Sore throat
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| Sore throat | |
|---|---|
Viral the most common cause of a sore throat.
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| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | Otorhinolaryngology |
| ICD-10 | J02, J31.2 |
| ICD-9-CM | 472.1 |
| DiseasesDB | 24580 |
| MedlinePlus | 000655 |
| eMedicine | emerg/419 |
| Patient UK | Sore throat |
| MeSH | D010612 |
A sore throat (or throat pain) is pain or irritation of the throat. A common physical symptom, it is usually caused by acute pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat), although it can also appear as a result of trauma, diphtheria, or other conditions.
Definition
A sore throat is pain anywhere in the throat.[1]
Differential diagnosis
A sore throat is usually from irritation or inflammation. The most common cause (80%) is acute viral pharyngitis, a viral infection of the throat.[1] Other causes include other infections (such as streptococcal pharyngitis), trauma, and tumors.[1] Gastroesophageal (acid) reflux disease can cause stomach acid to back up into the throat and also cause the throat to become sore.[2] In children streptococcal pharyngitis is the cause of 37% of sore throats.[3]
Management
Analgesics such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol (acetaminophen) help in the management of pain.[4][5] The Mayo Clinic advises gargling with salty warm water and resting the voice. Symptoms without active treatment usually last two to seven days.[6]
Epidemiology
In the United States there are about 2.4 million emergency department visits with throat-related complaints per year.[1]
References
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