Sore Throat

When to get emergency help

Source: NHS

In this topic (5)

Very rarely, a sore throat can be a sign of a serious problem.

Visit your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department or call 999 for an ambulance immediately if:

your symptoms are severe or getting worse quickly
you have difficulty breathing
you're making a high-pitched sound as you breathe (called stridor)
you have difficulty swallowing
you start drooling

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A common condition that causes inflammation (redness and swelling) in the joints and bones.

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Articles for Sore Throat

Causes of a sore throat

The cause of a sore throat isn't always obvious. Butin most cases it's a symptom of a viral or bacterialinfection. Common causes A sore throatis often a symptom of: colds or flu you may also have

Introduction

Find out what can cause a sore throat, how you can soothe it and when to get medical advice.

Treatments for a sore throat

The following measures can often help soothe a sore throat: take Painkillers, ibuprofen or paracetamol paracetamol is better for children and for people who can't take ibuprofen (note that childre

When to get emergency help

Very rarely, a sore throat can be a sign of a serious problem. Visit your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department or call 999 for an ambulance immediately if: your symptoms are severe

When to get medical advice

You don't usually need to get medical adviceif youhavea sore throat. But it's a good idea tocontact your GP or NHS 111 if: your symptoms are severe you have persistent symptoms thathaven't started