Prednisone for Sore throat?!?! - DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate

**nerrttrw** · 01-05-2009, 04:52 AM

Prednisolone is a steroid.
Can be used in some infections such as a sore throat, where there is a lot of swelling.
It helps reduce the swelling.

Another example of it being used in an infection - chest infection causing wheeze or exacerbation of asthma.
Very common to give a 3-5 day course of prednisolone to control the wheeze, which ultimately is caused by airway swelling/constriction.

I know you've probaby not put down all the history, but isn't a doctors visit and a prescription overkill for a sore throat?

I normally have plenty of liquids and strepsils and it's gone in a day or two.

You'd be surprised as to how many people present with sore throats to my Surgery!

Centor Criteria is useful here:

"Centor criteria to aid diagnosis of Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus (GABHS)as a caus of presentation with a sore throat:

- tonsillar exudate
- tender anterior cervical lymph nodes
- absence of cough
- history of fever
presence of three or four of these clinical signs suggests that the chance of the patient having GABHS is between 40% and 60%, so the patient may benefit from antibiotic treatment
absence of three or four of the signs suggests that there is an 80% chance that the patient doesn't have the infection, and antibiotics are unlikely to be necessary
in patients with tonsillitis who are unwell, and have three out of four of these criteria, the risk of quinsy is 1:60 compared with 1:400 in those who are not unwell."

**niemamczasu** · 01-05-2009, 05:08 AM

You'd be surprised as to how many people present with sore throats to my Surgery!

meh I don't like to waste Doctors time, sure they have important things to do

**ddwayspd** · 01-05-2009, 05:50 AM

meh I don't like to waste Doctors time, sure they have important things to do

Like push wonky migraine drugs onto a person with normal headaches and then ignore symptoms of serotonin syndrome so that their husband has to take them to the hospital. All the doctors I've been to are more concerned with what pills they can sell you rather than what your actual problems are.

**nerrttrw** · 01-05-2009, 06:26 AM

Like push wonky migraine drugs onto a person with normal headaches and then ignore symptoms of serotonin syndrome so that their husband has to take them to the hospital. All the doctors I've been to are more concerned with what pills they can sell you rather than what your actual problems are.

Yes we're all evil!!!

Hang on!? I just remembered - I don't work in dollar-sign America.

**niemamczasu** · 01-05-2009, 06:45 AM

Yeah not quite the same in the UK

**Tapupah** · 01-05-2009, 07:17 AM

Like push wonky migraine drugs onto a person with normal headaches and then ignore symptoms of serotonin syndrome so that their husband has to take them to the hospital. All the doctors I've been to are more concerned with what pills they can sell you rather than what your actual problems are.

rainwind, you need to find an excellent doctor my friend. at least you have the power of choice in the US. I learned a long time ago to only go to world class doctors when serious issues arise. I have one of the top medical universities in the world within 25 miles. I won't go anywhere else. (and there's minimal government interference with my personal healthcare

)

also, isn't serotonin symptom caused by excessive pharmaceuticals? you should take your own advice. find a doctor who is more thorough and just as important, measured when it comes to prescribing heavy prescriptions.

**ddwayspd** · 01-05-2009, 07:21 AM

rainwind, you need to find an excellent doctor my friend. at least you have the power of choice in the US. I learned a long time ago to only go to world class doctors when serious issues arise. I have one of the top medical universities in the world within 25 miles. I won't go anywhere else. (and there's minimal government interference with my personal healthcare)

also, isn't serotonin symptom caused by excessive pharmaceuticals? you should take your own advice. find a doctor who is more thorough and just as important, measured when it comes to prescribing heavy prescriptions.

Unfortunately those kinds of doctors don't exist where I live. In fact, I don't even have an in-network doctor in the town I live in. I drive out of state. There are so few doctors that getting in is a bitch, and they don't want to take more time than they have to. You get in, they rush you, you get out. Normally I wait in the waiting room an hour. I've switched doctors multiple times. My current doctor isn't as bad... but still... it's pretty much a waste of my money. Each one says something that contradicts the other.

Edit: To give you an idea of how rushed they are one of them spent 5 minutes with me, didn't close the door, and sent me off to surgery scheduling to remove my tonsils and half my uvula.

