Sore throat persists despite antibiotics: Reason?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have a sore throat since this Wednesday. My dad is a doctor and he gave me Augmentin every 12 hours. The pain has not gone yet, but I feel like an object anytime I swallow. It hurts and it feels dry and sore. Just on the left side, it is been a few days but nothing new yet. It hurts everytime I swallow and it feels full and pressured. There is some yellow mucus close to the crypts but cannot understand if it is a stone or infection. I tried to remove possible stones but ended up making my tonsil bleed every time I try to clean possible stones and gargled with salt and water. I am really afraid it is something bad. I am 24 years old.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your tonsil looks infected (attachment removed to protect patient identity). I can see pus coming out of your tonsil. You complete the course of Augmentin (take it for seven days, 1 gm 12 hourly). Along with that take plenty of fluids (at room temperature i.e. not very cold and not very hot), do mouth gargles (combination of Chlorhexidine and Benzydamine) three times daily for five days which will soothe your throat as well as remove debris from the crypts. Take proton pump inhibitor (Pantoprazole 40 mg twice daily on empty stomach for a week) and also Paracetamol 650 mg thrice daily for three days. Do take all the medicines, just Augmentin is not enough. Do not touch your tonsils and do not try to remove the debris with fingers. Also, if possible send more pictures of your throat. I want to see your right tonsil and posterior pharyngeal wall clearly.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

You are welcome. Your both the tonsils as well as posterior pharyngeal wall are infected. (attachment removed to protect patient identity). Like you said left tonsil is more infected. Your posterior pharyngeal wall has granulations which is most commonly secondary to sinusitis. If you have a nose block or frontal headache as well, you can take decongestant nose drops like Xylometazoline ( 0.1%)or Oxymetazoline ( 0.5%). Put two drops in each nostril three times daily for five days.