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Why is water causing my throat to burn with tonsillitis?

This is a bit involved, thanks for reading all the background.

I've been suffering from pretty severe tonsillitis for the past five days. Symptoms include: Severely swollen throat (2x normal size), pain similar to a bad burn in the back of my throat, swollen tonsils, extreme pain when swallowing, swollen glands, dizziness. No fever, no loss of voice, no viral symptoms (originally). I have seen a doctor, been diagnosed with bacterial tonsillitis, and am on the second day of my antibiotics (amoxicillin 3x daily). The first four days the only thing that helped my throat was drinking cold water. Over the counter pain and numbing agents had zero effect.

Today, I seem to have developed a cold, flu or viral tonsillitis, as now I am sneezing, coughing and suffering constant runny nose. Along with these, drinking any water provides a split second of relief from the cold, and then the most fiery burning death as it travels down my esophagus. It feels like it is ripping the skin back and pouring acid in it. I have tried both filtered tap and bottled water, the same as I have been drinking all week. My throat has swollen even further shut, and taking medicine is extremely difficult. Over the counter medicine is still not helping with the tonsillitis pain, nor is it helping with this new development.

Any idea what is up? Is this just part of the healing process, a serious complication, a side effect of the antibiotics? Mostly just hoping to avoid going back to Urgent Care and waiting six years unless it seems necessary.

Medicine I have tried with no effect: Acetaminophen, DayQuil, NyQuil, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Halls Cough Drops, Cepacol Cough Drops, Target Brand numbing spray, Salt Water Gargle, Hot Tea, Hot Tea with Honey, warm compress, cold compress. I did experience Very marginal relief (5-10%ish) with combination Sudafed and Migraine Relief (Acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine triple combination pill), but the caffeine prevents me from taking this in the evening. None of these have been effective at stopping the tide of runny nose either.

So my amateur, bored friends, what's the deal?

Update:

Whoops, forgot to say, I am Female in my Mid-20s, good health, healthy weight. Non-smoker, occasional drinker. No relevant underlying health conditions.

3 Answers

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  • ?
    Lv 4
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    When conventional methods fail, you either have to just hunker down and wait out the storm or seek further action. I am torn in my advice, because I do have a natural disdain for general practitioners (family doctors) but on the other hand, I know how tonsillitis might affect your overall health. If you do not have to desperately have your tonsils removed, just keep drinking water. It doesn't matter if it's filtered or treated or whatnot. If you think you might need them removed as a result, then do so. Otherwise, just drink water (it's the universal solvent) and tough it the F out.

    Edit: my advice is to just wait it the F out, and drink water like you normally would. Unless there is a massive chemical difference, your body won't know the difference between mineral water, bottled water, or tap water. Keep yourself hydrated and be smart.

  • 6 years ago

    I found something that s working for me.....about 1/3 cup apple juice in about 3 c water. It s not what I would prefer, pure water, but it s close!

  • Anonymous
    10 years ago

    The following works for sinus, cold, running nose, sore throat and strep throat, when the throat is hurting and lot of other conditions.

    The most visible thing about sinus is swelling. In case of cold, sore throat, strep throat also swelling is there but to some less extent then it is visible in sinus.

    Sinus, cold and sore throat usually happen in the following situations -

    - Change of season, drinking lot of water after exercises, when u get up in the morning, after swimming, after having first sex, kissing, first time smoking etc.

    The reason - The body has limited capacity to store water in places other hen cells and in blood systems. When we suddenly drink lot of water, that must be stored in the cells within a short period. If that does not happen the body tries to lose water through frequent urination, running nose, cough etc. This excess water is stored in layers of skin or muscles. This stored water outside cells reduces the cell metabolism drastically. That also causes the immune system to be done causing the bacteria growth. That does not need antibiotics. All it needs is reabsorption of that water in cells or blood system. That is possible only by reducing the water intake temporarily.

    During winters the cells of our body stores less water. This is evident from frequent loss of water from body throuhurination. Normally.

    Another thing that needs explanation is - why does sore throat happens in the morning often. The cellular metabolism is at 5 to 10% during sleep. So the excess water stored between layers of skin and muscles causes the metabolism to fall below the minimum threshold limit. That reduces the immune capacity of the body drastically.

    The same thing happens after swimming the body is heated up and cooled at the same time. It a person allows sweating after a swimming session and does not drink water or does not take a shower in cold water sore throat may not happen.

    After having first sex, kissing, first time smoking people tend to either overeat, drink lot of water and sleep immediately so sinus or sore throat happens.

    The easier way out is to allow body to sweat for 1 or 2 hour by increasing the body temperature but not drinking water or other fluids for may be 1 hour after that. But since cell metabolism is low during this period of cold and sinus, a person will seem to be excessively thirsty even after a short session of small exercise. Thru cell metabolism the water is transferred to blood system. If that happens at a rate slower then required rate the cells may overheat causing excessive thirst.

    The other easy way to control swelling is to give up water and all other liquids for 24 hours. In 24 hours there will be no significant dehydration to cause organ failure. But to be double sure one can stay indoors for 24 hours. This helps in lot of other ailments. One can do it when one is indoors. It improves the immune system. It ensures that body's control systems work properly.

    In 24 hours the reduction in the fluids will be about 3 litres or about 5% of the total body weight of a normal adult.

    Never the swelling due to sinus or cold and cough is more than 5% of the body volume.

    During this period of 24 hours the lose of water from the body does not reduce even by 1% to offset reduced water intake.

    The reduction in loss of body water thru urine or sweating starts after 48 hours in most of people. But to be on safe side giving up water and liquids for 24 hours will do the trick.

    The reduced swelling will give immediate relief from pain. It will make is much more easier to eliminate the cough thru nose without any pain.

    That will also improve the blood acid levels by about 10%. This makes changes at the cell level as well. Blood acid levels are the first line of defense against the infections.

    So swelling gone, pain gone, cough moving out, infections taken care of. Now what remains in the body for the next change of season time. Obviously nothing.

    So it has already given u long term relief from sinus. But in some cases one may get sinus during next change of season and may have to do this again. The benefits of drinking lot of water is over hyped. So when winter starts to set in, people still force drink more water. Same thing happens when summer is setting in. As soon as summer comfort is there on increases the water intake drastically. But the cells of the body still does not need that excess supply of water.

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