A sore throat is a feeling of scratchiness and pain in throat. This leads to difficulty swallowing. The most common term in medicine is pharyngitis. Viral infection like cold, cough, and flu leads to throat infections. As we have noticed, the people suffering from coronavirus also showed the most common symptom is a sore throat.
| Causes | Viral Infection, Laryngitis, Gastroesophageal Reflux |
|---|---|
| Remedies | Hydration, Rest, Steam Inhalation |
| Preventive Options | Hand hygiene, Avoid close contact, Avoid smoking |
| Treatment Options | Medications(Ibuprofen), lozenges, Antibiotics |
| Specialist | ENT Specialist |
Pain in the throat sometimes hurts by eating cold or hot. You started to feel the scratchy feeling. This is called sore throat. Strep throat or streptococcal infection is caused by bacteria that require some treatments that we have mentioned in the treatment section. In addition, if a person has some allergic reaction, we could notice pain in the throat that leads to scratchiness. If you have any difficulty breathing, you must consult with a doctor. We have listed some major causes, symptoms, and treatment options that help you reduce the symptoms.
Symptoms of a sore throat are mentioned below.
Let's discuss one of the most common types of sore throat: strep throat vs sore throat. Many people do not know what it is and how we can distinguish between them.
Strep Throat
This is mainly caused by the bacteria called Group A Streptococcus. The symptoms include no cough, sudden onset, swallowing pain, swollen lymph nodes, or mild fever. The treatment for strep throat is antibiotics.
Sore Throat
The virus, allergens, and bacteria mainly cause this. You will notice common symptoms are cough, swollen and scratchy throat, body ache, and mouth sores. The sore throat treatments are gargles, warm liquids, humidifiers, and painkillers.
Mononucleosis
In this condition, the disease or symptoms spread through kissing or saliva. You will notice fatigue, fever, headache, swelling in the tonsils, and pain in the throat.
There are many reason of throat pain. This varies from virus to bacteria and disease conditions. Here are the most common causes of sore throat that we should know.
1. Viral Infection
As virus is the most common cause of virus infection. We have listed some viruses that lead to the symptoms given in the following.
2. Bacterial Infection
Many bacterial infections cause pain in the throat. One of the most common bacteria is group A streptococcus bacteria. Other disease conditions like gonorrhea and chlamydia also cause discomfort throat.
3. Dry Air
Dry air leads to the dryness of the air. Therefore, air should contain enough moisture that will not pull the water content from tissues and cells. Therefore, in winter, people suffer from more sore throats because of the dry air.
4. Irritants
There are many irritants in our surroundings. Everyone in their lifetime has suffered from irritants in their life once. Even bad habits like smoking, air pollution, chemicals, sprays, perfumes, and air fresheners cause sore throat.
5. Injury
There are many injuries of the neck which lead to discomfort, like vocal cords and muscle injuries. If you are a singer, you are more at risk of having a sore throat because of singing loudly and for a longer period.
6. GERD
Gastrointestinal reflux disease is when the stomach releases acid in the food pipe. This results in a burning sensation in the throat and causes heartburn and acid reflux. There is another word called silent reflux, which means laryngopharyngeal reflux, leading to a sore throat.
7. Tumor
A voice box or sore throat tumor could cause a sore throat. You will notice even tumors in the neck as the first sign. This needs proper treatment to recover from tumors which could also involve surgeries.
8. Allergies
Many people have low immunity, which leads to frequent episodes of allergies. Even many countries and cities have low air quality, which suffocates and irritated throat. The pollens and chemicals also cause problems in breathing as well. This leads to the deposition of thick mucus in the windpipe. So, it narrows down the air passage and irritated throat.
There are many ways that sore throats are examined. First, the doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms, medical history, and allergies. The doctor might touch your neck to see any lumps in the neck. The doctor also notices swelling, redness, and white spots.
The further doctor will ask for throat cultures which are quite helpful in identifying the cause of the sore throat. This is followed by the swab, which is collected by lab personnel. The sample is mainly collected in the lab where culture is grown to check the bacteria or virus.
It usually takes 24 to 72 hours for the results. Throat cultures help identify chlamydia or gonorrhea. A Mononucleosis spot test is where antibody tests are detected to know the mononucleosis's positive and negative results.
There are other causes of sore throat as well. Your specialist is an otolaryngologist who will advise you for the test according to the symptoms and conditions of a person. The other tests are: -
There are many treatment options for throat pain medicine that you can include. We advise you to consult the doctor and follow the medications as per the course. Some of the for sore throat medicine that are used for over-the-counter medications are included in the following.
Many medications contain aspirin that should not be given to the child because it may cause severe bleeding. The advice a doctor should take is aspirin. There are other treatments for sore in the throat like
1. Throat sprays like antiseptic, like phenol or eucalyptus oil.
2. Throat Lozenges
3. Cough Syrups
The other disease conditions, which are liked to sore throat, are also mentioned. For instance, GERD includes:
1. Antacids
These include Tums, Maalox, and Rolaids help to neutralize the acid in the stomach.
2. H2 Blockers
Medications such as cimetidine and famotidine help reduce acid production in the stomach.
3. Proton Pump Inhibitors
This includes omeprazole or pantoprazole, which blocks the production of acid.
If you think your symptoms have no improvement, you can see various complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, and fever. It would help if you visited the doctor. Antibiotics also help to reduce the sore throat in one day. However, dose and frequency are advised by the physician only. The doctor majorly advises penicillin or amoxicillin.
How to relieve itchy throat? You can follow for sore throat home remedies listed below with their benefits. If you have any problem with sore throat remedy at home, you can contact credihealth.com for expert advice. You can visit our experts, which provide optimum care. Let's find out what these are.
