A sore throat and difficulty swallowing are usually caused by pharyngitis. Pharyngitis, which is difficult to distinguish from each other, includes
- Pharyngitis in the narrower sense (inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa),
- rhinopharyngitis (inflammation of the nasopharynx),
- acute tonsillitis (acute inflammation of the tonsils) and
- pharyngolaryngitis (inflammation of the throat up to the beginning of the windpipe).
Pharyngitis is usually caused by viruses (mainly rhinoviruses and coronaviruses). Bacteria are much less common triggers.
A sore throat can be a symptom of influenza. However, an acute onset of illness, fever or chills, cough, pain in the muscles, limbs and head and a strong feeling of illness are even more typical of influenza.
Only rarely is a sore throat or pharyngitis caused by mononucleosis (mononucleosis). In this case, the sore throat is typically accompanied by a fever and severe swelling of the lymph nodes. However, some sufferers have virtually no symptoms.
However, it is not only viruses and bacteria that can cause a sore throat, but also, for example, overuse of the voice due to loud screaming or shouting and a lot of talking.
Irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa due to (passive) smoking, inhalation of chemicals or dust and dry air can also cause pain.
Irritation can also be caused by gastroesophageal reflux (reflux of stomach acid via the oesophagus into the larynx).
Acute thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) or tumors are also possible, but rare, causes of sore throat and difficulty swallowing. Inflammation of the thyroid gland mainly leads to pain in the front of the throat.
Sore throats caused by HIV infection, gonorrhea or diphtheria are also rare.
Pharyngitis very often heals without further action. Complications (e.g. peritonsillar abscesses and acute rheumatic fever) are very rare. A peritonsillar abscess is a purulent inflammation of the tissue in the area of the palatine tonsils with a breakthrough through the tonsil capsule. It usually manifests itself as a one-sided sore throat and/or difficulty swallowing, difficulty opening the mouth, earache and fever.
If the sore throat is accompanied by shortness of breath and/or difficulty breathing or severe difficulty swallowing, a doctor should be consulted immediately. A doctor should also be consulted if the pain does not improve or lasts longer than seven days. Caution is always advised with weakened and seriously ill patients.
In the case of a sore throat that is not the result of pharyngitis, the underlying disease must of course be treated (e.g. treatment of the stomach in the case of reflux disease). You can read about what can be done for pharyngitis below.
Although there are no scientific studies that prove the effectiveness of traditional home remedies, they can often alleviate the symptoms. The most frequently recommended home remedies for a sore throat and difficulty swallowing include
- Drinking plenty of fluids, e.g. "hot lemon"
- Gargling with salt water (1/4 teaspoon of salt dissolved in a glass of water) or camomile/sage tea
- Warm and moist throat compresses
- Sucking sweets to moisturize the throat. Sage lozenges are particularly suitable here.
- Moisturizing the surrounding air
Of course, we also recommend
- Rest, avoid heavy physical exertion
- No (passive) smoking
- Protect your voice, especially if you have hoarseness - but no whispering
Over-the-counter medication
There are a number of over-the-counter medications for sore throats on the market. They cannot shorten the duration of a sore throat, but symptoms can often be alleviated.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used to relieve symptoms. Regular use during the days with the most severe symptoms is most effective. However, an age-appropriate dosage should be observed.
Lozenges, gargle solutions and throat sprays with local antiseptics and/or local anesthetics or antibiotics are not recommended. Local antiseptics only act on the surface, while the infection essentially takes place in deeper layers. The bactericidal/bacteriostatic effect of some over-the-counter medications is of no benefit for throat pain, which is usually caused by viruses.
Prescription drugs
In most cases, sore throats are caused by viruses. Antibiotics are useless, they only fight bacteria. The untargeted use of antibiotics is not recommended. In addition, sore throats usually disappear without further action, although over-the-counter painkillers can be used to relieve symptoms. However, in the case of more severe illnesses and the presence of certain risk factors, antibiotic treatment may be useful or even necessary. This is particularly the case if a streptococcal infection has been detected in the swab.