a mild fit of hypochondria (but at least I know better than to look at WebMD)

[cimorene]

I've had a sore throat for four whole days now that hasn't gotten very much better or worse in that time and hasn't turned into a cough or any nasal congestion whatsoever. I'm not normally a huge hypochondriac, but I did constantly get strep throat as a child (although I think the last time I had it was pre-puberty). Wax thinks I'm over-reacting and just yelled "STOP THINKING ABOUT SCARLET FEVER", but... what if I have to get Finnish medical care? They don't believe in pain management! D:

Wax insists you can have an ordinary sore throat that just lasts for a really long time without becoming a cold or flu and also without turning into tonsillitis or strep throat, but I've never heard of such a thing! Am I going to die? Somebody tell me I'm not going to die.

Comments

[torachan]

It's probably just a sore throat!

I used to get tonsillitis at least once a year as a kid/young teen and though I've only had it once as an adult, I always worry when I get a sore throat because I can't tell if it's just a cold or tonsillitis until I start getting other symptoms. :-/

[cimorene]

I've never had tonsillitis before. But Wax says that is unmissable because your tonsils swell up, so that's a bit of a relief.

[guinevere33.livejournal.com]

If you don't have swollen lymph nodes, it might just be caused by post-nasal drip (brought on by allergies, etc.). Happens to me all the time :/

[cimorene]

Stupid low-level allergies that aren't worth treating with Benadryl or whatever. :(

[alafaye]

You're not going to die. Promise.

Might be from post-nasal drip. Could be from the changing seasons--the change from humid to not-humid.

[cimorene]

I like your icon! TEA is a good prescription. (Actually I've already been drinking tons of it.)

Everyone seems to think post-nasal drip which I am vulnerable to as well, it's just the soreness has been so persistent this week. But I hear other people in town are having this problem so maybe it's just extra dry or there's some different irritants in the air or something.

[aeslis]

I CAN'T LOOK AT WEBMD EITHER. Let us suffer together.

[cimorene]

*clings and cowers in fear of the lists of symptoms :(*

[aeslis]

ugh ugh ugh ugh symptoms my arch nemesis! I physically cannot read them, but you know that already.

*HUGS OF SOLIDARITY*

[cimorene]

Even psychological symptoms are bad for me. Every time I read them at Wikipedia I diagnose myself with 1,054,642 personality disorders. XD

[ceruleanbloods]

I was the same with the strep throat when I was a kid, and I believe the last time I had it was also around puberty. Weird. I am very susceptible to sore throats from post-nasal drip, especially in the mornings. It could be that?

[cimorene]

Well, I'm glad that apparently something about hormones or something made me more resistant, because strep was a real drag. Although I always looked forward to the time off school, it can't be denied that I hated the throat culture part so much I one time threw a screaming fit and kicked a couple of nurses who were trying to hold me down so the doctor could advance with the Giant Q-Tip of Dooooom.

[pierydys]

Wax speaks the truth. I've had sore throats that lasted for weeks. One particularly bad allergy season, it lasted a few months. The combo of asthma, allergies, cats, and various medications did nothing to help it and all the doctors said that discomfort aside, that was just how it was gonna be. Throat sprays, lozenges, lots of warm honeyed tea and low doses of painkillers helped, of course.

So yeah. Unless you've got swollen glands or start coughing up strange colored phlegm, I'd put it down to the typical ickiness associated with the change of seasons. Sorry, darling, you're perfectly healthy ;-)

[cimorene]

I just need to stock up on throat spray and lozenges I guess. :( Man, it's just so... icky!

[pierydys]

Do remember the honey in the tea, too -- I know that you guys drink plenty of it, but I don't think you usually add anything to it. The honey coats the throat and does help to soothe it. Get heather honey, if you can -- it's got more healing power (something about pollen count, I think) than some of the other kinds. Lots of it locally produced, too.

[cimorene]

We always have locally produced honey but Wax says we don't have enough heather here to have heather honey? IDK.

[pierydys]

I get mine from Lappi Honey (http://polarhoney.shop.wosbee.com/PublishedService?file=page&pageID=9&itemcode=H0010) because they always have a tent up at the local festival markets and offer a 3-for-1 deal that's a bit discounted from their online pricing. It says that the heather comes from the Satakunta region. That'd be about as local as it gets...

[cimorene]

Interesting! Maybe I'll look for it sometime. We're not really marketplace-shoppers as a rule, except for seasonal summer produce like berries.