A sore throat, though, can also be a sign of an underlying health problem.
Depending on your body’s response to an illness, a sore throat may be your only symptom.
Sometimes, though, throat pain is just the first symptom of an illness.
Ivan Pantic / Getty Images
Other signs such as fever, body aches, or sneezing may follow.
Bacterial Infections
A sore throat can also be triggered by a bacterial infection.
These infections often also cause a fever, but that’s not always the case.
Antibiotics alongside supportive care can usually treat and often cure these infections for symptom relief.
If your healthcare provider diagnoses you with strep throat, they will prescribe antibiotics to erase the infection.
Strep throat is easily passed on.
These infections usually spread through oral sex and may initially develop with no symptoms at all.
A sore throat can sometimes be a symptom of an oral STI.
Using oral protection like dental dams during oral sex can help prevent the transmission of STIs.
The tonsils are part of your lymphatic system, which helps to clear waste and infections from your body.
Tonsillitis is most common in children and can be brought on by bacteria or viruses.
A fever may or may not appear with tonsillitis.
Repeated cases of tonsillitis are sometimes treated with atonsillectomythe surgical removal of the tonsils.
Allergies
Allergies can also cause you to develop a sore throat.
Seasonal allergies to things like pollens can irritate the nose and throat, causing drainage and irritation.
There are no cures for sore throats because of allergies.
This might include using treatments likeantihistaminesand other allergy medications.
These include things like air pollution,smoke, and other chemicals.
If you are using harsh chemicals that you might breathe in, wear a mask.
Supportive care and avoidance of irritants are the best ways to manage these types of sore throats.
Home Remedies
For minor sore throat pain, self-care or over-the-counter medication and ease discomfort.
However, check with your provider about using these if you are already taking prescription medication.
Summary
Many things can cause a sore throat, such as viral or bacterial infections.
Often, conditions that bring on a sore throat present with other symptoms as well.
These include allergies, colds, STIs, and cancer.
The treatment of your sore throat depends on the cause.
For minor issues self care and over-the-counter medication may ease pain.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical guidance for group A streptococcal pharyngitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About common cold.
National Library of Medicine.Pharyngitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Group A strep infection.
Berg S.What doctors wish patients knew about strep throat.
Still University (ATSU) of Health Sciences.Common Causes of Infectious Diseases.
American Sexual Health Association.Gonorrhea.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.STI risk and oral sex.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Tonsillitis.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Allergies.
National Institutes of Health.Definitions & facts for Barrett’s esophagus.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sore throat basics.
Childs L.3 signs your vocal cords may be damaged.
UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Seattle Children’s Hospital.Soar Throat.
Medical University of South Carolina.Functional Nasal Surgery.
Mark AM.Oral and throat cancer: What you should know.J Am Dent Assoc.
2019;150(4):324. doi:0.1016/j.adaj.2019.01.034
Cancer Council.Throat Cancer.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Pharyngitis - sore throat.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About handwashing.
Ness-Jensen E, Hveem K, El-Serag H, Lagergren J.Lifestyle intervention in gastroesophageal reflux disease.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.
2016;14(2):17582.e823.
doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2015.04.176
James C, Bernstein DI.Allergen immunotherapy: an updated review of safety.Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol.
2017;17(1):5559. doi:10.1097/ACI.0000000000000335
Mount Sinai.Pharyngitis.
