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What Can A Sore Throat Signify?

A sore throat does not necessarily mean that you have a strep throat. It could be due to a cold, bronchitis or asthma. Read on to know more.

By Lekhaka

Once you get that sore throat coming on, do you instantly think of strep throat? Is strep throat the only condition that creates a sore throat along with swollen glands in the throat? The answer clearly is no.

There are various disorders that could mimic a strep throat. When you have a strep throat, you have a significant sore throat, swollen glands in the throat, along with a high temperature. There are nasal symptoms and your voice is not that hoarse. You rarely ever have a cough and the throat feels blocked.

causes of sore throat

Just in case you have, for instance, a virus that is causing a cold, such as an adenovirus infection, your symptoms are a little different. Your throat feels tender, but you mainly have a scratchy or itchy throat. The tonsils can be red, but usually are not as swollen as they are in strep throat. You usually have nasal congestion with the sore throat.

Generally the nasal obstruction is worse than the sore throat when you have a cold virus. You have little or no fever when you are suffering from this condition. You will get better in seven days or so.

causes of sore throat

You might have a sore throat when you suffer from bronchitis. The lower part of the throat becomes tender and scratchy or itchy. A cough is fairly prominent and you usually experience a worsening of the sore throat whenever you cough a lot.

You have little or no temperature. You usually do not have to see the physician, unless you are coughing up green or yellow sputum or have a fever.

causes of sore throat

Additionally, you might need to see the physician if you have asthma and are predisposed towards complications of bronchitis, like pneumonia. You might have other bacteria causing a sore throat like a staph disease or other pathogenic bacteria.

The symptoms might be just like a sore throat, but usually you will not have temperature with these kinds of infections. More often than not you should see a physician with these kinds of infections because it is hard to tell the distinction between this kind of infection and a strep infection.

Story first published: Saturday, November 19, 2016, 12:34 [IST]
Read more about: symptoms treatment