Causes of a persistent sore throat include: Allergies to things like pollen, mold and pet dander (hay fever) Chronic tonsillitis, a condition in which your tonsils are infected and swollen. Exposure to toxins like smoke and chemicals.
Contact a doctor if your sore throat is severe, doesn't feel better after a few days, or is accompanied by a high fever or swollen glands. These symptoms could be signs of a bacterial infection, such as strep throat.
See your doctor as soon as possible if your sore throat lasts longer than one week or is accompanied by: Fever of 103 F (39.4 C) or higher. Hoarse voice for more than one week. Pus on the back of your throat.
A sore throat without a fever can be caused by a number of things, from allergies and dry air to acid reflux and vocal strain. While it's often nothing serious, some cases can linger longer than expected and may need medical attention.
Some common ones are rhinovirus (common cold), flu, adenovirus, and coronaviruses, like COVID-19. These typically lead to redness and rawness in the back of the throat. One virus that really mimics strep throat is the Epstein-Barr virus, the virus that causes mono.
Red flags for a sore throat that need urgent care include difficulty breathing or swallowing, severe pain (especially on one side), drooling, inability to open your mouth fully, stiff neck, confusion, high fever with shivering, dehydration signs, or blood in saliva, as these can signal serious issues like airway obstruction, severe infection, or rare conditions needing immediate attention. See a doctor if it lasts over a week, recurs often, or if you have night sweats, unexplained weight loss, or a weakened immune system.
Common symptoms of tonsillitis include:
In most cases, your sore throat will improve with at-home treatment. However, it's time to see your doctor if a severe sore throat and a fever over 101 degrees lasts longer than one to two days; you have difficulty sleeping because your throat is blocked by swollen tonsils or adenoids; or a red rash appears.
Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include: Throat pain that usually comes on quickly. Painful swallowing. Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus.
A sore throat without other symptoms often comes from irritation, not infection. Common triggers include dry air, allergies, mouth breathing, or acid reflux. These usually cause mild discomfort that settles within a few days.
Remedies for COVID sore throat include over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, warm or cold fluids, and throat rest. A COVID sore throat usually goes away within 10 days. Seek medical care if your sore throat isn't getting better within a week or it gets worse at any point.
This condition can occur for several reasons, including: Infections: Bacterial or viral infections, such as the Epstein-Barr virus (which causes mononucleosis), can lead to a persistent sore throat. These infections often cause other symptoms, like swollen lymph nodes and fever.
Knowing whether your sore throat is viral or bacterial is usually determined by symptoms. Viral sore throats usually consist of a cough, swelling in the throat, and runny nose whereas bacterial sore throats are typically accompanied with nausea and vomiting, stomach ache, and there is no cough.
Stage 1 of a sore throat, often the start of a cold or flu, involves early symptoms like a tickle, scratchiness, or mild pain in the throat, possibly with sneezing, usually appearing 1-3 days after infection, and can be managed with rest, fluids, saltwater gargles, and OTC pain relievers, but see a doctor if it's severe, lasts over a week, or comes with a high fever or trouble breathing.
The terms sore throat, strep throat, and tonsillitis often are used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing.
Symptoms of tonsillitis
In addition to the soreness, you may have symptoms like a cough or runny nose. Most sore throat symptoms go away within three to 10 days.
See a GP if:
you or your child's sore throat does not improve after a week. you often get a sore throat. you have a sore throat and symptoms like a lump in your mouth or neck, or a mouth ulcer that lasts for more than 3 weeks.
Strep Throat Symptoms
If it's a viral illness, typically symptoms are shorter lasting and classically the symptoms include fever, chills, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, and a lot of times you can have some body aches. A lot of times the symptoms last for maybe three days to a week and then slowly get better over time.
The most common cause of a sore throat, also called pharyngitis, is a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu. A sore throat from a virus goes away on its own. Strep throat, also called a streptococcal infection, is a less common type of sore throat. Bacteria causes it.
Mono may begin slowly with fatigue, a general ill feeling, headache, and sore throat. The sore throat slowly gets worse. Your tonsils become swollen and develop a whitish-yellow covering. Often, the lymph nodes in the neck are swollen and painful.
viral sore throat. Because COVID-19 is an illness caused by a virus, a COVID sore throat may look and feel like other viral sore throats. One clue that you have viral pharyngitis is that it is often accompanied by other common symptoms.
Gonorrhoea can cause a sore throat, conjunctivitis, unusual vaginal or penile discharge, and pelvic and genital pain. Gonorrhoea is diagnosed by testing a sample of your urine or a swab of an affected area.