1. Black Tea
Tea is one of the best ways to provide comfort to your throat. This black tea contains tulsi, ginger, clover, black pepper, cinnamon, honey, and turmeric. This is one of the best ways to relieve your throat.
2. Honey
Honey is a traditional remedy to cure sore throat that contains cough suppressants called dextromethorphan. It was also helpful in relieving the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection.
3. Saltwater Gargle
Gargling with warm salt water helps to soothe the tissues of the throat. Additionally, it kills bacteria. You can add a half spoonful of salt in a full glass of warm water for better results. Do it three times a day for better results.
4. Fenugreek
There are many ways that you can reduce sore throat symptoms at home. One of these is fenugreek. It has the property of healing tissues and cells and reducing pain.
5. Soup
You can drink soup by adding garlic, and black pepper, which helps comfort your throat. This helps to improve the symptoms of respiratory infection and ease breathing. It reduces the inflammation of the throat as well. Chicken Soup is the most popular. That provides comfort to the throat.
There are many ways you can prevent sore throat in the following. If you follow these steps, you may reduce the chances of symptoms. Let's explore what these preventive measures are.
1. Hand hygiene
It breaks the chain of infections. If you follow the proper steps of hand hygiene, that will help you to reduce bacterial and viral infections.
2. Limit the contact
People suffering from respiratory problems and infections could also easily infect other people. Therefore, maintaining the proper distance from those patients is crucial, especially for children.
3. Avoid Smoking
As we have discussed above, smoking will lead to a sore throat. Even people who live in polluted cities are more prone to infection. Therefore, it is better to quit smoking.
4. Wear a Mask
As we know, the mask is the physical barrier that protects us from unwanted bacteria and viruses. The virus is mandatory to wear, especially in crowded places. This also reduces inhalation of allergens from the mouth and nose, like pollen grains and dust.
If your children suffer from sore throats, you must notify the warning signs in the following. However, we recommend you visit a pediatrician for the proper treatment. These include difficulty breathing, swallowing, and unusual drooling.
If you are an adult, you will notice some serious symptoms, so a doctor visit is mandatory. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, we have listed some symptoms.
If you have sore throat and are concerned about your health, it is important to seek immediate medical attention from a qualified sore throat doctor. A doctor specializing in treating sore throat, such as a ENT Specialist, would be the right health professional to consult.
Here is a list of Top verified doctors for sore throat. You can book an appointment with one to start your sore throat treatment today.
Manipal Hospitals, Dhakuria, Kolkata
Rs. 1,000 Consult Fees
SRCC Children Hospital, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai
Rs. 1,500 Consult Fees
Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi NCR
Rs. 800 Consult Fees
A hospital can provide various services to help diagnose and treat your sore throat. If you are experiencing sore throat In that case, it is important to visit a sore throat hospital for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Check a list of Top Hospitals for sore throat treatment.
Multi Speciality Hospital
Established in 1918
🛌345 Beds
5+ Doctors 
Super Speciality Hospital
Established in 1950
🛌350 Beds
5+ Doctors 
Multi Speciality Hospital
Established in 1962
🛌1000 Beds
5+ Doctors Frequently asked questions and answers about sore throat.
How long does a sore throat last?
The duration of a sore throat can vary, but most sore throats caused by a viral infection will usually last for about 7-10 days. Sore throats caused by a bacterial infection may last longer and typically require treatment with antibiotics.
How do you cure a sore throat quickly?
To cure a sore throat quickly, you can try gargling with warm salt water, drinking plenty of fluids, using throat lozenges or sprays, and getting enough rest.
Can I spread a sore throat to others?
Sore throats caused by viral infections such as the common cold or flu are highly contagious and can be easily spread to others through respiratory droplets. Sore throats caused by a bacterial infection, such as strep throat, are also contagious and can be spread through respiratory droplets.
What causes a sore throat?
A sore throat can be caused by various factors, such as viral or bacterial infections, allergies, environmental irritants, or acid reflux.
Can you treat a sore throat at home?
Yes, most sore throats can be treated at home with over-the-counter pain relievers, drinking plenty of fluids, and getting plenty of rest. It's important to consult a healthcare professional if the sore throat persists or if you have other symptoms that concern you.
What is best medicine for sore throat?
The best medicine for a sore throat can depend on the underlying cause and severity of the symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can help alleviate discomfort and reduce inflammation. Antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial infections, but are not effective for viral infections.
Reviews by patients on different.
K .Parsad
Manipal Hospital
Dr. Anuj Goel has been a wonderful experience for me. He is a cheerful, lively, and upbeat individual. He provides us with actual, actionable, and concrete solutions to our situation. I am quite comfortable discussing any topic connected to life with you. Both mam and sir are the most nicest people I've ever encountered. I am completely satisfied.
Shikha Jain
CARE Hospital
Dr. has been a wonderful experience for me. He is a cheerful, lively, and upbeat individual. He provides us with actual, actionable, and concrete solutions to our situation. I am quite comfortable discussing any topic connected to life with you. Both mam and sir are the most nicest people I've ever encountered. I am completely satisfied.
P.Harshith Rao
Manipal Hospital
My time with Dr. has been excellent. He is a cheerful, lively, and upbeat individual. He provides us with actual, actionable, and concrete solutions to our situation. I am quite comfortable discussing any topic connected to life with you. Both mam and sir are the most nicest people I've ever encountered. I am completely satisfied.
Credihealth is an online healthcare portal for all your hospital appointments, diagnostic test bookings, ordering medications, or homecare services. If you have any inquiries, our in-house medical experts can help solve them and guide you to the best specialist in the India.
Average Rating 4.8
