What is the most awful feeling you have ever experienced? I’ll start. After bumping my little toe into a wall corner, the only thing that comes near is a sore throat.
A sore throat is referred to as discomfort, soreness, or scratchiness in the throat, which is often caused by inflammation.
Common symptoms include a scratchy sensation, pain or trouble swallowing, swollen glands in the neck, and, in certain cases, hoarseness or a raw throat.
Whenever I get a sore throat, I just wonder where it came from, because there are several causes. This article will be focused on the causes of sore throat.
Common Causes of Sore Throat
As previously noted, a sore throat can be caused by a number of things, including germs, viruses, or even environmental factors. Let’s discuss these causes:
Viral diseases
The common cold, the flu, and mononucleosis (mono) are viruses that are the main cause of sore throats. These viruses cause inflammation and the body’s immune response by entering the cells and growing there, irritating the lining of the throat. Your throat gets even more inflamed and painful as your body fights back against these viruses. You may experience a runny or stuffy nose, a cough, sneeze, fatigue, and perhaps even a fever in addition to a painful throat.
Bacteria Infection
In addition to viruses, certain microscopic germs known as bacteria can cause sore throats. One form of bacteria, Streptococcus, can produce a severe sore throat known as strep throat. Strep throat symptoms include severe throat discomfort, fever, swollen tonsils, and white spots or pus on the tonsils.
Environmental factors
Dry air, cigarettes (especially secondhand smoke), and allergies can all cause inflammation in the throat tissues. Dry air can parch the throat, making it more sensitive to irritation, whereas smoke and allergens can directly irritate the throat lining, causing inflammation and discomfort. Avoiding exposure to these irritants whenever feasible, as well as keeping excellent indoor air quality, can help relieve throat irritation and lower the chance of getting sore throats.
Differential Diagnosis: Viruses vs. Bacteria
When you’re sick, it might be difficult to figure out if it’s caused by a virus or bacteria. But some hints can help you figure it out. For example, if you have a cough, runny nose, and sore throat, it’s more likely to be caused by a virus, such as a cold or the flu. However, if your throat is very sore and you have a fever, you may have a bacterial infection such as strep throat.
There is a center criteria that distinguishes viral infection from bacterial infection, consisting of four conditions. If three or more of these characteristics exist, it is quite likely that bacteria caused the sore throat, and antibiotic treatment is required. If the number is less than three, it can be treated symptomatically as a viral infection. The four points are listed below:
- Tonsillar exudate or white spots on the tonsil area
- Fever
- Absence of cough
- Small and painful swelling or tenderness in the anterior lateral of the side of the neck near the lymph node
Note: The majority of sore throats are harmless and will go away on their own. This means that, in most cases, you shouldn’t be too concerned if you have throat pain. To relieve the discomfort in your throat, you can try gargling it with salt water. You should consult a doctor if your sore throat is severe or does not go away.
