Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It Feels LikeOther Possible CausesTelling the DifferenceGetting TestedAt-Home TreatmentWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Feels Like
Other Possible Causes
Telling the Difference
Getting Tested
At-Home Treatment
When to Seek Medical Care
It’s possible to have a sore throat from COVID-19. According to a recent University of Southern California (USC) study, a sore throat may occur alongside fever and cough. When a sore throat occurs, it tends to happen during the early part of the infection.
A sore throat isn’t always a sign of COVID-19, though. It could be due to a cold or flu, and it almost always occurs with other symptoms if you have COVID. Also, not all COVID infections involve sore throat.The only way to confirm if you have COVID-19 is to take an at-home or lab-based test.
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What Does a COVID-19 Sore Throat Feel Like?
When a sore throat is present with COVID, it is typically described as:
In short, it differs little from many other possible causes of sore throat.
What can make a COVID sore throat different is the types of symptoms that accompany it, along with the timing and duration of those symptoms.
How Common Is It?
You may not have all of these symptoms, and some cases of COVID-19 might only have a few. Some of these symptoms are less common than others, and if you’re experiencing only one, it may not indicate COVID.
A 2023 study reported that sore throat, shortness of breath, and nasal congestion were three symptoms thatdecreasedthe likelihood of COVID as the cause of an upper respiratory infection. In such cases, it is more likely that you have an infection like influenza (flu) rather than COVID.
Fever, fatigue, cough, and muscle or joint pain are symptoms equally common with both COVID and flu.
How Long Does It Last?
Symptoms of COVID-19 start two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. If a sore throat were to occur, studies suggest that it would typically do so at the onset of the infection along with a fever.
Afterward, sore throat tends to subside as symptoms like cough, headache, body aches, and a loss of taste and smell begin.
This differs from other viral URTIs like flu, in which symptoms develop one to four days after exposure. Whereas sore throat may gradually ease with COVID, it tends to persist with influenza even after fever and other symptoms subside.
Recovering from COVID often takes a few weeks, with some people developing symptoms that can persist for months.In contrast, most people with the flu will recover on their own within a few days to two weeks.
Sore Throat in Long COVID
Long COVIDdescribes ongoing health problems that affect some people with COVID-19 after the initial infection has cleared. People with long COVID may have symptoms lasting for weeks, months, and years. Long COVID leads to ongoing inflammation which can be detected in the blood.
An ongoing sore throat is not a symptom of long COVID and is more likely related to other conditions, including allergies, smoking, oracid reflux.
If you have long COVID, you are more likely to experience:
Non-COVID Causes of Sore Throat
A sore throat does not always mean COVID-19 and, on its own, is an unlikely sign. Other possible causes of a sore throat include:
How Do You Tell the Difference?
Determining the cause of sore throat may be possible to some degree based on your symptoms. By way of comparison:
When to Get Tested
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you can get tested to confirm your suspicion.
If you do not have symptoms but have been exposed to COVID-19, you should wait at least five days to get tested.
Testing too early can lead to a false-negative result. This is especially true with at-homerapid antigen testsavailable at most pharmacies.
A lab-basedpolymerase chain reaction (PCR)test is far more sensitive and can detect COVID early based on the virus' genetic signature.
Treatments to Manage COVID Throat Pain
There is no cure for a COVID-19 sore throat, it will improve on its own.
However, there are things you can try toease throat painand discomfort:
If you are at high risk for complications from COVID-19, your healthcare provider might prescribe an antiviral likePaxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir)to keep you from getting severely ill.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Although most cases of COVID-19 can be treated at home with rest and OTC medications, others require immediate emergency care.
You should contact your healthcare provider if you have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in poor health or have an underlying medical condition.
Your healthcare provider can determine your risk of complications and provide appropriate treatment based on your risk factors.
If you believe you have COVID but tested negative with a home test, you should still contact your provider if your symptoms are severe, you are not getting better, or you havepreexisting conditionsthat increase the risk of COVID complications, like:
When to Call 911Complications of COVID-19 can become life-threatening if left untreated.Call 911 or head to your nearest emergency department if you experience any of the following:Difficulty breathingChest pain or pressureConfusion or disorientationInability to wake up or stay awakeBluish skin, lips, or nailsdue to the lack of oxygen
When to Call 911
Complications of COVID-19 can become life-threatening if left untreated.Call 911 or head to your nearest emergency department if you experience any of the following:Difficulty breathingChest pain or pressureConfusion or disorientationInability to wake up or stay awakeBluish skin, lips, or nailsdue to the lack of oxygen
Complications of COVID-19 can become life-threatening if left untreated.
Call 911 or head to your nearest emergency department if you experience any of the following:
Summary
A sore throat is one of the symptoms commonly seen with COVID-19. It can occur as an early symptom of COVID but rarely occurs as the only symptom. If it does, it is more likely due to other causes, such as a cold, flu, and strep throat.
You can use OTC pain relievers and anesthetic lozenges or sprays to manage sore throat pain. Resting your throat, sipping broth, and eating cold foods can also help.
Antiviral medications may be prescribed if you test positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of complications.
