What is Sore Throat

sore throat is pain, burning, irritation, or scratchiness in the throat. When you have a sore throat, you may feel pain or tenderness in your throat when you swallow or talk.

Many things can cause a sore throat, including:

• An infection.
• Seasonal allergies.
• Dryness in the air.
• Irritants, such as smoke or pollution.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• A tumor.

A sore throat is often the first sign of another sickness. It may happen with other symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, fever, and swollen neck glands. Most sore throats go away without medical treatment.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Take over-the-counter medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Drink enough fluids to keep your urine clear or pale yellow.
• Rest as needed.
• To help with pain, try:
  • Sipping warm liquids, such as broth, herbal tea, or warm water.
  • Eating or drinking cold or frozen liquids, such as frozen ice pops.
  • Gargling with a salt-water mixture 3–4 times a day or as needed. To make a salt-water mixture, completely dissolve ½–1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of warm water.
  • Sucking on hard candy or throat lozenges.
  • Putting a cool-mist humidifier in your bedroom at night to moisten the air.
  • Sitting in the bathroom with the door closed for 5–10 minutes while you run hot water in the shower.
• Do not use any tobacco products, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have a fever for more than 2–3 days.
• You have symptoms that last (are persistent) for more than 2–3 days.
• Your throat does not get better within 7 days.
• You have a fever and your symptoms suddenly get worse.

Get help right away if:

• You have difficulty breathing.
• You cannot swallow fluids, soft foods, or your saliva.
• You have increased swelling in your throat or neck.
• You have persistent nausea and vomiting.