i keep getting a sore throat that comes and goes

Your doctor may recommend blood tests or a throat swab. They will also feel your neck for enlarged or tender lymph nodes (glands). Your tonsils may have white patches or pus on them if they are infected. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you, looking at the back of your throat for redness, and enlarged or inflamed tonsils. Sore throat can also be due to gastro-oesophageal reflux – the reflux of acidic stomach contents up your food pipe. Hay fever ( allergic rhinitis), smoking or exposure to smoking and dry indoor air (due to air conditioning or heaters) are other common causes of sore throat. Other infections that can result in a sore throat include: Strep throat is more common in children than adults. Sometimes a bacterial infection such as strep throat (caused by infection with Streptococcus pyogenes) will cause a sore throat. Most sore throats are caused by colds and flu, which are viral infections. Most people are over the infection within 7 days many people find that their sore throat goes away much sooner than this. This process may cause the lymph nodes (‘glands’) in the neck to swell and become tender. If bacteria or viruses infect the tissues at the back and sides of the throat, the body produces antibodies to fight off the infection. Occasionally children may have nausea and vomiting with a sore throat. Your throat may feel scratchy and you may also have a hoarse voice.Ī sore throat may be accompanied by sniffles, a cough and feeling weak and feverish. Sore throat is so common that most of us know what it feels like – usually pain or irritation in your throat that’s often worse when you swallow. Many illnesses ranging from the common cold to glandular fever cause sore throat as a symptom. tobacco smoke, pollution), voice strain or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (where acid from the stomach rises into the oesophagus (food pipe) and throat). Occasionally, sore throat can have other causes such as allergies, excessively dry air (e.g. If your throat pain lasts longer than 3 weeks or if you are concerned, visit your local doctor.Sore throat is very common and is usually caused by infection with any one of a large number of viruses or less commonly bacteria. While viral infections are the most common cause, severe or persistent pain may be indicative of a more serious problem. There are ways to sooth a sore throat without having to take antibiotics, such as non-caffeinated warm tea or hot water with honey.

Tonsil stones refer to food debris that get stuck in the tonsils resulting in inflammation and irritation.įor throat pain that persists beyond three weeks and is accompanied by difficulty swallowing or weight loss, Ongkasuwan recommends visiting a doctor to rule out any severe health conditions. Acid reflux can cause heartburn and if the acid reaches the throat it can also lead to throat discomfort. Other health conditions that can cause sore throat are reflux, tonsil stones, muscle tension, and mononucleosis, also known as mono. “According to the Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, if an individual has documented strep throat seven times in one year, five times per year for two consecutive years, or three times per year for three consecutive years, they can consider having their tonsils removed,” Ongkasuwan said. Those who experience strep throat multiple times a year may be a candidate for tonsillectomy. If you are highly concerned then you should get a strep swab, and you really shouldn’t take antibiotics unless the strep swab is positive,” she said. “For most people experiencing a sore throat, I generally recommend rest and hydration. Individuals who develop strep throat often have high fevers or pus on the tonsils however, Ongkasuwan said many other viral infections may be associated with high fevers so she recommends visiting your doctor for a throat swab. Julina Ongkasuwan, assistant professor of otolaryngology at Baylor.Ī severe sore throat may be an indication of possible strep throat, a bacterial infection. “The most common reason for someone to develop a sore throat would be a virus, and this is often accompanied by a runny nose, cough or malaise,” said Dr.

In many cases, sore throats are caused by viral infections but an expert at Baylor College of Medicine says that although this may be the most common cause multiple health conditions may play a role in having an itchy, irritated and painful throat.

Having a sore throat can be uncomfortable, or worse.

I keep getting a sore throat that comes and goes