Does your throat hurt when you swallow?
Do you also have a fever, joint pain, or swollen lymph glands in the neck?
But the cause is not always obvious.
Vaping, for example, can lead to throat pain and irritation.
Nicotine withdrawal may cause a sore throat, too.
Another potential cause is COVID-19.
If that’s your case, you may also have other symptoms in addition to throat pain.
“Only about 5-10% of COVID-19 patients will have [a sore throat].
He recommends seeing a medical professional if your symptoms persist longer than a week.
In some cases,throat painmay indicate an infection, allergies, or inflammation.
Children may also experience stomach pain and vomiting.
About 70% of all cases are due to viral infections.
The remaining 30% are because of bacteria, such as group A Streptococcus (via Cleveland Clinic).
Strep throat, or bacterial tonsillitis, is a mild, but painful infection.
The bacteria can spread from one person to another through sneezing or coughing.
If yoursore throatis because of a virus, you’ll experience nasal congestion, coughing, and hoarseness.
Bacterial tonsillitis is usually treated with penicillin or other antibiotics.
Viral tonsillitis, on the other hand, does not respond to antibiotics.
Symptoms usually go away within 10 days or so.
Stay on the safe side and see a doctor if your throat hurts for longer than two days.
Most symptoms affect the skin, nose, throat, eyes, and lungs.
Sometimes, allergens cause inflammation in the back of your throat, explains Dr. Evan Li (viaHealth).
Other times, throat pain is due to coughing, a common symptom of allergic reactions.
But how can you tell the difference between a common cold and allergies?
A common cold can also cause muscle aches and yellow mucus.
If you have an allergic reaction, you won’t experience these issues.
Your throat may also hurt if you smoke or sleep with your mouth open at night.
