A sore throat, characterized by a raspy or burning sensation in the back of the throat, makes necessary activities like conversing and eating painfully uncomfortable. You may feel a sharp pain in your throat when you swallow. You may also lose your voice.
Knowing what caused your throat pain is important for treating it. Many things can cause a sore throat, so let’s review some together.
Viral Illness or Infection
The common cold, the flu and COVID are all viral infections, and they’re the most common cause of a sore throat. Other viral illnesses include mono, chickenpox or croup, which is common in children. The sore throat will typically be accompanied by other cold- or flu-like symptoms, such as a cough and runny nose.
Allergies
Another more common cause of a sore throat is allergies. Excess mucus production and postnasal drip can irritate the back of the throat, causing soreness. You treat this sore throat by treating your allergies.
Sinus Infection
Your sinuses—the passageways and cavities inside the nose and head—are connected to your throat through the nasopharynx (“naso” comes from nasal; “pharynx” means throat). If you have a sinus infection, the excess mucus trapped in the inflamed sinuses may drain through the throat, bringing the infection with it and causing a cough, a sore throat or even upper respiratory infection.
Bacterial Infection
The most common bacterial infection that would affect your throat is strep throat. The easiest way to identify if it’s strep is if you have a sore throat without the usual symptoms of a cold or allergies. It may also lead to fever and inflamed tonsils or lymph nodes in your neck. While strep occurs more frequently in children, adults can come down with it, too.
Smoking or Secondhand Smoke
Irritants in the air that you breathe can irritate the tissue in the back of the throat. Smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke can cause this, as well as air pollution, dust, mold and pollen.
Snoring or Sleep Apnea
Snoring occurs due to an obstruction in the upper airway during sleep, and sleep apnea causes pauses in breathing during sleep. Both of these conditions cause you to breathe through your mouth while you sleep, which dries out the tissue in the throat and causes soreness.
Overuse
Sometimes, using your voice excessively, like talking for longer than usual or screaming really loudly, can inflame the larynx (or voice box) in your throat, causing you to lose your voice and experience a sore throat.
When Should I See a Doctor?
A sore throat will usually go away on its own, and you can get relief through gargling salt water, taking cough drops and drinking lots of fluids and warm beverages. However, if your sore throat has lasted longer than a week, you may consider seeing a healthcare professional. You should definitely seek medical advice if your sore throat worsens, comes with a high fever (over 101°) or you lose the ability to swallow. Call ENT & Allergy Specialists – Ear Nose and Throat Physicians and Surgeons for more information or to make an appointment.