Having a sore throat is certainly an unpleasant experience. It can make just about every daily task harder, and it can be just downright painful! While there are many different reasons why your throat could be hurting, most sore throats are caused by viral or bacterial infections.

If you are wondering what is causing your sore throat, we can help! Our AFC Urgent Care Memphis team explains all about sore throats below, so read on.

What Is a Sore Throat?

A sore throat is not an illness by itself; rather, it is a symptom created by an infection of some sort. It can also be caused by external factors like allergies, the outside temperature and even something as simple as sleeping with your mouth open. If your sore throat is due to an infection, it will be a persistent symptom that won’t go away with simple strategies like drinking water or going inside.

As the infection spreads, it can make your throat scratchy, itchy and can even make it painful to swallow. It may be your only symptom of illness, but most of the time infections tend to create other symptoms like fevers, headaches and all-over body aches.

Illnesses That Cause a Sore Throat

• Common cold
• Strep throat
• Flu
• Tonsillitis

How Can I Treat a Sore Throat?

If your sore throat is due to a viral infection, you can expect to feel better in about a week once your immune system overcomes the infection. Since viral infections don’t respond to antibiotics and need to run their course, the best thing to do is to treat your symptoms to make yourself comfortable while you wait it out.

Some OTC pain-relieving medication can be really helpful, especially if you are having trouble eating or drinking. You can also find relief by staying hydrated and running a humidifier to keep your room’s air moist. You can also calm an irritated throat by gargling salt water. Dissolve a pinch or two of salt into warm water and gargle every hour or two.

Signs of Strep Throat

• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Sore throat
• Inflamed tonsils with white patches or pus

Is a sore throat bothering you? Stop by AFC Urgent Care Memphis any day of the week.