Lingering Sore Throat: What's Causing It?

A sore throat, also commonly referred to as pharyngitis, can happen for a variety of reasons, and can range in severity depending on the cause. It can develop when the pharynx becomes swollen and irritated, and it is often a symptom of an infection or illness rather than a condition itself.

Most often, a sore throat is caused by some form of viral or bacterial infection, like the common cold, the flu, or strep throat. However, some cases of a sore throat may be caused by environmental factors such as dry air or allergies.

If you have a sore throat, you may experience dryness or scratchiness in the throat, and you may also have pain while swallowing or speaking.

Depending on what is causing your sore throat, you may also experience other symptoms, and these additional symptoms may make it easier for you to figure out what is causing your discomfort.

In cases where no symptoms are present other than the sore throat, it can become difficult to identify the cause without seeing a doctor. Anytime you have a sore throat and you are not sure of the cause, you should consult your doctor.

Some sore throats are caused by infections and illnesses that require prescription medications, such as antibiotics, and getting a professional diagnosis promptly can help you begin treatment more quickly.

In most cases, a sore throat will resolve within a few days, but some sore throats can linger for several weeks, and if you have a lingering or prolonged sore throat, knowing some of the potential causes may help you plan your next steps.

A Lingering Sore Throat: Symptoms and Causes

When a sore throat strikes, you or your child may notice redness in the back of your throat, pain when you try to swallow or speak, and general feelings of scratchiness, discomfort, and irritation. This pain may make it difficult to eat solid foods or drink certain liquids, and the average sore throat lasts for anywhere from 3 to 10 days. In severe or chronic cases, a lingering sore throat may last for longer than 10 days.

A sore throat can be caused by several different factors, and gaining a better understanding of the most common causes may help you identify what is causing your own symptoms.

Potential causes of a sore throat or lingering sore throat include:

1. Viruses and viral infections, such as the flu, a cold, measles, chicken pox, croup, or mono. Out of these common viral infections, mono is known to have the longest duration of symptoms, and these symptoms can last for several weeks. Common symptoms of mono include a sore throat, fatigue, swollen glands in the neck, armpits, and groin, fever, chills, headaches, and breathing difficulties in some cases.
2. Bacterial infections, such as strep throat. Strep throat infections can also lead to scarlet fever, tonsillitis, pneumonia, or sinusitis, and if you suspect that you or your child may have strep throat, it is important to consult a doctor promptly for a diagnosis. When left untreated, strep throat can cause the aforementioned complications. Symptoms of strep throat include a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit and a sore throat with white patches. Children may also have a headache and stomach pains.
3. Allergies, such as those to pollen, molds, dust, and animal dander may lead to a sore and irritated throat that lingers.
4. Anything that irritates the throat may cause the throat to become sore and inflamed. Sources of irritation can include dry air, dehydration, a chronic stuffy nose, pollutants, car exhaust, chemical exposure, or straining of the voice.
5. Reflux happens when your stomach contents and acids travel back up into your esophagus and throat, and this can also cause a sore throat which may linger if you have chronic reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
6. Tumors in the throat, tongue, and larynx or voice box can cause a sore throat with pain that travels up to the ear. Other symptoms of a tumor include hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, noisy breathing, a lump in the neck, unexplained weight loss, and spitting up blood in the saliva or in phlegm.

Because some of these causes are more serious than others, it is important for you to know the signs and symptoms of these common causes of a sore throat. Knowing the signs can help you better recognize when it may be time for you to see a doctor about your or your child’s symptoms.

When To See a Doctor

If you are an adult, signs that indicate that you should see a doctor will differ from the signs indicating a doctor’s attention is needed for a child.

For adults, you should see a doctor if the following symptoms are present:

• A sore throat that is particularly severe and lasts for longer than a week
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty or pain when opening your mouth
• Joint pain
• Earaches
• Rashes
• A fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit
• Blood in the saliva or phlegm
• Sore throats that are frequently recurring
• A lump in your neck
• Hoarseness that lasts for longer than two weeks
• Swelling in the neck or face

These signs can indicate that your sore throat is being caused by something more serious, and getting a professional opinion can help you get to the bottom of it.

Sore Throats in Children

For children, the symptoms that occur alongside a sore throat may differ from those that adults experience.

When your child has a sore throat, the following signs indicate that you should take your child to see a pediatrician:

• Your child's sore throat is accompanied by rashes consisting of small, red blisters and bumps on the hands, feet, and around the mouth. This is a sign of hand, foot, and mouth disease.
• Your child has headaches, stomach pains, and a red rash on the skin that resembles sandpaper, as this may indicate a case of scarlet fever
• Your child has a high fever
• Your child is losing weight, is refusing to eat, or is particularly fussy around mealtimes
• Your baby is more irritable than usual in general

Consulting a pediatrician will help you get a diagnosis for what is causing your child’s discomfort, and then the proper method of treatment can begin.

Getting Relief From a Sore Throat: Treatment Options

When a sore throat is caused by a viral infection, treatment usually entails getting plenty of rest and using over-the-counter pain relievers to help soothe discomfort and ease symptoms.

Over-the-counter cold or flu medicines may also help ease any other symptoms you or your child are experiencing, but you should make sure not to combine cold medicine with a pain reliever if there are overlapping active ingredients.

Consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

For bacterial infections, treatment typically includes prescription antibiotic medications and plenty of rest. You should make sure to finish your antibiotics even if your symptoms begin to resolve before treatment has finished, as stopping your medicine early may raise your risk of the infection coming back.

You may be able to safely use pain relievers alongside your antibiotics with your doctor’s approval.

Allergy symptoms can be resolved with the use of antihistamine medicines as well as avoidance of your allergy triggers, and if dry air is the culprit, you may want to begin using a humidifier.

Other remedies for a sore throat include slowly sucking on ice chips or drinking warm, hydrating beverages, such as tea with honey. If your sore throat does not resolve with treatment, you should speak with your doctor about next steps.

The Bottom Line

A sore throat can cause you to experience pain when you swallow or speak as well as general discomfort and scratchiness in your throat, and there are many different factors that may lead to a sore throat.

Both viral and bacterial infections are common causes of throat pain and inflammation, but a sore throat that lingers can also be caused by allergies, dry air, pollutants, and chemical fumes.

Many cases of a sore throat are nothing to worry about, but if you are experiencing severe pain that lasts for more than a week, blood in your saliva or phlegm, a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit, difficulty breathing, or rashes, your sore throat may be a sign of something more serious. You should always consult your doctor whenever you have a painful sore throat with an unknown cause.