A viral sore throat is typically accompanied by other cold-like symptoms, such as cough, sneeze, runny nose and a hoarse or raspy voice. Group A streptococcus is the name of the bacteria which can cause several different types of infection, including strep throat, which is contagious. Someone can catch the infection by breathing in or touching infected droplets from a cough or sneeze, or by ingesting the droplets through shared eating utensils.
If the sore throat causes trouble swallowing, lasts longer than 48 hours, or comes with a fever or rash, see your doctor. If the test shows positive, antibiotics can be started right away.
If it shows negative, your doctor may recommend a more extensive throat culture done at a laboratory, which would take a few days to learn the results. Please be aware that some symptoms of strep throat are similar to that of COVID, which is still active in our communities.
If you are concerned that you may have the coronavirus, contact your health care provider to get COVID testing and follow-up care as soon as possible. While these are common symptoms, everyone is different. You may have only one or two symptoms, but if you have any questions, contact your doctor for testing. At the first sign of cold symptoms, you may look to stock up on any number of remedies.
But what actually works? While there is no cure for the common cold, there are some proven ways to treat your symptoms. Everyone is at risk for the common cold. People are most likely to have colds during fall and winter, starting in late August or early September until March or April. The increased incidence of colds during the cold season may be attributed to the fact that more people are indoors and close to each other.
In addition, in cold, dry weather, the nasal passages become drier and more vulnerable to infection. Children suffer more colds each year than adults, due to their immature immune systems and to the close physical contact with other children at school or day care. In fact, the average child will have between 6 to 10 colds a year. The average adult will get 2 to 4 colds a year. Colds usually start 2 to 3 days after the virus enters the body and symptoms last from several days to several weeks.
Cold symptoms may look like other medical conditions. Always consult your healthcare provider for a diagnosis if your symptoms are severe.
A cold and the flu influenza are two different illnesses. A cold is relatively harmless and usually clears up by itself, although sometimes it may lead to a secondary infection, such as an ear infection.
However, the flu can lead to complications, such as pneumonia and even death. Sources can include:. You may find that avoiding these substances, or seeking treatment for an allergy or GORD, can help to reduce symptoms of a sore throat. If you smoke, giving up will reduce irritation to your throat and strengthen your defences against infection. The Quit Your Way Scotland service can offer you advice and encouragement to help you quit smoking.
Phone Quit Your Way Scotland free on 84 84 84 8. Your GP or pharmacist will also be able to give you help and advice about giving up smoking, or you can read more about quitting smoking. If you have a sore throat caused by an infection, you can help prevent the infection spreading by practising good hygiene, such as washing your hands regularly and keeping surfaces clean and free of germs.
Home Illnesses and conditions Ears, nose and throat Sore throat. Sore throat See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About sore throats 2. Causes of a sore throat 3. Treating a sore throat. About sore throats Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about.
Most are caused by minor illnesses such as colds or flu and can be treated at home. Treatments for a sore throat The following measures can often help soothe a sore throat: take ibuprofen or paracetamol — paracetamol is better for children and for people who can't take ibuprofen note that children under 16 should never take aspirin drink plenty of cool or warm fluids, and avoid very hot drinks eat cool, soft foods avoid smoking and smoky places gargle with a homemade mouthwash of warm, salty water suck lozenges, hard sweets, ice cubes or ice lollies — but don't give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking There are also products such as medicated lozenges and sprays sold in pharmacies that you may want to try.
Sore throat self-help guide If you have a sore throat, complete our self-help guide to assess your symptoms and find out what to do next. Causes of a sore throat The cause of a sore throat isn't always obvious.
Common causes A sore throat is often a symptom of: colds or flu — you may also have a blocked or runny nose, a cough , a high temperature fever , a headache and general aches laryngitis inflammation of the voice box — you may also have a hoarse voice, a dry cough and a constant need to clear your throat tonsillitis inflammation of the tonsils — you may also have red or spotty tonsils, discomfort when swallowing and a fever strep throat a bacterial throat infection — you may also have swollen glands in your neck, discomfort when swallowing and tonsillitis glandular fever — you may also feel very tired and have a fever and swollen glands in your neck It may also be caused by something irritating your throat, such as smoke, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease where acid leaks up from the stomach and allergies.
Less common causes Less often, a sore throat can be a sign of: quinsy a painful collection of pus at the back of the throat — the pain may be severe and you may also have difficulty opening your mouth or difficulty swallowing epiglottitis inflammation of the flap of tissue at the back of the throat — the pain may be severe and you may have difficulty breathing and difficulty swallowing These conditions are more serious and should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible see below.
Pharmacy First Scotland: Sore throat treatment from your pharmacy If you have a sore throat you can get advice and treatment directly from a pharmacy. Find your local pharmacy on Scotland's Service Directory.
You don't usually need to get medical advice if you have a sore throat however your pharmacist may advise you see your GP if: your symptoms are severe you have persistent symptoms that haven't started to improve after a week you experience severe sore throats frequently you have a weak immune system — for example, you have HIV , are having chemotherapy , or are taking medication that suppresses your immune system If they're not open, you should phone the NHS 24 service If you have a persistent sore throat one that lasts three to four weeks , you should see your GP who may refer you for further tests.
Causes of a sore throat A sore throat is often just one symptom of a bacterial or viral infection, such as the common cold. Catching an infection The bacterium or virus that causes a sore throat is usually caught from someone else who is already infected. The mucus is produced, in relation to the respiratory system, in the upper airways, whereas phlegm comes from lower down the airways and is usually coughed out.
Coughing is a protective mechanism, it serves to clear the airways from liquid and other substances, to ensure that air can flow freely into the airways. Coughing rapidly forces air out of the lungs to try and clear any obstructions, propelling them into the mouth or pharynx where they can then be swallowed.
However, in some instances, the clearance fails and infectious agents make it into the lungs, prompting things such as bronchitis, an inflammation of the bronchi. Occasionally, the coughing mechanism fails to clear foreign objects.
The cough combined with a shadow in his lung initially suggested that it may have been cancer. Coughs can persist for a while after the infection has gone; you may feel better but the cough lingers. This is because the virus responsible for causing it results in the airways becoming swollen and overly sensitive as part of the body fights back.
It takes longer for the tissues in the respiratory system to settle, hence the cough hanging around longer than you might want it to. However, persistent sore throat was recently flagged as a warning sign for laryngeal cancer.
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