A sore throat can be anything from a result of a catching a cold to a symptom of cancer of the throat. Although the reality can be a little sore at times, you need to be very sure of your condition before you decide to go in with any sort of medication to treat it. Below are listed a few ways to help you differentiate between the different reasons why a sore throat may occur.
This does not mean in any way that you are now capable of fully diagnosing your disease all by yourself. This information is only for your awareness and understanding. Practical situations may be very different from those put down on paper, and hence, always consult your doctor before leaping to any conclusions.
Allergic reactions:
Any allergies like dust or pollen allergies may very well be the cause to trigger your body’s response in the form of a sore throat. This usually lasts until the time the reaction stays, around a day or two, and it may be followed by a runny nose. When such a situation occurs, you may consume your respective medications for your allergy, and wait it out. A sore throat arising due to an allergy is not a situation to worry gravely about.
Viral infections:
In case your body is subjected to a viral infection, the very first reaction will be in the form of a sore throat. This is usually followed by fever and a clogged nose. Sore throat will continue to remain till your fever dies out. This may take anytime between a couple of days to a week to heal completely. Most people feel better between the fifth and the seventh day. You can use some medicines to help you recover faster, but there is no such serious threat whatsoever.
Drooling:
This is a major signal in itself. Drooling is indicative of the fact that the individual is facing extreme difficulty in swallowing due to their sore throat. Especially in children, this condition must quickly be addressed. It can arise due to a number of factors. You will need to approach your physician to fix the root of the problem, since difficulty in swallowing may or may not lead to dehydration.
Fever:
The onset of any fever is always preceded by a sore throat. The rashness of your throat may mean that you need to start paying attention to your health and make amends to fix it. Fever due to exertion may also be accompanied by a sore throat. As far as this situation is concerned, there is nothing to be worried about since it can be taken care of by proper medications.
Swelling of lymph nodes:
Tonsils, fever or infection. Anything can be the reason for ending up with serious swelling of the lymph nodes, which, in turn, lead to a sore throat.
Stiff neck:
Stiff neck is a condition of, literally, a stiff neck complete with a sore throat. People diagnosed with this symptom have difficulty bringing their chins down to their chests. This situation results due to serious infection of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, in other words, meningitis. It is only a symptom of the otherwise serious illness. You can opt for symptomatic relief from the stiff and sore neck while treating the illness simultaneously.
Go see your doctor if:
- sore throat persists for days and weeks after medications
- you have a past history of a chronic illness
- you are a cancer patient
- you are expecting
- you have trouble breathing and swallowing
- your throat and tongue swell up unusually
- you are diabetic or HIV positive
The difference mentioned above may come in very handy when you don’t have access to a doctor, like in the middle of the night. Also, if there is a situation to worry about, you will be sure of it and not continue to hold on to trivial medications. Also, you can even educate people around you with these obvious and useful pieces of information for the time they may come in handy. Being aware and informed will go a long way in bringing down your anxieties that may unnecessarily occur due to these issues.