A sore throat also may be due to irritation from
excessive smoking. If cutting down on smoking and a trial of gargling every two
or three hours using a third of a glassful of warm water containing two crushed
aspirin tablets do not help, if the sore throat persists for more than a few
days, you should see your physician.
Serious conditions may begin with a sore
throat. Any acutely sore throat accompanied by fever in either adult or child
may mean trouble. It may indicate early stages of diphtheria, scarlet fever,
septic sore throat, or serious infection of the tonsils.
If these conditions
are treated promptly by your physician, they can be cured quickly and serious
complications can be avoided. In some individuals, even moderate use of
cigarettes may produce irritation in the throat and larynx, leading to a
hacking cough. There is no magic medicine for this.
The problem can be solved only by greater moderation
or even complete discontinuation of smoking. Hoarseness is a sign that
something may be wrong with the larynx. If you have been cheering at a football
game the day before, the reason is obvious enough. But if hoarseness or a
change in your voice appears without apparent cause and lasts longer than a few
days, it may indicate a tumor, tuberculosis, or some other potentially serious
condition, and immediate medical attention is essential.
What commonsense
precautions should you take to care for your lungs? First, considering what we
now know about the effects of smoking on the lungs-in terms not only of lung
cancer but of emphysema and chronic bronchitis you should give up smoking or at
least switch from high-risk cigarettes to lower-risk mild cigars or a pipe.
The
moist, warm air passages of the lungs provide ideal growing conditions for many
types of bacteria and viruses. This is the reason nature has provided so many
barriers to these organisms, in the form of sticky mucous membrane secretions
and cilia. But it is impossible to keep the passages 100 percent free of
microorganisms.
