3 Causes of Throat Pain

 

It happens to everyone at some point. You wake up and suddenly it hurts to swallow and your throat is annoyingly sore. It sometimes comes totally out of nowhere, or is accompanied with another sickness. However it comes on, it’s not fun and you might be wondering why it’s happening.

Chances are that if you have a sore throat it’s not something that warrants emergency room care. It’s probably part of a virus or infection that will pass within a few days. However, it’s still better to be safe than sorry and if you are dealing with persistent throat pain you can always go to an urgent care clinic to get it checked. Below we have listed three common causes of a sore throat.

1. Strep Throat

This particular bacterial infection is one of the most unpleasant causes of a sore throat. It causes little white spots to spring up all over your tonsils and your tonsils will generally swell up as well, causing a great deal of pain every time you swallow. This is often accompanied with fever and fatigue as well. If you think you might have strep it is wise to go to an urgent care center and see a doctor, because they can prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection. Strep will usually go away on its own, but it can sometimes turn into something worse if it is left untreated.

2. Sinus Drainage

If you’ve had a cold recently or are dealing with allergies, that could be the cause for your sore throat. The mucus that builds up when we are sick or sniffling from allergies can drain down the back of our throats, agitating the area and causing discomfort. It will also cause coughing most times, which can also hurt your throat if it’s persistent enough. Generally you don’t need to see a doctor for this type of problem and can just take over-the-counter cold medicine, but if you’d rather get a prescription you can go see a doctor.

3. Mono

Mono is an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and usually causes throat pain. Your tonsils and lymph nodes will swell and you may experience a fever and extreme fatigue. The best way to avoid mono is to wash your hands regularly and avoid eating and drinking after other people.

When to See a Doctor

It is wise to take a trip to urgent care and get your throat checked if the pain persists for more than a few days and it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as a fever and extreme fatigue.