Sore Throat Causes: Learn More About What Leads To It

Come winter, and pretty soon you’ll sense a sore throat coming up. With pain in the throat which is usually the most common symptom, prepare to have a hoarse voice for a few days.

Sore throat causes?! Well, infections cause almost all sore throats, but the throat can also get irritated by factors such as allergens, dry air, heavy pollution, or cigarette smoke. While a sore throat can be annoying and uncomfortable, it’s usually no cause for concern as it goes away on its own.

When it comes to the symptoms, they usually vary depending on the causes of it. Your throat might feel scratchy, irritated, or dry, and it hurts more when you talk or swallow. Typically, a sore throat is associated with sniffles, coughing, sneezing, fever, headache, as well as swollen glands in the neck, while your throat and tonsils may look red. The infection is usually over in 7 days; however, some might be over with it much sooner than this.

Read also: Home Remedies For Sore Throat

Most Common Sore Throat Causes

1. The flu, colds and other viruses

If you have a sore throat, well, it’s probably because of a cold or flu. However, according to Healthline, the condition can also be caused by:

Mumps – a contagious disease which can pass from one person to another through close personal contact, saliva, and nasal secretions. In addition to other symptoms, the infection also causes swelling of the salivary glands.
Measles – is a viral infection of the respiratory system, and is very contagious. The illness is transmitted through contact with infected mucus or saliva, and the infected person could even release the infection into the air when coughing or sneezing. Measles is the number one cause of deaths in children; therefore you should check with your doctor immediately if you suspect you have the illness.
Mononucleosis – also known as mono, is an infectious disease that is spread through saliva, which is why it’s also called “the kissing disease.” While it’s more common to occur in teenagers, people of any age could get it as well.
Chickenpox – or varicella, is accompanied by itchy red blisters all over the body, caused by a virus. It is more likely to appear in children, and rarely you can get the infection twice. Since the chickenpox vaccines were first introduced in the mid-1990, the number of cases has decreased.

2. Bacterial infections

Many bacterial infections can cause a sore throat, with the most common one being Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacteria associated with strep throat, according to Verywell Health. Although the illness affects more children aged 5 to 15, anyone can get it. Strep usually does not cause respiratory symptoms like congestion and cough; instead, you might experience nausea, vomiting, fever, bad breath, and visible inflammation of the throat. While strep is the most common cause of a sore throat, below you have less common bacterial throat infections which include:

Bacterial tonsillitis
Bacterial pneumonia
Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea)

3. Allergies and postnasal drip

Due to allergens that enter the nose or mouth, one experiences allergic pharyngitis. This happens when your nose is blocked, caused by seasonal allergies, making you breathe through your mouth. The tissues dry out giving you the scratchy feeling. In this case, postnasal drip is very common as mucus drains from the nasal passages down the back of the throat, claims Verywell Health. This might cause inflammation of the throat and tonsils, or you might have the feeling of a lump in the back of your throat.

While the abovementioned factors are not in our hand, and we can’t control them, Verywell Health mentions some factors which you have an impact over, such as:

Hygiene

To avoid contracting illnesses that are related to germs we might pick up during the day, including those that add to the risk of respiratory infection and related sore throat, it’s best to wash your hands frequently.

Toxins/Irritants

Minimize exposure to substances that lead to direct inflammation of the pharynx and associated organs. Some of the irritants are cigarette smoke, air pollution, and industrial fumes, while others come in the form of food or other substances you consume like alcohol, chewing tobacco, or spicy foods, but note that even dry air can be taken for irritant.

Environment

Colds and strep throat are easily transmitted in places where there’s a great number of people, especially in close quarters. Children in schools and daycare centers are more inclined to colds and other infections because of close contact with other children in groups, and then parents can also catch the virus from their children. You can’t avoid these places; however, you can be careful, especially during the flu season by washing your hands frequently and avoid drinking fountains.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.