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Causes of sore throat
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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The leading cause of damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth and pharynx is infection. However, it should be noted that sore throat can also be caused by non-infectious factors: mechanical damage, exposure to tobacco smoke, inhalation of polluted or overcooled air, vocal strain, foreign body in the throat, throat injury, as well as diseases of other organs and systems.
Causes of Sore Throat in Adults
- Infections (viruses, bacteria, fungi)
- Air pollution and toxic gases
- Smoking
- Eating hot or irritating foods/drinks
- Chronic cough, vocal strain, or mouth breathing
- Drainage of the paranasal sinuses with mucus accumulation
- Overdose of nasal drops or sprays
- Surgical treatment/radiotherapy of laryngeal diseases
- Ingestion of foreign objects
- Medicines (eg, anticholinergics)
Infectious Causes of Sore Throat
Viruses |
Bacteria |
Mushrooms |
Influenza virus Adenoviruses Parainfluenza virus Rhinoviruses Enteroviruses Herpes simplex virus Epstein-Barr virus Respiratory syncytial virus Coronavirus Cytomegalovirus |
Often:
|
Candida albicans Mycobacterium tuberculosis Neisseria gonorrhoeae Neisseria meningitidis Corynebacterium dipntheriae |
Rarely:
|
Dangerous diseases accompanied by a sore throat in adults:
- angina pectoris
- myocardial infarction
- malignant neoplasms: cancer of the oropharynx and oral cavity
- infections: diphtheria, abscesses of the tonsils and pharynx, HIV infection
- blood diseases
Causes of sore throat in children
Usually, a sore throat in children is a manifestation of a viral infection (less often - bacterial)
Other causes of sore throat:
- stomatitis (especially herpetic, aphthous and candidal);
- acute epiglottitis, tracheitis or laryngotracheitis (croup);
- foreign bodies in the upper respiratory tract;
- drainage of nasal discharge down the back of the throat, for example, with allergic rhinitis;
- irritation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract: dry air, smoke, including active and passive smoking
Dangerous diseases accompanied by a sore throat in children
Sore throat is observed with acute epiglottitis - inflammation of the epiglottis). Usually this disease occurs in children 2-4 years old. Characterized by a short-term fever, then suddenly there is a sharp difficulty in breathing and swallowing. Cough is not typical. The disease can end in death if the patient is not hospitalized in time
The time of occurrence of pain in the throat when swallowing also varies, for example, only in the morning or in the evening, periodically or throughout the day, several days, or intensifies at night. These variants of pain in the throat often accompany diseases that can only be understood by an otolaryngologist after a detailed examination of the throat with a study of complaints and clinical manifestations.
Some of the most common causes of sore throat are:
- Viral pharyngitis.
- Angina.
- Peritonsillar abscess.
- Foreign body in the throat.
- Throat injury.
- Increased dryness of the throat ("dry" throat).
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