**Tapupah** · 01-05-2009, 07:37 AM

Unfortunately those kinds of doctors don't exist where I live. In fact, I don't even have an in-network doctor in the town I live in. I drive out of state. There are so few doctors that getting in is a bitch, and they don't want to take more time than they have to. You get in, they rush you, you get out. Normally I wait in the waiting room an hour. I've switched doctors multiple times. My current doctor isn't as bad... but still... it's pretty much a waste of my money. Each one says something that contradicts the other.

Edit: To give you an idea of how rushed they are one of them spent 5 minutes with me, didn't close the door, and sent me off to surgery scheduling to remove my tonsils and half my uvula.

yeah, that's insane. that's the main reason i prefer university hospitals, actually. they generally have much more time to diagnose and you get a team approach instead of some small time practitioner trying to crank through 75 patients a day. What those guys do is play the odds. It's interesting that megatron posted those diagnostic tools with %'s. Surely that's a great tool, but if it's relied to heavily on, you can get a raw deal if you happen to have a rare problem. I've noticed some doctors just cynically play the odds (to be fair, they're somewhat forced to by the nature of the medical industry) but take your wife's issue with headaches/ fatigue. A doctor with 10 minutes per patient might be compelled to say ......"well, 90% chance it's migraine or stress" Contrarily, Serotonin Syndrome is really rare, afaik. I'm just guessing, but that's probably the case less than 1% of the time; so your wife ends up with a life threatening condition and dangerous drug interaction undiagnosed.

Personally, i think that's poor healthcare practice. Unfortunately, that's the nature of the beast. I doubt it's much different under socialized medicine. They too have to see a boatload of patients per day afaik. Anyways, imo, if you have access to a medical university it greatly minimizes this tendency, or at a minimum a doctor who is more thorough and prudent enough to take the time to critically evaluate each patient instead of playing the odds so to speak. Believe me, like you, I learned the hard way.

**pirinosa** · 03-31-2009, 10:22 AM

4 months back my doctor gave me zythromax for a sore throat but it ended up being a virus so the antibiotics were not very effective. 2 months ago I had strep throat and doctor gave me azithromycin (zythromax). It worked like a charm. now I have a scratchy but slightly sore throat and this time my doctor said "I'm going to give you prednisone... This is what you needed in the first place"... Now I have no allergies or any other conditions.. But prednisone for sore throat? Doesnt prednisone increase the risk of infection and during prednisone treatment and after 12months arent you supposed to report any signs of fevers, infections, and "sore throat"?
I don't understand... I just got it today and I'm going to call in tomorrow to ask for the reason as to why I've been prescribed prednisone... a steroid that helps people with RA and Asthma...

**induffike** · 03-31-2009, 10:35 AM

So rather than asking your physician for further explanation, you ask a bunch of google doctors on a computer benchmarking forum?

**pirinosa** · 03-31-2009, 10:39 AM

I just read about it a few hours ago... and I did say I'm going to ask tomorrow... :P
I figured maybe some people here might have some information while I wait till tomorrow when the doctor is in...

**induffike** · 03-31-2009, 11:29 AM

Ahhh... I missed that you were heading back in tomorrow... There are a couple reasons why they might have prescribed it... but my fiancée won't tell me why. [surrender]

The problem a lot of doctors face these days are people who try to either self-diagnose themselves or suggest their own treatment, for which I hear so much of from her all of the time...

If you go in and say you read up and were curious as to how it was being used, a Dr shouldn't mind answering... Something you have to keep in mind is many medications have alternative uses, so they may be spot-on with why they prescribed it.

**Tapupah** · 03-31-2009, 12:18 PM

i know prednisone is often prescribed as an anti-inflamitory. Maybe your throat is aggravated and swolen for whatever reason, and prednisone should keep the inflamation down.

keep in mind this is just a wild guess

steroids can be prescribed for lots of things though. pain control, anti-inflamitory, asthma, cancer, immune deficiencies, ect.. I do a lot of outdoors stuff in the summers. I've even been prescribed prednisone for poison ivy (it cleared it up amazingly too)

**Smittoh** · 03-31-2009, 05:05 PM

Where is north when you need him...

[rofl]

**induffike** · 03-31-2009, 05:10 PM

Where is north when you need him...

[rofl]

Probably off eating pizza w/ a milkshake...

**niemamczasu** · 03-31-2009, 05:10 PM

I know you've probaby not put down all the history, but isn't a doctors visit and a prescription overkill for a sore throat?

