Dr. Ninad Narkar

If you are experiencing pain, irritation, or itchiness in your throat, the condition is referred to as a sore throat. It is likely for you to face difficulty in swallowing food and the pain worsens when you want to swallow. The primary symptom of a sore throat is throat pain. People of all ages can get affected by a sore throat.

Causes
There are several causes of a sore throat. The most common ones are as follows:

Viral infection
• Viral infections are the most common causes of sore throat.
• These are the infections that are caused by a virus, like the flu or cold.
• Measles, chicken pox, and croup are other viral infections that cause a sore throat.

Bacterial infection
• Several bacterial infections also lead to a sore throat.
• They may include strep throat, diphtheria, and whooping cough.

Environmental factors
• Several environmental factors also cause sore throat.
• Exposure to pollen, mold, pet dander, and several other irritants leads to postnasal drip.
• This causes throat pain and inflammation.
• Exposure to dry air, and smoking cigarettes are also common causes of a sore throat.

Diagnosis
• For the diagnosis of a sore throat, a physical examination of your throat is carried out, and your throat will be examined using a lighted instrument.
• Doctors usually look out for inflammations and white patches that indicate strep throat. Your breathing will also be checked.
• The back of your throat can be swabbed for examining samples in order to determine the virus.
• Certain blood tests may also be required to be undertaken.

Treatment
• The treatment of sore throat depends on the cause.
• In case your sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, you will be prescribed antibiotics for killing the infectious bacteria.
• The medicines should be taken strictly according to a doctor’s prescription.
• You should complete the course of 10 days to get effective results.
• If you stop the treatment at an early stage on noticing improvements, a sore throat can recur soon.

There are certain simple home remedies which are effective for curing the most common forms of sore throat. They include:
• Gargling with warm, salted water.
• Consuming warm fluids like soup, tea, and water.
• Having throat lozenges.
• Reducing the inflammation using ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
• Avoiding exposure to allergens and irritants.

In case your sore throat is caused by a viral infection, the virus should be left to run its course. During its course, you will be prescribed medicines like pain relievers and decongestants for relieving the symptoms. Antiviral drugs are also used in some cases for fighting the virus effectively. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ent Specialist.