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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

A sore throat is pain, scratchiness or irritation of the throat that often worsens when you swallow.

A sore throat is the primary symptom of pharyngitis — inflammation of the throat (pharynx). But the terms "sore throat" and "pharyngitis" are often used interchangeably.

The most common cause of a sore throat is a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu. A sore throat caused by a virus resolves on its own with at-home care. Strep throat (streptococcal infection), a less common type of sore throat caused by bacteria, requires additional treatment with antibiotic drugs to prevent complications.

Other less common causes of sore throat may require more complex treatment.

Symptoms
References
  1. Sore throats. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/soreThroats.cfm. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  2. Pharyngitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch089/ch089e.html. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  3. Gereige R, et al. Throat infections. Pediatrics in Review. 2011;32:459.
  4. Hay WW, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics. 20th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=14. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  5. Chiappini E, et al. Analysis of different recommendations from international guidelines for the management of acute pharyngitis in adults and children. Clinical Therapeutics. 2011;33:48.
  6. Regoli M, et al. Update on the management of acute pharyngitis in children. Italian Journal of Pediatrics. 2011;37:10.
  7. Frye R, et al. Which treatments provide the most relief for pharyngitis pain? The Journal of Family Practice. 2011;60:293.
  8. Honeysuckle. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed July Feb. 26, 2013.
  9. Huang Y, et al. Chinese medicinal herbs for sore throat. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004877.pub3/abstract. Accessed Feb. 26, 2013.
  10. Renner B, et al. Environmental and non-infectious factors in pharyngitis (sore throat). Inflammation Research. 2012;61:1041.
  11. Acute pharyngitis in children 2-18 years old. National Guideline Clearninghouse. http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=25757&search=acute+pharyngitis. Accessed Feb 26, 2013.
DS00526 May 7, 2013

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