Find out why your throat might hurt
When you have a sore throat, it is usually because you’re dealing with a virus. But did you know that here are some other causes that might result in a sore throat? These are some of the health conditions that can cause a sore throat.
Strep throat
Other than viruses, bacteria could also be the cause for your sore throat. Especially in children, strep throat is a common cause for a scratchy throat. And strep throat comes with some other symptoms too. Those symptoms include: chills, fevers, spots or patches on your tonsils and swollen lymph nodes. So if you, or your child, has any of these symptoms you should contact a health care professional immediately.
Tonsillitis
When your tonsils (growths that are located at the back of your throat) get infected, it is called tonsillitis. And this can happen pretty easily since your tonsils’ job is to check germs before they enter your body. When you get tonsillitis, you will experience a sore throat but you will also experience some other symptoms like chills, a fever, headache, ear pain, pain in your jaw, swollen and/or patchy tonsils and pain when you swallow. If you have any of these symptoms, you might want to call your doctor to have your tonsils checked out.
Dry air
When you experience a dry throat when you’re at home, it might be because of the temperature and humidity. When the air in your home is dry and hot, your throat will become dry too, resulting in soreness. Another thing that could cause a sore throat, is your airconditioning. This is easily solved by using a humidifier or by turning the AC off a little more often.
Allergies
A lot of people have allergies. And those can cause your throat to hurt too. If you want to know whether or not your sore throat is caused by allergies, you can look for some other symptoms too. Those symptoms are: a stuffed or runny nose, itchy skin or eyes, and sneezing.
Irritants
Allergies are caused by certain foreign invaders that enter your body. Like dust, pollen, mold, etc. Irritants are outside elements too, but you’re not allergic to them. They just irritate your airways. Examples are cleaning products or polluted air. These foreign elements can make your throat feel sore too.
If you worry about your throat being sore and you’re not sure why it hurts, it might be helpful to contact your doctor to have it checked out.
Read more: Some tips to help you get rid of that persistent cough
Source: Health | Image: Unsplash, William Priess