Throat problems

Throat problems: Common causes of throat problems are infection due to viral or bacterial infection (streptococcal throat infection).

• Pharyngitis or sore throat: It is a common reason for visits to family physicians, according to experts. In most people sore throats are caused by viruses and need symptomatic care. The viral sore throats are self-limiting and go away on their own in a week or less.

• Cold or Flu: The throat can be affected in common cold and flu. These also improve with symptomatic care (such as rest, drinking plenty of fluids, treatment of fever, decongestants, and gargling). Besides sore throat, people with cold may have cough, sneezing and a fever up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit; and in flu they may have cough, nausea, muscle aches and fever over 102 degrees. People with severe symptoms of flu, may be prescribed an anti-viral medication.

• Streptococcal sore throat: The symptoms of streptococcal sore throat are usually worse and the person may have symptoms such as high fever, sore throat (usually very painful) and pain on swallowing, white patches on throat and tonsils that are red, swollen, and inflamed, abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhoea (more common in children), tender and swollen lymph glands, and headache. Streptococcal throat infection needs to be treated with antibiotics and if it is not treated appropriately it can lead to kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. To diagnose streptococcal sore throat the doctor may do a rapid strep test (the test takes about 15 minutes) and/or a throat culture. Sore throat caused due to bacteria is treated with antibiotics.