Sore Throat, Cold and Sinus Infection in Alanya
Most upper respiratory infections are viral: a blocked or runny nose, sore throat, cough and mild fever that improve within seven to ten days without antibiotics. See a doctor if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, a fever above 38.5 °C for more than three days, or symptoms that improve and then suddenly get worse.
What it is
An upper respiratory tract infection affects the nose, sinuses, throat and voice box. On holiday there is a particular pattern to it: aircraft cabins, air conditioning set to 18 °C, moving between 38 °C outside and cold indoor air, and swimming pools all irritate the airway lining and make infection easier.
The overwhelming majority are viral. Antibiotics do not shorten them, and taking them unnecessarily causes side effects and resistance. A small minority — most often bacterial tonsillitis or a bacterial sinus infection — do need antibiotics, which is what an examination is for.
Symptoms
- Blocked or runny nose, sneezing
- Sore throat, painful swallowing, hoarseness
- Cough, dry at first and later productive
- Mild fever, headache, aching muscles
- Pressure or pain over the cheeks and forehead in sinus involvement
- Tiredness lasting a few days beyond the other symptoms
Clinic hours: 09:00–19:00, seven days a week
House calls: 24/7
What helps
- Paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever, sore throat and headache, at normal doses.
- Fluids — more than usual, especially in the heat.
- Salt-water gargles and saline nasal rinses; both are cheap and genuinely effective.
- Rest, and keep the air conditioning above about 24 °C and not blowing directly on you.
- Honey (over the age of one) is at least as effective as most cough syrups.
Decongestant sprays work but must not be used for more than five days — longer causes rebound congestion that is worse than the original problem.
When to call a doctor
- Difficulty breathing, or breathlessness at rest
- Difficulty swallowing or opening the mouth, drooling, or a muffled voice
- Fever above 38.5 °C for more than three days
- Symptoms improving and then abruptly worsening — often a bacterial infection following a virus
- Severe one-sided throat pain or a visibly swollen neck
- Facial pain and fever after a week of nasal congestion
- Any chest pain, or coughing up blood
- Symptoms lasting more than ten days without improving
112 is the emergency number in Turkey — free from any phone, answered in English.
Prevention
How to avoid it
- Keep hotel air conditioning above 24 °C and out of direct line of your bed
- Drink more in the heat — a dry airway is an infected airway
- Wash hands; respiratory viruses spread mostly by hand-to-face contact
- Avoid going straight from strong sun into a very cold room
What we do
Getting seen in Alanya
Oguzhan Care sees this at the clinic in Oba and on house calls to hotels and apartments across Alanya, 24 hours a day. The doctor examines you, treats what can be treated on the spot, and writes the report your insurer will want.
FAQ
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection: common questions
Usually not. Most sore throats are viral. Antibiotics are appropriate for confirmed bacterial tonsillitis, which is diagnosed by examination and, where needed, a rapid test.
Seven to ten days, with a cough that can linger for two to three weeks. Anything worsening after day five deserves an examination.
Flying with a blocked nose or ear is uncomfortable and occasionally damaging. A decongestant before take-off usually helps. Do not fly with severe ear pain without being seen first.
Yes. It is one of the commonest reasons for a house call, and an examination distinguishes a cold that needs rest from tonsillitis or a sinus infection that needs treatment.
Read next
Related pages
Medical disclaimer. This page is general health information, not a diagnosis and not a substitute for a consultation. If someone is unconscious, struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily or having chest pain, call 112 — the Turkish emergency number — immediately.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Oğuzhan Özkan, physician, Alanya. Last reviewed: 11 August 2026.
Feeling ill in Alanya right now?
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