Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesPostnasal DripTonsillitisPeritonsillar AbscessCanker SoresHand, Foot, and Mouth DiseaseSwollen Lymph NodesGlossopharyngeal Neuralgia and Trigeminal NeuralgiaTooth Abscess or InfectionLaryngitisGERDHead and Neck CancersWhen to Seek Medical CareTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Postnasal Drip
Tonsillitis
Peritonsillar Abscess
Canker Sores
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Swollen Lymph Nodes
Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia
Tooth Abscess or Infection
Laryngitis
GERD
Head and Neck Cancers
When to Seek Medical Care
Treatment
It’s likely that you have experienced asore throaton one side at least once in your lifetime. This is a common symptom among children and adults and doesn’t always lead to a visit with your healthcare provider.
This article will explore some unusual causes of a sore throat—including problems that can cause soreness on just one side or in one particular area of your throat—and how to treat them.
Eric Audras / Getty Images
What Is a Sore Throat on One Side?
In most viral or bacterial illnesses, a sore throat feels as though it affects your entire throat. Sometimes, though, this inflammation and soreness—also known aspharyngitis—is focused on one particular section or side of your throat.
Below are conditions that could lead to pain on just one side of your throat.
Postnasal driphappens when more mucus than normal moves from your nasal cavity down into your throat. Mucus production is normal and in most cases, is swallowed with no problem. Sometimes, however, mucus production increases due to allergies, infections, or other causes.
If you notice pain or swelling in your throat—especially on one side after feeling a buildup of mucus in your throat—talk to your healthcare provider. If this condition appears in a child,check for items lodged in the nosethat could be increasing mucus production.
Postnasal Drip: Causes, Symptoms, and How to Get Relief
There are three pairs oftonsilsin your throat. These glands help your immune system clear bacteria and other pathogens from your body. If your tonsils—or even just one of them—becomes enlarged or inflamed, you will know it.
Tonsillitis develops when one or more of these tonsils becomes inflamed or infected, usually because of a viral or bacterial infection. While you may have soreness all over your throat, it’s also possible for just one tonsil, or tonsils on just one side of your throat, to become affected.
Recurrent tonsillitis, or tonsillitis that threatens your ability to swallow or breathe, may be treated with surgical removal of the tonsils. This procedure, called atonsillectomy, usually is performed as an outpatient procedure (allowing you to recover at home rather than in the hospital).
Common treatments for more minor cases of tonsillitis include:
Tonsillitis Overview
Bacterial and viral infections that cause tonsillitis often affect the entire throat. In some cases, though, these infections lead to complications that cause irritation on one side of the throat.
Most abscesses develop from bacteria and pus that remain after an infection in the affected tonsil. While you may have tonsillitis in more than one tonsil, it’s possible that an abscess can form on just one; a sore throat that is worse on one side is a common symptom.
Treatment of these abscesses may include:
In more severe cases, your healthcare provider may need to drain the abscess or perform other, more invasive treatments.
What Causes Chronic Tonsillitis?
Canker sores, oraphthousulcers, are small sores that can develop on your mucus membranes, often inside the mouth or on the gums. These sores can havemany causes, such as:
A burning sensation may come a day or two before the formation of a canker sore, and the sore will eventually form as a red or gray lesion with drainage. Although canker sores form on mucus membranes, they can affect several areas, including the:
The Different Types of Canker Sores
Symptoms of Hand, foot, and mouth disease vary from case to case but often include a fever and sore throat that appears three to five days after initial exposure to the virus. Painful sores may develop on the tongue and inside the mouth that blister and make it difficult to swallow, eat, or drink. Depending on where the sores develop, this could be felt more on one side than the other. A blister-like rash can also appear on the hands and feet.
There’s no specific course of treatment for hand, foot, and mouth disease. Most cases will subside within seven to 10 days. Those infected should take care to stay hydrated and relieve pain and fever with over-the-counter medications.
Yourlymph nodesare part of your immune system and, like your tonsils, can help your body clear bacteria and viruses. In many cases,swollen lymph nodesare a sign that your immune system is working as it should. There are lymph nodes located throughout your body, including in the neck, so you could notice pain in one node at a time, or more than one.
As bacteria and viruses collect in your lymph nodes, your immune cells work to destroy them. The collection of too many infectious particles, however, can cause your lymph nodes to swell noticeably. In some cases, this swelling is painful and can even make it difficult to swallow or breathe.
Swollen lymph nodes are usually treated like other infections, including antibiotics (if it’s a bacterial infection). However, if you have swelling in your lymph node that isn’t going away or keeps returning, your healthcare provider may need to check for other causes, such aslymphomaor other cancers.
What to Know About Lymph Nodes and Cancer
Glossopharyngealandtrigeminal neuralgiacan develop when those respective nerves become compressed or irritated. Both the glossopharyngeal and trigeminal nerves can lead to throat pain.
Irritation of these nerves can occur out of the blue, but it can also develop after situations such as:
The Function and Anatomy of the Trigeminal Nerve
Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell exactly where pain in your mouth or throat has started. The anatomy of the head and neck is very precise but also extremely limited in space. Dental problems, such as a tooth abscess or infection, can quickly progress, leading to swelling and pain in other areas of the head and neck, including the throat.
Causes of laryngitis include allergies, excessive use of the voice (such as screaming), smoking tobacco, viral upper respiratory infections (such as a cold), andgastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). Preventive measures like staying up-to-date on vaccinations, practicing good oral hygiene, and avoiding inhaled chemicals and cigarette smoke can help lower your risk of developing laryngitis.
6 Natural Remedies for Laryngitis
GERD is another condition that can lead to a sore throat on one side or in a particular area. When you have GERD, you either make too much stomach acid, or those acids can bubble up out of your stomach.
Laryngopharyngeal reflux is a condition in which acid bubbles up out of the stomach and reaches your throat. Over time, this irritation can even lead to permanent changes in the lining of your throat, calledBarrett’s esophagus.
Talk to your healthcare provider if your sore throat has developed alongside other digestive issues or indigestion. There are medications you can try that may help control your stomach acid production or reflux.
Head and neck cancerscan also be a source of a sore throat that develops on just one side. In fact, a sore throat on only one side that has lasted four weeks or more led to a cancer diagnosis in nearly 10% of people enrolled in one study.
Head and neck cancersusually begin in the mucus membranes of the mouth or throat, which may eventually develop into cancers that form in the following places:
These cancers can develop as a result of exposure to toxins or smoking, as well as infections from certain viruses.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
It can be difficult to decide whether a one-sided sore throat is a cause for worry. There are several nonserious reasons for soreness on just one side of the throat, but there are also serious conditions that can create thissymptom, too.
If you have a sore throat that isn’t getting better or worsening after a week or so, talk to your healthcare provider. This goes for a sore throat that affects one side or your entire throat.
Other red flags that should elicit a call or visit a healthcare provider include:
First Aid Instructions for 10 Medical Emergencies
It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about your specific symptoms and any other medical issues you are experiencing in order to get the best diagnosis and treatment for your particular condition.
How a Sore Throat Is Treated
Summary
There are many different conditions, such as infections, that can cause a sore throat. Not all of these cause soreness in your entire throat. Problems in the tonsils or various glands can develop on one side or the other, as can inflammation or injury.
A one-sided sore throat can be concerning, but most cases aren’t a sign of serious illness. If your sore throat doesn’t improve after a week or two, talk to your healthcare provider about any additional symptoms that may be present, such as fever or bleeding with a cough. If you develop difficulty breathing or swallowing, seek help immediately.
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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.
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