Is Your Sore Throat a Cold, Strep Throat, or Tonsillitis? - WebMD

The most common causes of sore throats are viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a runny ... MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesSlideshows&ImagesQuizzesSymptomCheckerNewsArchiveColdFluNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosMedicationsFindaDoctorCold&FluMapAllergiesBronchitisCoronavirus(COVID-19)EarInfectionFluVaccineSinusInfectionStrepThroatDrugInteractionCheckerMoreRelatedTopicsCold,Flu,&CoughReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyCarolDerSarkissian, MDonFebruary05,2022InthisArticleWhat'stheDifferenceBetweenaCold,StrepThroat,andTonsillitis?IsaSoreThroatWithaColdCausedbyVirusesorBacteria?AlongWithaSoreThroat,WhatareOtherColdSymptoms?HowAreSoreThroatsWithColdsTreated?CanMedicationsRelieveSymptomsofaSoreThroatWithaCold?HowIsStrepThroatDifferentFromaSoreThroatWithaCold?IsStrepThroatMoreSeriousThanaSoreThroatWithaCold?AreStrepThroatSymptomsDifferentFromaSoreThroatWithaCold?DoINeedtoSeeMyDoctorifIThinkIHaveStrepThroat?WhatIsaStrepTestforaSoreThroat?WhatIstheTreatmentforStrepThroat?WhatIfMyStrepThroatIsn'tGettingBetter?HowIsTonsillitisDifferentFromaSoreThroatWithaCold?HowAreTonsillitisSymptomsDifferentFromSymptomsofaSoreThroatWithaCold?HowIsaSoreThroatFromTonsillitisTreated?Wonderifyourpainfulsorethroatisfromacold,strepthroat,ortonsillitis?Here'shelpwithhowtotell.What'stheDifferenceBetweenaCold,StrepThroat,andTonsillitis?Asorethroatisoftenthefirstsignofacold.However,asorethroatfromacoldoftengetsbetterorgoesawayafterthefirstdayortwo.Othercoldsymptomssuchasarunnynoseandcongestionmayfollowthesorethroat.Strepthroat,whichisaninfectionduetostreptococcusbacteria,isanothercauseofsorethroatsandtonsillitis.Withstrepthroat,thesorethroatisoftenmoresevereandpersists.Tonsillitisisapainfulinflammationorinfectionofthetonsils,thetissuemasseslocatedatthebackofthethroat.IsaSoreThroatWithaColdCausedbyVirusesorBacteria?Sorethroatscanbecausedbyvirusesorbacteria.Themostcommoncausesofsorethroatsareviruses.Viralsorethroatsareoftenaccompaniedbyothercoldsymptomsthatmayincludearunnynose,cough,redorwateryeyes,andsneezing.Othercausesofsorethroatincludesmoking,pollutionorirritantsintheair,allergies,anddryair.AlongWithaSoreThroat,WhatareOtherColdSymptoms?Inadditiontoasorethroat,othercommoncoldsymptomsinclude:RunnynoseSneezingCoughMildheadacheMildbodyachesFeverHowAreSoreThroatsWithColdsTreated?Althoughthereisnocureforasorethroatcausedbyacoldvirus,therearewaystohelpyoufeelmorecomfortable.Drinkingwarmliquids,garglingwithwarmsaltwater,suckingonicechips,ortakinganover-the-countermedicinemayrelievesymptomsofpainorfever.Whenyouaresickwithacold,itisalsoimportanttogetenoughrest,eatahealthydiet,anddrinkplentyoffluids.CanMedicationsRelieveSymptomsofaSoreThroatWithaCold?Over-the-countercoldmedicationsmayrelievecoldandsorethroatsymptoms.However,thebenefitsofthesedrugsareminimal.Somecoldmedicationsinclude:Painrelievers,suchasacetaminophenandibuprofenandnaproxen,torelievetheachesandpainsofacoldandsorethroat.