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It's seldom easy to tell the difference between bacterial and viral sore throats. Find out what the differences are and learn some tips for telling them apart. A sore throat is irritation and scratchiness in the throat accompanied by pain that often worsens with swallowing. The most common cause of a sore throat is a viral infection. Rarely, a bacterial infection can cause a sore throat ...
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Oct 14, 2024 · An acute sore throat is usually caused by a bacteria or virus. Acute means that it happens suddenly and lasts a couple of weeks or less. A sore throat that lasts longer may have other causes that need medical attention. If a sore throat lasts more than 2 weeks, it might be caused by a different medical condition.
Jan 30, 2023 · So, what’s the difference between a sore throat and strep throat? For starters, having a cough is a major symptom that sets a sore throat apart from strep. “You do not have a cough with strep ...
- Common Sore Throat or Something Else? We all know that raw, scratchy feeling in the back of the throat. It could just be dry winter air, seasonal allergies, or a plain old cold.
- Take a Good Look. Grab a flashlight, look in the mirror, and say, "Ahhh." You could find some important clues. You might see white dots or patches in the back of your throat.
- Do You Have Cold Symptoms? If you have a cough and drippy nose along with your sore throat, that could be good news. You may feel crummy, but you're less likely to have a serious infection.
- Do You Have a Fever? Colds can cause a fever, but it’s usually just a mild one. If you have a sore throat and a fever over 101 F, it's more likely to be a throat infection like strep than a simple cold.
- Overview
- Symptom comparison
- Causes
- Diagnosis
- Treatments
- When to see a doctor
- The bottom line
Strep throat is usually accompanied by a fever and white patches on your tonsils. But the only way to be sure it’s strep throat is to have a strep test done.
To go or not to go to the doctor? That’s often the question when you have a sore, scratchy throat. If your sore throat is due to strep throat, a doctor can prescribe you antibiotics. But if it’s due to a virus, like a cold, then treatments are of the at-home variety.
The following are differences in physical signs and symptoms that you may experience when you have a sore throat. However, it isn’t always clear by looking at the throat what type of infection a person has.
As you’ll see, several of the different sore throat causes have similar symptoms.
The following are some of the most common sore throat causes:
•Strep throat: The bacteria group A Streptococcus is the most common cause of strep throat.
•Sore throat (viral pharyngitis): Viruses are the most common cause of sore throat, including rhinoviruses or a respiratory syncytial virus. These viruses can cause other symptoms, such as:
•a cold
•earache
•bronchitis
In many cases, your age may clue in your doctor to the likely cause. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), strep throat is most common in those ages 5 to 15. Adults and those younger than age 3 rarely get strep throat. An exception is when an adult comes in contact with children or is the parent of a school-age child.
Your doctor can also perform a visual examination of your throat, taking into consideration your signs and symptoms. If a strep throat is suspected, they can perform a quick test that involves swabbing the throat to test for the presence of group A strep bacteria. This test is called a rapid strep test.
Bacteria is the underlying cause of strep throat, so doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Most patients report improved symptoms within 24 to 48 hours of taking antibiotics for strep throat.
While it’s nice that antibiotics can quickly improve symptoms, these medications are primarily given for strep throat because the condition can cause serious and chronic infections in other places, such as your heart, joints, and kidneys.
The medication of choice for strep throat is usually from the penicillin family — amoxicillin is a common one. However, other antibiotics are available if you’re allergic to these.
Unfortunately, antibiotics won’t work against viruses, including those that cause tonsillitis, mononucleosis, or sore throat.
To reduce throat pain, you can also try the following lifestyle remedies:
•Rest as much as possible.
See your doctor if you experience the following symptoms related to your sore throat:
•fever that’s higher than 101.5°F (37°C) for 2 days or more
•throat swelling that makes it difficult to swallow
•back of the throat has white patches or streaks of pus
•having difficulty breathing or swallowing
If your sore throat symptoms worsen, see your doctor or healthcare provider as soon as possible.
The throat is a vulnerable place to experiencing swelling and irritation due to colds, strep throat, ear infections, and more. The sudden onset of fever and other symptoms is one way to tell the difference between strep throat — which usually causes fever — and a sore throat due to a virus.
If you’re not sure or are in a lot of pain, talk with your doctor or another healthcare provider.
- Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA
Jun 6, 2024 · A sore throat is often the first sign of a cold. However, a sore throat from a cold often gets better after a few days. Strep throat is another cause of sore throats and tonsillitis. With strep ...
People also ask
What is the difference between a virus and a bacterial sore throat?
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Feb 23, 2023 · Pharyngitis is a bacterial or viral infection of the pharynx. Yes, pharyngitis (viral and bacterial) is contagious and can be transmitted from one person to another. Usually, mucus, nasal discharge, and saliva can contain viruses and/or bacteria that can cause sore throat. Consequently, even kissing can cause the transfer of these organisms.