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20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Larsen JR, Martin MR, Martin JD, Kuhn P, Hicks JB.Modeling the onset of symptoms of COVID-19.Front Public Health. 2020;8:473. Published 2020 Aug 13. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00473Weng LM, Su X, Wang XQ.Pain symptoms in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a literature review.J Pain Res.2021;14:147–159. doi:10.2147/JPR.S269206Alzahrani MM, Alaraifi AK, Aldosari LH, Hijazi LO, Alsaab FA.Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 versus other upper respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients.Saudi Med J. 2023 Jan;44(1):74–79. doi:10.15537/smj.2023.44.1.20220439Savtale S, Hippargekar P, Bhise S, Kothule S.Prevalence of otorhinolaryngological symptoms in COVID 19 patients.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(Suppl 2):3378-3384. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-02410-5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Similarities and differences between flu and COVID-19.Liew F, Efstathiou C, Fontanella S, et al.Large-scale phenotyping of patients with long COVID post-hospitalization reveals mechanistic subtypes of disease.Nat Immunol. 2024;25(4):607-621. doi:10.1038/s41590-024-01778-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and Symptoms of Long COVID.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Strep Throat.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cold Versus Flu.Medline Plus.Tonsillitis.MedlinePlus.Laryngitis.Schaefer SD.Management of acute blunt and penetrating external laryngeal trauma.Laryngoscope. 2014;124(1):233-244. doi:10.1002/lary.24068Harvard Health.COVID-19 or something else?Harvard Health.How long does the flu last?Food and Drug Administration.Understanding At-Home OTC COVID-19 Antigen Diagnostic Test Results.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing for COVID-19.Krüger K, Töpfner N, Berner R, Windfuhr J, Oltrogge JH; Guideline group.Clinical practice guideline: sore throat.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2021;118(11):188-194. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0121Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 Treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Larsen JR, Martin MR, Martin JD, Kuhn P, Hicks JB.Modeling the onset of symptoms of COVID-19.Front Public Health. 2020;8:473. Published 2020 Aug 13. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00473Weng LM, Su X, Wang XQ.Pain symptoms in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a literature review.J Pain Res.2021;14:147–159. doi:10.2147/JPR.S269206Alzahrani MM, Alaraifi AK, Aldosari LH, Hijazi LO, Alsaab FA.Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 versus other upper respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients.Saudi Med J. 2023 Jan;44(1):74–79. doi:10.15537/smj.2023.44.1.20220439Savtale S, Hippargekar P, Bhise S, Kothule S.Prevalence of otorhinolaryngological symptoms in COVID 19 patients.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(Suppl 2):3378-3384. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-02410-5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Similarities and differences between flu and COVID-19.Liew F, Efstathiou C, Fontanella S, et al.Large-scale phenotyping of patients with long COVID post-hospitalization reveals mechanistic subtypes of disease.Nat Immunol. 2024;25(4):607-621. doi:10.1038/s41590-024-01778-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and Symptoms of Long COVID.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Strep Throat.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cold Versus Flu.Medline Plus.Tonsillitis.MedlinePlus.Laryngitis.Schaefer SD.Management of acute blunt and penetrating external laryngeal trauma.Laryngoscope. 2014;124(1):233-244. doi:10.1002/lary.24068Harvard Health.COVID-19 or something else?Harvard Health.How long does the flu last?Food and Drug Administration.Understanding At-Home OTC COVID-19 Antigen Diagnostic Test Results.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing for COVID-19.Krüger K, Töpfner N, Berner R, Windfuhr J, Oltrogge JH; Guideline group.Clinical practice guideline: sore throat.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2021;118(11):188-194. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0121Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 Treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
Larsen JR, Martin MR, Martin JD, Kuhn P, Hicks JB.Modeling the onset of symptoms of COVID-19.Front Public Health. 2020;8:473. Published 2020 Aug 13. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00473
Weng LM, Su X, Wang XQ.Pain symptoms in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a literature review.J Pain Res.2021;14:147–159. doi:10.2147/JPR.S269206
Alzahrani MM, Alaraifi AK, Aldosari LH, Hijazi LO, Alsaab FA.Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 versus other upper respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients.Saudi Med J. 2023 Jan;44(1):74–79. doi:10.15537/smj.2023.44.1.20220439
Savtale S, Hippargekar P, Bhise S, Kothule S.Prevalence of otorhinolaryngological symptoms in COVID 19 patients.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(Suppl 2):3378-3384. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-02410-5
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Similarities and differences between flu and COVID-19.
Liew F, Efstathiou C, Fontanella S, et al.Large-scale phenotyping of patients with long COVID post-hospitalization reveals mechanistic subtypes of disease.Nat Immunol. 2024;25(4):607-621. doi:10.1038/s41590-024-01778-0
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Signs and Symptoms of Long COVID.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Strep Throat.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cold Versus Flu.
Medline Plus.Tonsillitis.
MedlinePlus.Laryngitis.
Schaefer SD.Management of acute blunt and penetrating external laryngeal trauma.Laryngoscope. 2014;124(1):233-244. doi:10.1002/lary.24068
Harvard Health.COVID-19 or something else?
Harvard Health.How long does the flu last?
Food and Drug Administration.Understanding At-Home OTC COVID-19 Antigen Diagnostic Test Results.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Testing for COVID-19.
Krüger K, Töpfner N, Berner R, Windfuhr J, Oltrogge JH; Guideline group.Clinical practice guideline: sore throat.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2021;118(11):188-194. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0121
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 Treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
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