Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsInfectious CausesNoninfectious CausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Infectious Causes
Noninfectious Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
When to See a Provider
Pharyngitis is not a condition but a symptom of a condition. It can often be diagnosed with a swab of the throat and treated with medications and therapies to ease throat pain.Antibioticsmay be prescribed for bacterial causes, but only if a person tests positive with a throat swab or has empirical symptoms of an infection.
This article takes a look at the infectious and noninfectious causes of pharyngitis, including how they are diagnosed and treated. It also explains when symptoms of pharyngitis warrant an immediate visit to a healthcare provider.
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Infectious Causes of Pharyngitis
Viruses
Viruses that can cause pharyngitis include:
Bacteria
Many bacteria can cause pharyngitis. Some may be passed through respiratory droplets and close contact; others are sexually transmitted or passed through contaminated food, water, or soil.
Bacterial causes of pharyngitis include:
Fungus
Fungal infections associated with pharyngitis are typicallyopportunistic(meaning that you already have them in your body, but they suddenly overgrow when your immune system is down). Generally speaking, people with a healthy immune system won’t experience fungal pharyngitis.
The most common cause is a family of fungi calledCandida, the most common of which isCandida albicans.This is the fungus that causesvaginal yeast infections(vaginal candidiasis) andoral thrush(oral candidiasis).
There are several reasons why Candida can spontaneously multiply in your mouth and throat:
Noninfectious Causes of Pharyngitis
There are noninfectious causes of pharyngitis that cause asore throatthrough mechanical or chemical irritation. There are also inflammatory throat conditions that can lead to pharyngitis.
Allergies
Allergens that can trigger allergic throat inflammation include:
Can Allergies Cause Sore Throats?
Acid Reflux
Acid refluxoccurs when stomach acids flow back into theesophagus(feeding tube) because a valve called thelower esophageal sphincterdoesn’t work properly. When the condition is chronic (persistent), it is referred to asgastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Vocal Strain
Prolonged shouting, coughing, and singing at high volume can put a strain on thelarynx(voice box). This can cause inflammation of the vocal cords along with little tears in capillaries and cartilage.
In severe cases, this can lead to permanent voice changes, vocal hoarseness, persistent cough, and the development ofvocal cord nodules(a.k.a. vocal cord cysts).
What to Do If You Lose Your Voice
Intubation
Intubationis a medical procedure in which a tube is inserted into the mouth and throat for breathing (endotracheal intubation) or feeding (gastrotomy tube, or G-tube).In both cases, the insertion of the tube can place mechanical stress on the pharynx and larynx, leading to a sore throat.
Even after removal, pharyngitis can persist for days and even weeks. This is especially true with prolonged intubation or intubation under prolongedgeneral anesthesia.
Occupational Chemicals
Exposure to toxic inhaled substances in factories and other occupational settings can cause chemical injury to the pharynx and other parts of the respiratory tract.
Prime culprits for this include:
Medications
There are several prescription drugs that independently cause pharyngitis as a side effect. Mouth dryness (xerostomia) or mouth sores (aphthous ulcers) can also sometimes occur.
Causes of drug-induced pharyngitis include:
Pharyngitis Symptoms
A sore throat, particularly when swallowing, is one of the hallmarks of pharyngitis. Other symptoms include:
Depending on the cause of pharyngitis, there may have other symptoms as well, including:
If you have a sore throat, your healthcare provider will do a physical exam (typically with a lighted scope called alaryngoscope) and ask about your symptoms and medical history. They will look for things like swollen tonsils, red spots on the roof of the mouth, and white patches in your throat to narrow the possible cause.
If your healthcare provider suspects you have strep throat, they may perform a rapid antigen test for Group A streptococcus. This involves swabbing the back of your throat with a cotton swab to detect bacterial proteins specific to strep throat. A positive result means that you have strep throat.
If the results come back negative, your healthcare provider may take another swab for athroat cultureand send it to a lab to investigate other possible viral, bacterial, or fungal causes.
Certain viral causes like Epstein-Barr can be detected with blood tests.
How Pharyngitis Is Treated
The treatment of pharyngitis depends a lot on what’s causing it.
Sore throats due to allergies may benefit fromantihistaminesanddecongestants, while conditions like GERD and LPR may benefit fromantacidsandproton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
Irrespective of the cause, sore throat symptoms can be eased with the following at-home or over-the-counter (OTC) remedies:
How a Sore Throat Is Treated
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Not only can strep throat make you very ill if left untreated, but it can also lead to potentially serious complications likerheumatic fever.
Therefore, it is important to see a healthcare provider if:
Summary
Pharyngitis is inflammation in your throat that causes a sore throat. There are infectious causes like cold, flu, and strep throat and noninfectious causes like allergies, acid reflux, and mechanical or chemical injury to the throat.
Pharyngitis can often be diagnosed with a physical exam, a review of your medical history, and a throat swab. The treatment can vary based on the underlying cause, but symptoms can be relieved with home remedies and over-the-counter treatments like anesthetic lozenges and saltwater gargles.
