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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough anyone can get a sore throat, some factors make you more susceptible to throat problems. These factors include:
- Age. Children and teens are most likely to develop sore throats. Children are also more likely to have strep throat, the most common bacterial infection associated with a sore throat.
- Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke, whether primary or secondary, contains hundreds of toxic chemicals that can irritate the throat lining.
- Allergies. If you have seasonal allergies or ongoing allergic reactions to dust, molds or pet dander, you're more likely to develop a sore throat than are people who don't have allergies.
- Exposure to chemical irritants. Particulate matter in the air from the burning of fossil fuels as well as common household chemicals can cause throat irritation.
- Chronic or frequent sinus infections. Drainage from nose or sinus infections can cause throat infections as well.
- Living or working in close quarters. Viral and bacterial infections spread easily anywhere people gather — child care centers, classrooms, offices, prisons and military installations.
- Poor hygiene. Washing your hands carefully and often is the best way to prevent many viral and bacterial infections.
- Lowered immunity. You're more susceptible to infections in general if your resistance is low. Common causes of lowered immunity include diseases such as HIV and diabetes, treatment with steroids or chemotherapy drugs — even stress, fatigue and poor diet.