I normally have plenty of liquids and strepsils and it's gone in a day or two.

01-05-2009, 04:52 AM	#1
nerrttrw Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 588 Senior Member	Prednisolone is a steroid. Can be used in some infections such as a sore throat, where there is a lot of swelling. It helps *reduce* the swelling. Another example of it being used in an infection - chest infection causing wheeze or exacerbation of asthma. Very common to give a 3-5 day course of prednisolone to control the wheeze, which ultimately is caused by airway swelling/constriction. I know you've probaby not put down all the history, *but isn't a doctors visit and a prescription overkill* for a sore throat? I normally have plenty of liquids and strepsils and it's gone in a day or two. You'd be surprised as to how many people present with sore throats to my Surgery! Centor Criteria** is useful here: "Centor criteria to aid diagnosis of Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus (GABHS)as a caus of presentation with a sore throat: tonsillar exudate tender anterior cervical lymph nodes absence of cough history of fever presence of three or four of these clinical signs suggests that the chance of the patient having GABHS is between 40% and 60%, so the patient may benefit from antibiotic treatment absence of three or four of the signs suggests that there is an 80% chance that the patient doesn't have the infection, and antibiotics are unlikely to be necessary in patients with tonsillitis who are unwell, and have three out of four of these criteria, the risk of quinsy is 1:60 compared with 1:400 in those who are not unwell." Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 05:08 AM	#2
niemamczasu Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 440 Senior Member	You'd be surprised as to how many people present with sore throats to my Surgery! meh I don't like to waste Doctors time, sure they have important things to do Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 05:50 AM	#3
ddwayspd Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 571 Senior Member	meh I don't like to waste Doctors time, sure they have important things to do Like push wonky migraine drugs onto a person with normal headaches and then ignore symptoms of serotonin syndrome so that their husband has to take them to the hospital. All the doctors I've been to are more concerned with what pills they can sell you rather than what your actual problems are. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 06:26 AM	#4
nerrttrw Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 588 Senior Member	Like push wonky migraine drugs onto a person with normal headaches and then ignore symptoms of serotonin syndrome so that their husband has to take them to the hospital. All the doctors I've been to are more concerned with what pills they can sell you rather than what your actual problems are. Yes we're all evil!!! Hang on!? I just remembered - I don't work in dollar-sign America. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 06:45 AM	#5
niemamczasu Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 440 Senior Member	Yeah not quite the same in the UK Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 07:17 AM	#6
Tapupah Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 474 Senior Member	Like push wonky migraine drugs onto a person with normal headaches and then ignore symptoms of serotonin syndrome so that their husband has to take them to the hospital. All the doctors I've been to are more concerned with what pills they can sell you rather than what your actual problems are. rainwind, you need to find an excellent doctor my friend. at least you have the power of choice in the US. I learned a long time ago to only go to world class doctors when serious issues arise. I have one of the top medical universities in the world within 25 miles. I won't go anywhere else. (and there's minimal government interference with my personal healthcare) also, isn't serotonin symptom caused by excessive pharmaceuticals? you should take your own advice. find a doctor who is more thorough and just as important, measured when it comes to prescribing heavy prescriptions. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 07:21 AM	#7
ddwayspd Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 571 Senior Member	rainwind, you need to find an excellent doctor my friend. at least you have the power of choice in the US. I learned a long time ago to only go to world class doctors when serious issues arise. I have one of the top medical universities in the world within 25 miles. I won't go anywhere else. (and there's minimal government interference with my personal healthcare) also, isn't serotonin symptom caused by excessive pharmaceuticals? you should take your own advice. find a doctor who is more thorough and just as important, measured when it comes to prescribing heavy prescriptions. Unfortunately those kinds of doctors don't exist where I live. In fact, I don't even have an in-network doctor in the town I live in. I drive out of state. There are so few doctors that getting in is a bitch, and they don't want to take more time than they have to. You get in, they rush you, you get out. Normally I wait in the waiting room an hour. I've switched doctors multiple times. My current doctor isn't as bad... but still... it's pretty much a waste of my money. Each one says something that contradicts the other. Edit: To give you an idea of how rushed they are one of them spent 5 minutes with me, didn't close the door, and sent me off to surgery scheduling to remove my tonsils and half my uvula. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

