The throat, which is the beginning and common cavity of the respiratory and digestive tracts, is the gateway to many disease factors. Any pathology here can cause pain. How long the sore has lasted, how it is felt (sharp, blunt, burning or itching), how often it is experienced, for what reasons it increases or decreases, whether there is any other discomfort along with it will make it easier to learn the cause of the sore throat and to treat it.
Sore throat is very common and usually goes away on its own within a week. If the sore throat has just started and has not been experienced before, it can be expressed as acute, if it has been going on for a long time (weeks or months), it can be expressed as chronic sore throat.
The causes of sore throat vary depending on whether it is acute or chronic.
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The most common causes of acute sore throat are:
- Viral pharyngitis; It is the most common cause of pharyngitis.
- If it is caused by rhinovirus, coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus or parainfluenzavirus, edema and redness occur in the throat. Moderate fever, rhinitis, cough, sometimes lymph node swelling in the neck and sore throat occur. In addition, eye conjunctivitis, diarrhea, hoarseness and mouth sores may occur.
- More severe symptoms are seen if it is caused by adenovirus, influenza A and B viruses, enterovirus, Epstein Barr Virus, Herpes Simplex virus or HIV. Fever, sore throat, malaise, pharyngitis, and neck lymphadenopathy may occur.
- If it is caused by Coxsackievirus, a picture called herpangina occurs with vesicles in the soft palate, tonsils and posterior pharynx. Headache, high fever, loss of appetite and pain when swallowing occur.
- Bacterial pharyngitis; Sudden onset of sore throat, fever, burning sensation in the throat and enlarged neck lymph nodes may occur. Headache, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may also occur.
- fungal pharyngitis; Candida albicans is most common. It usually occurs after the use of drugs that affect the oral flora or suppress the immune system, such as antibiotics and steroids. Redness, edema and white plaques appear in the mouth and pharynx.
- Allergic pharyngitis
- Acute tonsillitis; The most common causative agents are streptococci. Sore throat, difficulty swallowing, malaise, high fever, ear pain, and neck lymphadenopathy may occur. Tonsillitis can also occur due to viral causes.
- Infectious mononucleosis; It is a condition usually caused by the Epstein Barr virus in adolescents and young adults. Generally, fever, malaise, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, lymph enlargement in the neck occur. Concomitant enlargement of the spleen and liver may also be seen. It is a severe and inflammatory condition.
- Peritonsillar abscess or cellulitis; It is an abscess formation that settles around the tonsils and towards the soft palate. It starts as a burning sensation in the throat. It can start on one side and spread to both sides. Fever, marked difficulty in swallowing, severe sore throat extending to the ear, drooling, and hoarseness are often seen.
- Pharyngeal diphtheria; It is now a rare disease. Areas of black-gray necrosis form in the throat. Burning and pain in the throat may also occur.
- Epiglottitis, laryngitis
- Deep infection or abscesses in the neck; Deep infections of the soft tissues of the mouth and neck for any reason. Generally, sore throat, swelling, painful swallowing, difficulty in breathing and fever are seen.
- PFAPA syndrome; periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and adenitis. It repeats at regular intervals for 2-8 weeks at 40 degrees and above. After an average of 4 days of fever, it calms down and recurs after a while.
- Lemierre’s syndrome; It is a rare but life-threatening condition. Infections in the mouth and throat sometimes cause an infection in one of the adjacent vascular structures and become a systemic infection that spreads to the organs through the blood.
- Foreign body
- Neoplastic diseases
- Trauma
- Drinking caustic
The most common causes of chronic sore throat are:
- Chronic pharyngeal irritation
- Reflux; is the passage of stomach contents into the mouth through the esophagus. In general, chronic cough, hoarseness, need for frequent throat clearing, sore throat and burning are seen.
- Glossopharyngeal neuralgia; It is a pain complex that recurs from time to time. Sore throat, earache, back of the tongue and pain hitting the soft palate are seen. A runny nose and burning sensation on the aching side may also be seen.
- Eagle’s syndrome; Recurring pain in the throat, foreign body sensation, difficulty in swallowing and facial pain may occur due to the fact that the styloid process, where one of the neck muscles attaches under the head, is longer than normal.
- Long-term foreign bodies
- Neoplastic diseases
- Thyroid diseases
- Globus pharyngeus
- Psychiatric reasons
- Idiopathic conditions
What can be done to soothe a sore throat:
Consult your doctor if your sore throat lasts longer than a week or if you feel unwell with a sore throat. Before consulting the doctor, you can relieve your throat with some simple measures, considering that your sore throat will last for a short time and will usually pass in a week.
- Gargle with warm salt water (children shouldn’t try this)
- for lots of water
- Eat cool or soft foods
- Avoid smoking or smoky places
- Have your child or patient suck on marshmallows or hard candy (but don’t give small, hard items that are hard to suck on to young children because of the risk of choking)
- Take a rest
If you have a high fever or don’t feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.