to lubricate passageways and prevent painful friction as you swallow.

And, while there isn’t really any scientific evidence of why this happens, they also seem to lessen the sensation of pain on contact for some people. This may be a placebo effect or a product of unique physiology. But ultimately, if it feels good, it’s absolutely fine to indulge.

One thing science has confirmed is the fact that the experience of drinking something hot and sweet is pleasant. In fact, it inspires the brain to produce more endorphins, which reduce the sensation of pain and can even improve mood. So, it might be wiser to turn to a hot cocoa or sweetened tea rather than plain black alone.

But hold on – don’t discount black tea just yet. Tea contains tannins, which have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory and astringent effect on tissue. If you have swelling and inflammation due to strep, this may reduce it – which has the side effect of reducing pain and helping you heal, too.

The Real Answer

So, what’s the real answer to the hot and cold liquid debate for treating strep throat? There isn’t one. The right choice for you is whatever provides more relief. As long as you’re following doctor’s orders, getting plenty of rest, and staying hydrated, you should feel free to play around with both until you find something that soothes.

And if you need more information about how a compounding pharmacy can help, contact Burt’s Rx today! We offer services such as pediatric compounding, pet compounding, compounded medication for pain management, BHRT, and dental compounding.