Common Throat Problems

Pharyngitis, or sore throat, is one of the most frequent reasons for visits to family physicians, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Most sore throats are caused by viruses and will go away on their own in a week or less. Other common conditions associated with sore throat require medical treatment.

Cold or Flu

• In addition to sore throat, symptoms of a cold include cough, sneezing and a fever up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, while symptoms of flu include cough, nausea, muscle aches and fever over 102 degrees. Viruses cause both colds and the flu. In most cases, doctors will recommend treating the symptoms until you get better by doing things like getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of fluids and gargling with warm salt water or using lozenges to relieve throat pain. In severe cases of the flu, a doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, according to Family Doctor.org.

Mononucleosis

• In addition to sore throat, the symptoms of mononucleosis include fever, fatigue, swollen glands in the neck and armpit, loss of appetite and night sweats, according to Family Doctor.org. Mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, found in saliva and mucus, and can be spread by kissing, which is why it is sometimes called “the kissing disease,” as well as by exposure to cough or sneeze or sharing food utensils. A doctor may perform a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. The mono virus goes away on its own, with symptoms usually lasting four weeks. Treatment of symptoms includes rest, fluids and gargling or lozenges for throat pain.

Strep Throat

• Bacteria of the genus Streptococcus cause strep throat. Symptoms in addition to sore throat include fever, headache, white patches in the throat or on the tonsils, red and swollen tonsils, pain when swallowing and swollen and sore glands in the jaw and throat. Abdominal pain and vomiting are additional symptoms that are more common in children. If strep throat is not treated, it can result in kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. To determine the cause of the sore throat, the doctor may do a rapid strep test, which takes about 15 minutes, and/or a throat culture. A throat culture, which takes between 24 and 48 hours, can determine whether the sore throat is caused by a bacterium other than Streptococcus or by a virus. Sore throat with a bacterial cause is treated with antibiotics.

Tonsillitis

• The symptoms of tonsillitis, an infection of the tonsils, resemble those of strep throat, according to Family Doctor.org. Tonsillitis, however, is the result of either bacteria or a virus. Appropriate treatment depends on the cause, so prompt and accurate diagnosis is important, according to the Mayo Clinic. Tonsillitis is most common from the preschool years to the mid-teenage years. Tonsillectomies, or surgical removal of the tonsils, may be necessary for frequently recurring tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis or bacterial tonsillitis that does not respond to antibiotic treatment.