It’s that time of year again: sore throat season. 

This affliction can be the painful bane of teachers’ lives (and drain half your salary on lozenges and potions).  

But is there anything that is actually effective? Or is good old-fashioned rest the only answer?

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It very much depends on the cause of your bothersome pharynx. A sore throat could have a number of causes, from a viral infection to strained vocal cords.

Viral infection:  this is the sort you get when you have a cold or flu.

Bacterial infection: streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat to its friends) and less often, sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia can be responsible. 

Allergies: the post-nasal drip associated with allergic reactions can irritate the throat.

Dry air, smoke, chemicals and pollutants: all can irritate the throat.

Injury: the bête noire of any teacher. They are particularly vulnerable to straining their vocal cords and throat muscles.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): acid from the stomach leaks up the oesophagus with painful results.

Prevention is better than cure

We all know that schools are giant germ pits: work in one long enough and you’ll have an immune system that will still be standing after all-out biological warfare. 

Until that moment, though, there are a few things you can do: 

• Make hand sanitiser your best friend (have multiple bottles in different locations: bag, desk and so on). 

• Eat a healthy and balanced diet. 

• Take nutritional supplements (some teachers swear by immune-boosting echinacea). 

• Get enough sleep. 

As a teacher, your voice is your currency and it is very hard to do your job without it, so you have to protect it. This could mean:

• Planning lessons where there is minimal teacher-talk.

• Keeping hydrated (with water - avoid caffeinated beverages).

• Not raising your voice too often.

• Breathing using your diaphragm.

• Warming up your voice properly (NHS County Durham and Darlington have created some vocal warm-up videos that can act as a guide).  

If the worst happens

Even with the best preparation and the strongest immune system, sometimes you’re going to wake up clutching your throat, concerned that you’ve somehow accidentally swallowed a pot of drawing pins. So what can you do?

First of all,  there’s the 6am assessment of how ill you actually are. The hardest thing for teachers to do is take a day off, but remember, there are no medals for dragging yourself into school resembling a medieval plague victim. 

When you find yourself in this position, do yourself and everyone else a favour, and stay at home watching  daytime TV. 

If you assess that your situation isn’t that bad, then these are the old favourites:

• Gargle with a warm salt-water solution (or mouthwash).

• Take something with a painkiller in it (being careful not to double dose).

• Use an antiseptic throat spray (I have found these to be really effective).  

• Don’t overstretch your voice - an advice leaflet from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital recommends that you speak only when necessary and use a quiet “confidential” voice, as opposed to a whisper. 

In my experience, students are often very sympathetic, and hopefully they will be quieter than usual when they see that you’re suffering. Believe it or not, they do appreciate you being there. 

If your sore throat persists, seek medical advice. But remember that antibiotics work only for bacterial infections, such as strep throat and some types of tonsillitis - they will not work for viral infections, such as colds or flu. 

Gemma Corby is a former special educational needs and disability coordinator (Sendco) and freelance writer