A sore throat is a dry uncomfortable feeling in your throat, usually caused by a viral infection. It often clears up after a few days, but it can be painful.
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A sore throat is often a symptom of another condition, like a cold or the flu. It’s characterised by, like the name suggests, having a sore (painful) throat. Your symptoms might include dryness, difficulty speaking or swallowing, or swollen neck glands.
You can often treat it yourself at home, just by taking measures to lessen the irritation, like gargling water, drinking warm, soothing drinks and staying in a warm, moist environment. If your symptoms are particularly unpleasant, linger for a long time or your sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, then your clinician might recommend treatment with medicines.
Sore throat can affect anyone, but it’s been shown to often affect people in certain professions who strain their throat more frequently, such as teachers, or people who are exposed to smoke or irritants, like firefighters.
You’ll be at a greater risk of developing a sore throat if you smoke, as well.
Sore throat is extremely common. There isn’t a great deal of data to show just how common it is, but you’ve likely suffered from it yourself at least once, or know someone who has. It’s a common symptom of routine conditions like colds, or it might happen to you if you’ve shouted or sung too strenuously (after a concert, for example).
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Viruses account for around 90% of sore throats. Aside from cold or flu, it can be caused by other viruses, like measles, chicken pox and mumps. The other 10% of the time, it can be caused by:
On rare occasions, sore throat can be caused by a tumor, indicating throat cancer. If your sore throat has remained for more than a week, doesn’t seem to be going away and is making it difficult for you to swallow, then you should make an in-person appointment with a clinician so that they can examine you.
As the name suggests, the primary symptom of a sore throat is pain in your throat. It might also give you trouble swallowing, bad breath, swollen neck glands, redness in the back of your mouth and a mild cough.
If you have severe symptoms, like difficulty breathing, drooling, or you’re making a high pitched sound when you breathe, you should seek immediate medical attention.
A sore throat won’t usually lead to any other problems, but on rare occasions a sore throat can be a sign of a more serious condition, so make sure you see your clinician if it’s not going away after a week or you have troubling symptoms.
It might also cause you some issues if you are ‘immunosuppressed’ (have a weakened immune system), so you should also contact a clinician for advice if you have HIV, or are undergoing treatment that weakens your immune system like chemotherapy.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat). Inflammation Research, 61(10), pp.1041–1052.
Rapid Antigen Group A Streptococcus Test to Diagnose Pharyngitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE, 9(11).
Acute sore throat. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, [online] 57(7), pp.791–4.
Use of antibiotics for acute sore throat and tonsillitis in primary care. British Journal of General Practice, [online] 72(716), pp.136–137.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory spray that tackles sore throat and tonsillitis symptoms.
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