I had a painful sore throat for 5 days so I went to our Student Health
Services, and, after a brief examination, the Nurse Practioner diagnosed
Apthous Viral Infection of my throat (tonsils?), and said there is not
much I could do except treat the pain with throat lozenges. Actually,
she did offer to prescribe some other low-key pain killing thing I could
dab on my throat but said it would wipe away as soon as I ate something.
It’s the first time I’ve heard this name "Apthous Virus" but I wonder if
I had it before. In college I suffered a 2 weeks-long flu that came
with a terribly painful throat, and I wonder if Apthous was responsible
for that one too.
I asked some questions to the NP, but I guess I don’t trust her opinion
100%:
1. Is there any known cure for Apthous?
2. What is the best way to deal with the pain?
3. Can this infection spread into other parts of my body, e.g. turn
into the flu?
4. Does taking antihistamine raise one’s susceptability to viral
infections? (I have allergies).
5. Are there particular ways that one contracts Apthous?
6. Can one get rid of Apthous or does it stay resident in your body and
flare up occasionally?
Plus I’d like to hear any other useful info about dealing with Apthous.
I don’t think I’m a hypochondriac and am not panicking about this — I’m
just irritated by my painful throat and … well, guess I have a few
minutes to post an article and read the responses.
Thanks.
–
John Kim k…@cs.umass.edu
CAUTION: Do not insert swab into the eye, ear canal or any other body canal.