Oral analgesics

Paracetamol, or (if preferred, and suitable) ibuprofen, can provide rapid and effective relief of pain in sore throat. Aspirin is rarely used for this purpose nowadays because of the increased risk of adverse effects. A systematic review showed no benefit of adding other analgesic constituents.

The patient can be advised to take the analgesic regularly to sustain pain relief.

Although NICE found that no studies were identified regarding paracetamol and ibuprofen in children with sore throat, it noted that these medicines have well-established efficacy and safety profiles for managing pain and fever in children.

Flurbiprofen lozenges are licensed for sore throat in adults and children aged 12 years and over. They contain 8.75mg of flurbiprofen (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) and one lozenge is sucked or dissolved in the mouth every three to six hours as required, to a maximum of five lozenges. Flurbiprofen lozenges can be used for up to three days at a time.

Taking analgesics regularly at the recommended dosage interval is likely to be more helpful than waiting for the pain to build up again.