Symptoms of Sore Throat

Sore throats are common. Most of the time the soreness is worse in the morning and improves as the day progresses. Sore throat is a symptom of many medical disorders. Infections cause the majority of sore throats and are contagious. Infections are caused either by viruses such as the flu, the common cold, mononucleosis, or by bacteria such as strep, mycoplasma, or hemophilus. Most sore throats are caused by a virus and go away on their own in about a week.

Only a small percentage are bacterial infections that may require medical care. Bacterial infections are sometimes treated with antibiotics, although drugs don’t always speed healing or prevent infections from recurring. Strep throat is the most common bacterial cause of sore throat. Because strep throat can occasionally lead to rheumatic fever, antibiotics are given. Strep throat often includes a fever (greater than 101