Throat Gargling: Experts Debunk the Myth.

Dangers of Throat Gargling with Solutions

Throat pain is usually associated with bacterial or viral infection.

However, rinsing the throat with various solutions can be dangerous. This was reported by the Center for Public Health.

Throat pain is the result of the body's protective action against the pathogen.

When a bacterium or virus enters the oral cavity and the cells in particular, a cascade of immune system reactions is triggered.

Protective cells (lymphocytes, monocytes, and others) rush to the site of infection, and infected cells signal the body that it's Time to fight the pathogen. This is how inflammation develops. And this is a completely normal reaction of the body.

During this time, rinsing the throat with various solutions can even be dangerous.

Saline solution, for example, draws water out of the cells. The cells become even more vulnerable to bacteria. And a baking soda solution disrupts the acid-base balance of the environment, which can also have unpleasant consequences.

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Furacilin is not recommended

Another name is nitro-furazone. The substance does have antimicrobial properties. However, for an effective concentration of furacilin to reach the tissues, a lot is needed. And superficial throat gargling can lead only to antibiotic resistance.

For a long time, the drug was used locally for burns and wounds for disinfection and faster healing.

"However, 20 years ago, animal studies showed that nitro-furazone has carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. In the USA, its use is, for example, prohibited," they write.

Recommendations for Throat Pain

If you have a sore throat, you should first go to a family doctor who can identify the causes of inflammation, reports the Center for Public Health.

"A cup of warm water or tried-and-tested painkillers, if recommended by your family doctor, can also help ease the symptom," the Center summarizes.

Alcohol and medication are incompatible. This is a rule to always remember if you are taking any drugs, the National Health Service reports.

The Ministry of Health has published common myths about taking antibiotics.