17 SourcesVerywell 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.Arnold JC, Nizet V.Pharyngitis.Principles Pract Pediatr Infect Dis. 2018;202-208.e2. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-40181-4.00027-XSykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-257Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for candidiasis.Turner SA, Butler G.The Candida pathogenic species complex.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2014;4(9):a019778. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a019778American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.Allergies overview.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.GERD and LPR.Won SJ, Kim RB, Kim JP, Park JJ, Kwon MS, Woo SH.The prevalence and factors associate with vocal nodules in general population: Cross-sectional epidemiological study.Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(39):e4971. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000004971MedlinePlus.Endotracheal intubation.Lord LM.Enteral access devices: types, function, care, and challenges.Nutr Clin Pract. 2018;33(1):16-38. doi:10.1002/ncp.10019Wallace S, McGrath BA.Laryngeal complications after tracheal intubation and tracheostomy.BJA Educ.2021 Jul;21(7):250–257. doi:10.1016/j.bjae.2021.02.005Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res.2012;61(10):1041–1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res. 2012;61(10):1041-1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9Shaughnessy AF.Single-dose oral dexamethasone decreases sore throat pain.Am Fam Physician.2018;97(4):online.Mount Sinai.Pharyngitis—sore throat.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.New York State Department of Health.Streptococcal infections (invasive group A strep, GAS).
17 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.Arnold JC, Nizet V.Pharyngitis.Principles Pract Pediatr Infect Dis. 2018;202-208.e2. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-40181-4.00027-XSykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-257Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for candidiasis.Turner SA, Butler G.The Candida pathogenic species complex.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2014;4(9):a019778. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a019778American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.Allergies overview.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.GERD and LPR.Won SJ, Kim RB, Kim JP, Park JJ, Kwon MS, Woo SH.The prevalence and factors associate with vocal nodules in general population: Cross-sectional epidemiological study.Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(39):e4971. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000004971MedlinePlus.Endotracheal intubation.Lord LM.Enteral access devices: types, function, care, and challenges.Nutr Clin Pract. 2018;33(1):16-38. doi:10.1002/ncp.10019Wallace S, McGrath BA.Laryngeal complications after tracheal intubation and tracheostomy.BJA Educ.2021 Jul;21(7):250–257. doi:10.1016/j.bjae.2021.02.005Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res.2012;61(10):1041–1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res. 2012;61(10):1041-1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9Shaughnessy AF.Single-dose oral dexamethasone decreases sore throat pain.Am Fam Physician.2018;97(4):online.Mount Sinai.Pharyngitis—sore throat.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.New York State Department of Health.Streptococcal infections (invasive group A strep, GAS).
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.
Arnold JC, Nizet V.Pharyngitis.Principles Pract Pediatr Infect Dis. 2018;202-208.e2. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-40181-4.00027-XSykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-257Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for candidiasis.Turner SA, Butler G.The Candida pathogenic species complex.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2014;4(9):a019778. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a019778American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.Allergies overview.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.GERD and LPR.Won SJ, Kim RB, Kim JP, Park JJ, Kwon MS, Woo SH.The prevalence and factors associate with vocal nodules in general population: Cross-sectional epidemiological study.Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(39):e4971. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000004971MedlinePlus.Endotracheal intubation.Lord LM.Enteral access devices: types, function, care, and challenges.Nutr Clin Pract. 2018;33(1):16-38. doi:10.1002/ncp.10019Wallace S, McGrath BA.Laryngeal complications after tracheal intubation and tracheostomy.BJA Educ.2021 Jul;21(7):250–257. doi:10.1016/j.bjae.2021.02.005Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res.2012;61(10):1041–1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res. 2012;61(10):1041-1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9Shaughnessy AF.Single-dose oral dexamethasone decreases sore throat pain.Am Fam Physician.2018;97(4):online.Mount Sinai.Pharyngitis—sore throat.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.New York State Department of Health.Streptococcal infections (invasive group A strep, GAS).
Arnold JC, Nizet V.Pharyngitis.Principles Pract Pediatr Infect Dis. 2018;202-208.e2. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-40181-4.00027-X
Sykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-257
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for candidiasis.
Turner SA, Butler G.The Candida pathogenic species complex.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2014;4(9):a019778. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a019778
American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.Allergies overview.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.GERD and LPR.
Won SJ, Kim RB, Kim JP, Park JJ, Kwon MS, Woo SH.The prevalence and factors associate with vocal nodules in general population: Cross-sectional epidemiological study.Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(39):e4971. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000004971
MedlinePlus.Endotracheal intubation.
Lord LM.Enteral access devices: types, function, care, and challenges.Nutr Clin Pract. 2018;33(1):16-38. doi:10.1002/ncp.10019
Wallace S, McGrath BA.Laryngeal complications after tracheal intubation and tracheostomy.BJA Educ.2021 Jul;21(7):250–257. doi:10.1016/j.bjae.2021.02.005
Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res.2012;61(10):1041–1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9
Renner B, Mueller CA, Shephard A.Environmental and non-infectious factors in the aetiology of pharyngitis (sore throat).Inflamm Res. 2012;61(10):1041-1052. doi:10.1007/s00011-012-0540-9
Shaughnessy AF.Single-dose oral dexamethasone decreases sore throat pain.Am Fam Physician.2018;97(4):online.
Mount Sinai.Pharyngitis—sore throat.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Strep throat.
New York State Department of Health.Streptococcal infections (invasive group A strep, GAS).
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