What Causes a Sore Throat - All Possible Reasons

One of the most frequent causes of sore throat are viral infections such as the common cold and a nasty flu. In many cases these annoyances are caused by common viruses that do not require any antibiotic treatment; improvement simply happens after a few days.

Sore throat due to a viral infection happens because when a virus affects the upper respiratory tract, the body fights it by creating mucus to cleanse the body. Therefore, it is normal that our throat gets irritated after coughing so much to expel this mucus.

If you want to speed up the process of recovery, make sure you drink plenty of liquid and take acetylcysteine^[1] (mucomyst) in order to get rid of the mucous.

Mononucleosis or the kissing disease is another common viral infection that can cause us sore throat. In this case, apart from a sore throat, you will also notice the following symptoms:

• A high temperature
• Lymph nodes swlooen
• Headache
• Rashes in areas of the skin
• Fatigue

A sore throat can also be caused by more serious conditions such as gastric reflux. Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when stomach acid seeps into the esophagus, causing irritation in the throat after eating and that burning sensation of which we speak.

If you have a sore throat due to gastric reflux, you will also be able to notice the following symptoms:

• Burning feeling in chest
• Dysphagia
• Dry coughing
• Feeling of a lump in the throat
• Pain in the chest

Here you can learn more about effective herbal remedies for acid reflux and heartburn.

If we have allergies it is also very possible that we suffer a burning sensation in the throat. Allergic reactions to dust mites, pollen, animals, food, etc., can lead an inflammation, among other symptoms. This kind of inflammation is what provokes the soreness and heat.

Another of the possible causes of a sore throat is suffering esophagitis, an inflammation of the esophagus that can result from many different reasons. These include surgery, chemotherapy, infections, etc. It is also a very common occurrence when a gastroesophageal reflux condition is complicated. If you have a sore throat due to esophagitis, you may also notice the following symptoms:

• You may find it difficult to swallow food
• Chest pain
• Food stuck in your throat
• Acid reflux
• Heartburn

Here you can learn more about home remedies for esophagitis, although you should go to the doctor so he/she can prescribe the appropriate medication to relieve the symptoms such as omeprazole.

Other potential causes of throat soreness are bacterial infections such as:

• Pharyngitis: A bacterial infection of the pharynx and causes burning and pain in the throat. It is accompanied by high fever, eye redness, pus plates and swollen glands. We'll have to treat it with antibiotic medication as prescribed by a medical specialist.

• Tonsillitis: The tonsils become infected because of bacteria or a virus. Tolsillitis is characterized by swelling of the tonsils, which can become infected, with the visible appearance of pus. Among the symptoms of tonsillitis we should highlight difficulty swallowing, redness in the tonsils area, plaque, white tongue, fever, bad breath... Especially if your throat has become infected, it's important to visit your doctor so he or she can prescribe antibiotics.

Finally, there are also mild causes for a sore throat. Most of them are the result of specific activities or habits, and thus can easily be prevented. They include the following:

• Eating hot food with which we can burn our throat slightly and feel burning, causing a lot of trouble.

• Shouting too much or straining our voice can also cause soreness in the mouth and throat. For singers this is very common, and they have to take extra care in that area.

• Smoking also causes a sore throat.

• Mouth breathing during sleep can also irritate the throat.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

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