Sore throat
Sore throat | |
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Viral pharyngitis, the most common cause of a sore throat. |
Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat.[1] Usually, causes of sore throat include:
- viral infections
- group A streptococcal infection (GAS) bacterial infection[2]
- pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat)
- tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils), or dehydration, which leads to the throat drying up.[citation needed]
The majority of sore throats are caused by a virus, for which antibiotics are not helpful.[2] A strong association between antibiotic misuse and antibiotic resistance has been shown.[3]
For sore throat caused by bacteria (GAS), treatment with antibiotics may help the person get better faster, reduce the risk that the bacterial infection spreads, prevent
Approximately 35% of childhood sore throats and 5-25% of adults sore throats are caused by a bacterial infection from group A streptococcus.[2] Sore throats that are "non-group A streptococcus" are assumed to be caused by a viral infection. Sore throat is a common reason for people to visit their primary care doctors and the top reason for antibiotic prescriptions by primary care practitioners such as family doctors.[2] In the United States, about 1% of all visits to the hospital emergency department, physician office and medical clinics, and outpatient clinics are for sore throat (over 7 million visits for adults and 7 million visits for children per year).[2]
Definition
A sore throat is pain felt anywhere in the throat.[4]
Presentation
Symptoms of sore throat include:
- a scratchy sensation[5]
- pain during swallowing
- discomfort while speaking
- burning sensation
- swelling in the neck[5]
Diagnosis
The most common cause (80%) is
The symptoms of a viral infection and a bacterial infection may be very similar. Some clinical guidelines suggest that the cause of a sore throat is confirmed prior to prescribing antibiotic therapy and only recommend antibiotics for children who are at high risk of non-
Clinicians often also make treatment decisions based on the person's signs and symptoms alone. In the US, approximately 2/3rd of adults and half of children with sore throat are diagnosed based on symptoms and do not have testing for the presence of GAS to confirm a bacterial infection.[2]
Rapid tests to detect GAS (bacteria) give a positive or negative result that is usually based on a colour change on a test strip that contains a
Numerous clinical scoring systems (
Management
Sore or scratchy throat can temporarily be relieved by gargling a solution of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt dissolved in an 8-ounce or 230 ml glass of water.[10]
Pain medications such as
There is an old wives' tale that having a hot drink can help with common cold and influenza symptoms, including sore throat, but there is only limited evidence to support this idea.[16] If the sore throat is unrelated to a cold and is caused by for example tonsillitis, a cold drink may be helpful.[17]
There are also other medications like lozenges which can help people to cope with a sore throat.
Without active treatment, symptoms usually last two to seven days.[18]
Statistics
In the United States, there are about 2.4 million emergency department visits with throat-related complaints per year.[4]
References
- ^ "Sore throat - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
- ^ PMID 32497279.
- ^ "Antibiotic resistance". www.who.int. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-323-05472-0.
- ^ a b Hovav, K.; Pinto-Garcia, P. (13 October 2021). "Sore Throat Causes, Home Remedies, and When to Seek Care". GoodRx. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ "Sore Throat and Other Throat Problems-Topic Overview".
- S2CID 8625679.
- ^ "Group A Strep | Strep Throat | For Clinicians | GAS | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- ^ "Clinical Practice Guidelines : Sore throat". www.rch.org.au. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- ^ "Does Gargling Wlth Salt Water Ease a Sore Throat?". WebMD.
- PMID 11127175.
- ^ PMID 32356360.
- PMID 28931508.
- PMID 34881426.
- PMID 26171901.
- ^ "Hot drinks ease cold and flu". National Health Service. 10 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- S2CID 20563591.
- PMID 24335668.