Sore throat

To diagnose a sore throat, a healthcare professional might:

• Use a tool with a light to look inside the throat, ears and nose.
• Gently feel the neck to check for swollen glands, also called lymph nodes.
• Listen to breathing with a tool called a stethoscope.

Throat swab

A simple test can find streptococcal bacteria, the cause of strep throat. A healthcare professional rubs a sterile swab over the back of the throat to get a sample of mucus. The sample goes to a lab for testing.

Many clinics have a lab that can get a test result for a test called a rapid antigen test within minutes. But a test called a throat culture might give better results. A throat culture goes to a lab that returns results within 24 to 48 hours.

Rapid antigen tests aren't as sensitive as throat cultures, but they're quick. If the antigen test shows no strep, a healthcare professional might send a throat culture to a lab to check again for strep throat.

Usually, a sore throat caused by a virus goes away on its own in 5 to 7 days and doesn’t need treatment. Antibiotics don't treat a virus.

To ease pain and fever, many people use acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or other mild pain relievers.

For infants and children with sore throats, there are pain medicines you can get without a prescription that are made for them. These include acetaminophen (Children's Tylenol, Infants' FeverAll, others) or ibuprofen (Children's Advil, Children's Motrin, others).

Never give aspirin to children or teenagers because it has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that causes swelling in the liver and brain.

Treating bacterial infections

A sore throat caused by a bacterial infection needs antibiotics to treat it.

Anyone taking an antibiotic must take all the medicine even if the symptoms are gone. Not taking all the medicine as directed can cause the infection to get worse or to spread to other parts of the body.

Not taking all the antibiotics to treat strep throat can raise a child's risk of a disease that can harm the heart, called rheumatic fever, or serious kidney inflammation.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what to do if you forget a dose.

Other treatments

For sore throats from other illnesses than viral or bacterial infections, treatment depends on the diagnosis.

Use the following to ease the symptoms of a sore throat:

• Rest. Get plenty of sleep. Rest the voice, too.
• Drink more fluids. Fluids keep the throat moist. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can be drying.
• Try foods and drinks that comfort. Drink warm liquids that soothe the throat such as broth, tea without caffeine or warm water with honey. Cold treats such as ice pops also can soothe a sore throat. Don't give honey to children younger than age 1.
• Gargle with saltwater. A saltwater gargle of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1250-2500 milligrams) of table salt to 4 to 8 ounces (120 to 240 milliliters) of warm water can help soothe a sore throat. Children older than 6 and adults can gargle the water and then spit it out.
• Add moisture to the air. Use a machine called a humidifier to get rid of dry air that can irritate a sore throat. Clean the humidifier often so it doesn't grow mold or bacteria. Sitting for several minutes in a steamy bathroom also might help.
• Suck on hard candy or cough drops, also called lozenges. Either can soothe a sore throat. Don't give them to children age 4 and younger because they might choke on them.
• Avoid irritants. Keep the home free from cigarette smoke and cleaning products that can bother the throat.
• Stay at home until no longer sick. This can help protect others from catching a cold or other virus.

Although many alternative treatments are often used to soothe a sore throat, there's little proof that they work. And they might cause harm.

Check with your healthcare professional before using herbs. They can affect medicines. They might not be safe for children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and people with certain health conditions.

Herbal or alternative products for a sore throat often come as teas, sprays or lozenges. They include:

• Slippery elm.
• Licorice root.
• Marshmallow root.

You're likely to start by seeing your family healthcare professional. You then might be referred to a specialist in ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems. Or you might be referred to an allergy specialist, known as an allergist.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

• Symptoms you or your child has, and for how long.
• Key personal information, such as recent contact with someone who was ill.
• All medicines, vitamins or other supplements you or your child takes, including doses.
• Questions to ask your healthcare professional.

For a sore throat, some questions to ask include:

• What's likely causing these symptoms?
• Are there other possible causes?
• What tests are needed?
• What treatment do you recommend?
• How soon do you expect symptoms to improve with treatment?
• How long will this be catching? When is it safe to return to school or work?
• What self-care steps might help?

Ask any other questions you have.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask questions, including:

• Are there symptoms other than a sore throat?
• Have these symptoms included a fever? How high?
• Have there been breathing problems?
• Does anything make the sore throat worse, such as swallowing?
• Does anything seem to make the symptoms better?
• Has anyone else at home been ill?
• Do you often have a sore throat?
• Do you smoke? Are you or your child often exposed to secondhand smoke?