-
Consumer Health: When does your sore throat need medical attention?
Share this:
Your throat is sore. It feels scratchy and irritated, and it hurts to swallow. Do you need rest and warm water with honey, or a visit to your health care provider?
That depends.
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 usually resolves on its own in five to seven days and doesn't require medical attention. In the meantime, at-home care strategies and home remedies can ease your symptoms.
Strep throat, a less common type of sore throat caused by bacteria, needs to be treated with antibiotics to prevent complications. Other less common causes of sore throat might require more complex treatment.
Learn more about the symptoms and causes of sore throat, and when you need to seek medical care.
Share this:
Related articles
Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week will be observed Dec. 1–7, which makes this a good time to learn about the signs and symptoms of these disorders. Researchers ...
November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn about epilepsy in children. Epilepsy, also known as seizure disorder, is common, ...
ST. JAMES, Minn. – The holiday season is upon us once again, and we all know how easy it is to get caught up in ...