01-05-2009, 07:37 AM	#8
Tapupah Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 474 Senior Member	Unfortunately those kinds of doctors don't exist where I live. In fact, I don't even have an in-network doctor in the town I live in. I drive out of state. There are so few doctors that getting in is a bitch, and they don't want to take more time than they have to. You get in, they rush you, you get out. Normally I wait in the waiting room an hour. I've switched doctors multiple times. My current doctor isn't as bad... but still... it's pretty much a waste of my money. Each one says something that contradicts the other. Edit: To give you an idea of how rushed they are one of them spent 5 minutes with me, didn't close the door, and sent me off to surgery scheduling to remove my tonsils and half my uvula. yeah, that's insane. that's the main reason i prefer university hospitals, actually. they generally have much more time to diagnose and you get a team approach instead of some small time practitioner trying to crank through 75 patients a day. What those guys do is play the odds. It's interesting that megatron posted those diagnostic tools with %'s. Surely that's a great tool, but if it's relied to heavily on, you can get a raw deal if you happen to have a rare problem. I've noticed some doctors just cynically play the odds (to be fair, they're somewhat forced to by the nature of the medical industry) but take your wife's issue with headaches/ fatigue. A doctor with 10 minutes per patient might be compelled to say ......"well, 90% chance it's migraine or stress" Contrarily, Serotonin Syndrome is really rare, afaik. I'm just guessing, but that's probably the case less than 1% of the time; so your wife ends up with a life threatening condition and dangerous drug interaction undiagnosed. Personally, i think that's poor healthcare practice. Unfortunately, that's the nature of the beast. I doubt it's much different under socialized medicine. They too have to see a boatload of patients per day afaik. Anyways, imo, if you have access to a medical university it greatly minimizes this tendency, or at a minimum a doctor who is more thorough and prudent enough to take the time to critically evaluate each patient instead of playing the odds so to speak. Believe me, like you, I learned the hard way. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 10:22 AM	#9
pirinosa Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 444 Senior Member	Prednisone for Sore throat?!?! 4 months back my doctor gave me zythromax for a sore throat but it ended up being a virus so the antibiotics were not very effective. 2 months ago I had strep throat and doctor gave me azithromycin (zythromax). It worked like a charm. now I have a scratchy but slightly sore throat and this time my doctor said "I'm going to give you prednisone... This is what you needed in the first place"... Now I have no allergies or any other conditions.. But prednisone for sore throat? Doesnt prednisone increase the risk of infection and during prednisone treatment and after 12months arent you supposed to report any signs of fevers, infections, and "sore throat"? I don't understand... I just got it today and I'm going to call in tomorrow to ask for the reason as to why I've been prescribed prednisone... a steroid that helps people with RA and Asthma... Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 10:35 AM	#10
induffike Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 426 Senior Member	So rather than asking your physician for further explanation, you ask a bunch of google doctors on a computer benchmarking forum? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 10:39 AM	#11
pirinosa Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 444 Senior Member	I just read about it a few hours ago... and I did say I'm going to ask tomorrow... :P I figured maybe some people here might have some information while I wait till tomorrow when the doctor is in... Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 11:29 AM	#12
induffike Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 426 Senior Member	Ahhh... I missed that you were heading back in tomorrow... There are a couple reasons why they might have prescribed it... but my fiancée won't tell me why. [surrender] The problem a lot of doctors face these days are people who try to either self-diagnose themselves or suggest their own treatment, for which I hear so much of from her all of the time... If you go in and say you read up and were curious as to how it was being used, a Dr shouldn't mind answering... Something you have to keep in mind is many medications have alternative uses, so they may be spot-on with why they prescribed it. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 12:18 PM	#13
Tapupah Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 474 Senior Member	i know prednisone is often prescribed as an anti-inflamitory. Maybe your throat is aggravated and swolen for whatever reason, and prednisone should keep the inflamation down. keep in mind this is just a wild guess steroids can be prescribed for lots of things though. pain control, anti-inflamitory, asthma, cancer, immune deficiencies, ect.. I do a lot of outdoors stuff in the summers. I've even been prescribed prednisone for poison ivy (it cleared it up amazingly too) Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 05:05 PM	#14
Smittoh Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 627 Senior Member	Where is north when you need him... [rofl] Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

03-31-2009, 05:10 PM	#15
induffike Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 426 Senior Member	Where is north when you need him... [rofl] Probably off eating pizza w/ a milkshake... Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter
	Quote

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