What causes a sore throat?

Sore throats can be caused by viruses or bacteria. The most common causes of sore throats are viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes, and sneezing. read more

Cancerous tumors of the throat, tongue or voice box (larynx) can cause a sore throat. Other signs or symptoms may include hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, noisy breathing, a lump in the neck, and blood in saliva or phlegm. Rarely, an infected area of tissue (abscess) in the throat causes a sore throat. read more

A sore throat is a painful, dry, or scratchy feeling in the throat. Pain in the throat is one of the most common symptoms. It accounts for more than 13 million visits to doctor’s offices each year . read more

Known as acid reflux, this is one of the most overlooked causes of sore throats. “If you feel fine besides the sore throat and don't have, for example, a fever, you might have acid reflux,” says Gordon J. Siegel, MD. read more