(AspirinshouldnotbegiventochildrenbecauseofitslinktoReye'ssyndrome,adisorderthatcancausebraindamageanddeath.)Sorethroatspraysandlozengestosootheyourthroatandnumbthethroatpaintemporarily.(Lozengesshouldnotbegiventoyoungchildren.)Decongestantnasalspraystorelieveasorethroatcausedbypostnasaldrip--nasaldrainagethatrunsdownyourthroat.(Besuretostopusingnasaldecongestantspraysafterthreedays,oryoumayhaveanincreaseincongestionwhenyoustopthem.)Antibioticsshouldnotbeusedtotreatacoldvirusandsorethroat.Antibioticsareeffectiveonlyagainstbacteria.Theywillnotworkonsorethroatsassociatedwithcolds,whicharecausedbyviruses.HowIsStrepThroatDifferentFromaSoreThroatWithaCold?Strepthroatiscausedbyaninfectionofstreptococcusbacteria.Strepthroatspreadsbyhavingcontactwithaninfectedperson'ssalivaornasalsecretions.Althoughstrepthroatismorecommoninchildrenages5to15,italsooccursinadults.Todiagnosestrepthroat,yourdoctorcancheckarapidstreptestorsendathroatswabtothelabforaculture.Insomecases,theymaybeabletodiagnosestrepbasedonyourreportedsymptomsandothersigns,suchaswhitespotsinthethroatarea,fever,andswollenlymphnodesintheneck.IsStrepThroatMoreSeriousThanaSoreThroatWithaCold?Strepthroatcancausemoreseriousillnesses,suchasrheumaticfever,adiseasethatmayharmtheheartvalves.That'swhyit'simportanttogetpropermedicaltreatment.Withpropertreatment,strepthroatisusuallycuredwithin10days.AreStrepThroatSymptomsDifferentFromaSoreThroatWithaCold?Strepthroatsymptomsareusuallymoreseverethansymptomsofasorethroatwithacoldandmayincludethefollowing:SuddensorethroatLossofappetitePainfulswallowingRedtonsilswithwhitespotsFeverDoINeedtoSeeMyDoctorifIThinkIHaveStrepThroat?Thesymptomsofacoldandstrepthroatcanbeverysimilar.Ifyouthinkyouhavesymptomsofstrepthroat,visityourhealthcareprovider.Yourdoctorwillaskyouaboutyoursymptomsanddoaphysicalexam,andyoumaybegivenastreptest.WhatIsaStrepTestforaSoreThroat?Arapidstreptestchecksforstreptococcusbacteriainfectioninthethroat.Thetestispainlessandtakesverylittletime.Thetipofacottonswabisusedtowipethebackofthethroat.Theswabisthentestedrightaway.Ifthestreptestispositive,youhavestrepthroat.Ifthestreptestisnegative,youlikelydonothavestrepthroat.However,iftherearestrongsignsofstrepthroat,yourhealthcareprovidercandoadifferentthroatswabtestthatissenttothelabtoseeifstrepbacteriacanbegrown(cultured)fromit.Athroatculturetakesacoupleofdaysforresults.WhatIstheTreatmentforStrepThroat?Strepthroatistreatedusingantibiotics,whichkillthebacteriacausingtheinfection.Antibioticsareoftentakenaspillsorgivenasashot.Penicillinandamoxicillinarecommonantibioticsusedtotreatstrepthroat.Otherantibioticsareprescribedforpeoplewhoareallergictopenicillin.Followyourhealthcareprovider'sinstructionsforantibioticuse.Takeallofthemedication,evenifyoufeelbetter.Youshouldfeelbetterwithinadayortwo.Apersonwithstrepthroatshouldstayhomeuntil24hoursafterstartingtheantibiotic.WhatIfMyStrepThroatIsn'tGettingBetter?Ifyourstrepthroatisnotgettingbetter,letyourhealthcareproviderknowrightaway.Donotstoptakingyourprescribedmedicineunlessyourhealthcareprovidertellsyouto.Callyourhealthcareproviderifthesesymptomsoccur:FeveroneortwodaysafterfeelingbetterNauseaorvomitingEaracheHeadacheNeckstiffnessSkinrashCoughSwollenglandsPainfuljointsShortnessofbreathDarkurine,rash,orchestpain(mayoccurthreetofourweekslater)HowIsTonsillitisDifferentFromaSoreThroatWithaCold?Sometimes,asorethroatiscausedbytonsillitis,aninflammationofthetonsils.Tonsillitiscanbecausedbyvirusesorbacteria.Whilethetonsils'jobistohelpfightinfection,thetonsilscanalsobecomeinfected.Whentheydo,theresultistonsillitisandaverypainfulsorethroat.HowAreTonsillitisSymptomsDifferentFromSymptomsofaSoreThroatWithaCold?Inadditiontoasorethroat,acoldusuallycausesnasalsymptoms,suchasrunnynoseorcongestion.Withtonsillitis,yourtonsilsbecomeswollenandmayhavetelltalewhiteoryellowspots.Othersymptomswithtonsillitisincludethefollowing:BadbreathFeverVoicechangesbecauseofswellingPainfulswallowingSwollenlymphglandsinneckHowIsaSoreThroatFromTonsillitisTreated?Ifthetonsillitisinfectionisbacteriallikestrepthroat,thenantibioticsaregiven.Ifthetonsillitisinfectionisviral,antibioticswillnothelp.Thevirusmustrunitscourseforthesorethroattoresolve.Foreithertypeofthroatinfection,thefollowingtreatmentmeasuresmayhelp:GettingplentyofrestDrinkinglotsoffluidEatingsmooth,soothingfoodslikegelatin,icecream,shakes,frozendesserts,andsoupAvoidingcrunchyorspicyfoodsUsingavaporizerTakingover-the-counterpainrelieverssuchasacetaminophen,naproxen,oribuprofen.Childrenshouldnottakeaspirin.Ifthetonsillitisinfectionsoccurrepeatedly,orifthetonsilsareinterferingwithsleepandbreathing,thedoctormayrecommendatonsillectomy,whichisthesurgicalremovalofthetonsils.Whatwouldyouliketolearnaboutnext?TonsillitisTreatmentStrepThroatTreatmentCommonColdTreatment10FoodstoEatWhenYouHavetheFluPersonalizedTreatmentsforYourColdSymptomsTipstoSurviveCold&FluSeasonFluShotandSideEffects15Immune-BoostingSuperfoods[vid_icon]Myths&FactsAboutColdsAnatomyofaSoreThroatPicturesofCold&FluSymptoms,TreatmentsGettotheBottomofYourSoreThroatDoesGarglingWlthSaltWaterEaseaSoreThroat?UnderstandingSoreThroatPreventionUnderstandingSoreThroatSymptomsUnderstandingSoreThroatTreatmentSoreThroatTopicsNaturalCold&FluRemedies15tipstohelpyoufeelbetter.TheTruthAbouttheCommonColdDoechinaceaandvitaminCreallyhelpacold?CalmaNighttimeCoughGetagoodnight’srestwiththeseremedies.15Immune-BoostingFoodsEatthesetofightcolds,flu,andmore.QuizCanFeversBeGoodforYou?FactsAboutBodyTemperatureArticleBestWaystoAvoidColdsandFluArticleIsItaColdoraSinusInfection?SlideshowGermyThingsYouTouchEveryDayArticleHowExactlyDoYouCatchaColdortheFlu?QuizSuperbugs:Factvs.FictionArticle6ThingsCrashingYourImmuneSystemSlideshowAnatomyofaSoreThroatTipstoSurviveCold&FluDoAntibioticsCureColds?CalmYourCoughatNight15Immune-BoostingFoodsInsideanEarInfectionScratchyThroat:IsItStrep?HealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads