Sore throat is one of the most irritating problems which can be caused by colds and coughs and even due to tonsillitis. Taking into consideration that it is probably the most common disorder, the sore throat symptoms are not hard to pin point. Unfortunately, they also come with many other problems so the sore throat can be a symptom for serious illnesses such as cold and fever, glandular fever, respiratory tract infections, tonsillitis, and chickenpox. However, most of the sore throat symptoms heal without complications but they are also prone to develop into a serious illness, especially if they are caused by bacterial infections.
In fact, the first thing that you should keep in mind about sore throat symptoms is that they are caused by either viral or bacterial infections. Beyond this, they can also be caused by allergies and and environmental conditions. Taking into consideration that approximately 90% of them are caused by viral infections, there is quite difficult to distinguish between a viral sore throat and a bacterial sore throat. However, viral sore throats are the most contagious for they can be spread by personal contact as well as coughing or sneezing. The only forms of sore throats that are not contagious are the noninfectious ones such as allergies and irritations.
When it comes to sore throat symptoms, they often cause discomfort, pain or scratchiness in the throat which makes it painful to swallow. Although they are most common in children, all the groups ages are prone to sore throat symptoms which however are worse in the morning and improve as the day progresses. Typically, uncomplicated sore throats last up to 3 days; what last over 3 days could be a sign of a serious illness and thus you should ask for medical advise. In fact, if they reach 5 to 7 days and you feel difficulty in breathing or swallowing small items, pain when opening the mouth, fever over 101 degree F or some rashes, you should seek immediate medical attention. Another sore throat symptoms that should concern you are blood found in your saliva, lumps which may be found in your neck or prolonged hoarseness of voice.
It should not be too difficult to identify whether your sore throat symptoms are caused by a viral or a bacterial infection. Apart from the fact that the viral infections are very contagious and communicable, viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics as it happens with bacteria. This makes a huge difference in the treatments that you use for your sore throat symptoms. Bacterial infections can be treated only with antibiotics while viral infections can be easily destroyed with different home remedies. These are handy and affordable and the greatest thing is that they have soothing powers for the throat. As long as you avoid to consume that is cold and refrigerated as well as sour and fried foods, the soreness will be gone in a few days. If you want to find out more about sore throat symptoms as well as the most effective treatments, you should go online for there is an array of blogs and websites that help you identify the cause of your sore throats and select the optimal remedies that will relieve pain and help you feel better than ever.
