1. Seek Medical Attention
From viruses that cause the common cold to inflammatory diseases and the oral herpes virus, there are a variety of conditions that can cause blisters in the throat. Therefore, it is important to have a doctor examine your throat and take your medical history in order to make a more definitive diagnosis as to the cause of the blisters.
Based upon the diagnosis of your condition, your doctor will prescribe a treatment plan for you that may or may not involve the use of medication.
2. Reduce the Pain
One of the ways to treat the throat blisters is to take a pain-relieving medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce the pain associated with this condition.
One common virus that is known to develop small white blisters on the throat is the Coxsackie virus. It is most common in the summer months and is also accompanied by a high fever. When the blisters break open, they can become very painful. Pain-relieving medication can help to reduce some of the pain that ensues once the blisters open.
3. Control the Infection
If the throat blisters are caused from the herpes simplex virus, your doctor will prescribe a course of an antiviral medication. Antivirals like acyclovir (Zovirax) or valacyclovir (Valtrex) are most effective for controlling the infection when they are taken within 72 hours of symptom onset.
Herpes zoster, the virus responsible for chicken pox, as well as the skin disorder called shingles, can cause multiple sores to form on one side of the mouth. These sores are the result of an outbreak of the virus, which, just like herpes simplex virus, remains in the body even when symptoms have disappeared. Herpes zoster is treated in the same way as the herpes simplex virus, namely by taking a course of prescribed antivirals.
4. Home Remedies
Additional ways for treating throat blisters is to rely on old-fashioned and inexpensive home remedies. Drinking lots of liquids like teas and clear soups, but avoiding fruit juices is highly recommended to ease the pain of the throat blisters. Refraining from smoking or being exposed to other harmful irritants is also encouraged as a way to speed up healing. Since the most common culprit of the throat blisters is an infection, getting plenty of rest and eating a nutritious diet that is full of soft, and easy to swallow foods will also help to boost the immune system and enhance recovery time.
5. Rinse with a Medicated Mouthwash
Upon diagnosis, your doctor may prescribe for you a mouth rinse that contains a local anesthetic like lidocaine to numb the throat. But since this solution does numb the throat, caution must be exerted when eating or swallowing, especially in children to ensure that the individual does not choke.
A local anesthetic can also be applied directly to the infected or inflamed areas or a corticosteroid may also be applied right on the blister as long as the blister is not caused by an infection.
