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You are here : AllRefer.com > Health > Medical Symptoms Guide > Sore Throat

Sore Throat

Provided by A.D.A.M.

Definition

Overview & Considerations

Common Causes

Home Care & Treatment

Prevention

Call your Health Care Provider if

What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

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Alternate Names : Burning in the Throat, Pain - Throat, Throat - Sore


Definition

A "sore" throat is discomfort, pain, or scratchiness in the throat. A sore throat often makes it painful to swallow.

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Overview & Considerations

Sore throats are common, especially in children. Most of the time the soreness is worse in the morning and improves as the day progresses.

Like colds, the vast majority of sore throats are caused by common viral infections. (This means they will NOT respond to antibiotics.) Many people have a mild sore throat at the beginning of every cold. Sore throats can result from infections in the nose or sinuses, when drainage runs down the back of the throat, especially at night. Or, the throat itself can be infected.

Some viruses can cause specific types of sore throat. For example, Coxsackievirus sometimes causes blisters in the throat, especially in the late summer and early fall. Mono and the flu can also cause specific viral throat infections.

Strep throat is the most common bacterial cause of sore throat. Because strep throat can occasionally lead to rheumatic fever, antibiotics are given. Strep throat often includes a fever (greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit), white draining patches on the throat, and swollen or tender lymph glands in the neck, along with headache and stomach pain in children.

A sore throat is less likely to be strep throat if it is a minor part of a typical cold (with runny nose, stuffy ears, cough, and similar symptoms). Strep can't be accurately diagnosed by looking at the throat alone, without a laboratory test.

Sometimes breathing through the mouth will cause a sore throat in the absence of any infection. During the months of dry winter air, some people will wake up with a sore throat most mornings. This usually disappears after having something to drink.

With a sore throat, sometimes the tonsils are inflamed (tonsillitis) and sometimes the surrounding parts of the throat are inflamed without the tonsils. Either way, removing the tonsils to try to prevent future sore throats is not recommended for most children.



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Definition
Sore Throat: Overview & Considerations
Sore Throat: Common Causes
Sore Throat: Home Care & Treatment
Sore Throat: Prevention
Call your Health Care Provider if
What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
Pictures & Images

Topics that might be of interest to you

Diseases & Conditions

Allergies
Common Cold
Mononucleosis
Pharyngitis
Reye's Syndrome
Rheumatic Fever
Strep Throat
The Flu
Tonsillitis

Tests & Exams

CBC
Endotracheal Intubation
Mononucleosis Spot Test
Streptococcal Screen
Throat Swab Culture

Surgery & Procedures

Adenoid Removal
Tonsillectomy

Other Topics

Abdominal Pain
Choking - Adult or Child Over 1 Year
Cough
CPR
Fever
Headache
Nasal Discharge
Rashes
Swollen Glands
Wheezing

Review Date : 12/2/2003
Reviewed By : Alan Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine; Lucile Packard Children's Hospital; Chief Medical Officer, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial reviewers. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Page Last Updated: 18 May, 2008