terrible sore throat

[Rachel Izzo]

I cross-posted this on the CF Forum but wanted peoples' advice here, too.

I'm into a heavy-duty squatting regimen the next few weeks and unfortunately came down with a TERRIBLE sore throat today. And I mean like knives scratching the back of my mouth; it's excruciating. I ate normally up until before dinner when I really couldn't handle course foods anymore, so I gorged myself on frozen fruit, cottage cheese, yogurt, and almonds, and just had an orange to get some Vitamin C in there.

My question is: what do you recommend for such a nasty sore throat? That's all I have, nothing else. Should I train through it? Take a day to recover? Eat differently? Not worry about it as much? (I'm paleo + dairy)

I trained through it today ... BAD idea I think. Sleep's kind of out of the question right now, just because it's so excruciating that I can't sleep.

Help!

[Allen Yeh]

I like this little scale from Eric Cressey:

Scenario 1: The Health Scare

A sick athlete who can't decide whether or not to train.

This was actually a system I stumbled upon by accident. An athlete emailed me saying that he woke up feeling pretty crummy, and wanted to know if I thought he should come in later that day. My response was as follows:

"On a scale of 0-10, how bad do you feel? If it's a 10, you should be emailing me from the hospital. Consider this, and then scroll down to the bottom of this email..."
Blink 182 Nurse

I then hit the "return" key about 30 times, and typed the following:

"If it's 0-3, you're fine.
If it's 4-5, go in, warm-up, and then see how you feel.
If it's 6, just go in and do something, even if it's just a warm-up.
If it's 7, push things back a day.
If it's 8-9, take a few days to rest.
If it's 10, you shouldn't feel good enough to check emails."

Of course, it turns out that he had Ebola and died, so he was really an 11 or 12. It's tough to check email when your eyes are bleeding.

If it's so bad you couldn't sleep I would recommend taking at least a day or 2 off.

I've found that honey can help sore throats, either in tea or if it's really bad a straight tablespoon.

[Rachel Izzo]

Ha well I don't think I'm at the Ebola stage yet ...

But seriously, at this point I'm probably a 7, just from the excruciating pain in my throat and from lack of sleep. I can't sleep because it hurts to badly, which just makes me feel miserable, you know?

Working out yesterday was a bad idea, it probably didn't help at all. I'm definitely taking today off, and possibly tomorrow as well.

[Garrett Smith]

Less sugar in general (even fruit sugar). Gorging yourself on anything when you are sick pulls resources to digest that could be used for the immune system.

Gargling with some tepid water with sea salt (just a bit) might help. A gargle with hydrogen peroxide may help as well. Either of those can help with the sore throat. Article on the topic by Dr. Ben Kim: http://drbenkim.com/how-prevent-sore...ogressing-cold

I always keep some of this stuff around for sore throats and cough:
http://www.ediblenature.com/index.as...D&ProdID=11467

Also, this is likely available at your local health food store:
http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Me.../dp/B0009F3POO

The syrup mixed with the tea would make for a nice combo.

I'd also suggest skipping heavy training or metcon, and if you live somewhere where you can, go outside for a nice relaxing walk. Maybe some stretching afterwards. Lots of time resting (really resting).

If you have significant trouble swallowing or breathing, get yourself in to the doctor.

[Steven Low]

Yeah gargling stuff generally tends to help. I like salt water.. but the h2o2 might work and so might alcohol. Anything that tends to kill bacteria in concentration that's not too toxic for ya.

Pretty much what Garrett said.

[Rachel Izzo]

I also did the ACV + cayenne pepper that MOD always recommends. I like the taste of it, so will do it again later. Hopefully that'll help some.

I've also heard whiskey helps ... maybe if I ask my parents they'll let me have some

[Garrett Smith]

I forgot...use a humidifier in your room.

[Kevin Perry]

honey tea is pretty soothing