Symptoms Sore Throat, Ear Pain, Pain in Back Teeth
Sore throat is pain in the back of the throat. The pain can be severe and is usually worsened by swallowing. Many people with sore throat refuse to eat or drink. Sometimes pain is also felt in the ear (nerves to the back of the throat run very close to nerves from the ear).
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Tonsillopharyngitis
Much less common, but more serious, causes of sore throat are
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Abscess
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Infection of the epiglottis (epiglottitis)
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Tumors
Abscess, epiglottitis, and tumors are of particular concern because they may block the airway.
Throat irritation and mild soreness can also be caused by dryness, irritants, gastroesophageal disease (GERD), and vocal strain (such as from yelling).
Tonsillopharyngitis is usually caused by a virus, typically one of the same viruses that causes the common cold. Most common colds begin with a mild sore throat. A less common viral cause is acute mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein-Barr virus), which occurs mainly in children and young adults. Rarer still, sore throat can be part of the initial infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or due to chronic fungal infections in HIV patients, such as thrush.
About 10% of sore throats in adults (and slightly more in children) are caused by a type of Streptococcus bacteria (streptococci). Such streptococcal infections are often termed strep throat. Strep throat is unusual in children younger than 2 years.
Rare bacterial causes include gonorrhea and diphtheria (in countries with low vaccination rates).
Not every sore throat requires immediate evaluation by a doctor. The following information can help people decide whether a doctor's evaluation is needed and help them know what to expect during the evaluation.
In people with a sore throat, certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern. They include
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Squeaking sound when breathing in (stridor)
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Any sign of difficulty breathing (particularly the tripod position, in which children sit upright, leaning forward, with their neck tilted back and jaw thrust forward)
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Drooling
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Muffled, "hot potato" voice (speaking as if a hot object is being held in the mouth)
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Visible bulge in the back of the throat
People who have warning signs should go to the hospital right away.
During the medical history, doctors ask about the following:
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Symptoms of a runny nose, cough, and difficulty swallowing, speaking, or breathing
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Whether the person has had any general feeling of severe fatigue before the sore throat (suggests mononucleosis)
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Whether the person has had a previous episode of mononucleosis (people rarely get mononucleosis twice)
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Whether people have any risk factors for gonorrhea (such as recent oral-genital sexual contact) or HIV infection (such as unprotected sex, multiple sex partners, or intravenous drug abuse)
During the physical examination, doctors focus on the nose and throat. However, if doctors suspect epiglottitis in children (because there are warning signs and no evidence of a cold), they do not examine the throat in their office because inserting a tongue depressor may cause a spasm that triggers complete airway blockage.
If epiglottitis is not suspected, doctors do the following:
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Look in the mouth to see whether the throat and/or tonsils are red, whether there are white patches (exudate) on the tonsils, and whether there are any bulges suggesting an abscess
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Examine the neck for enlarged, tender lymph nodes
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Feel the abdomen for an enlarged spleen
The need for tests depends on what doctors find during the history and physical examination, particularly whether warning signs are present.
Possible tests include
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Rapid strep screening (for children)
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Throat culture (for adults)
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Flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy
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X-rays of the neck
A doctor's first concern is to recognize which people might have epiglottitis. Stridor and drooling are warning signs, particularly in people who appear ill or with difficulty breathing. In such cases, people should not have x-rays. Instead, the doctor looks down the throat with a thin, flexible viewing tube inserted through the nose (flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy). Because children are more likely to have sudden, complete blockage of their airway when their throat is examined, doctors minimize this danger by doing this examination only in the operating room, where advanced airway equipment and personnel are available. Adults who do not appear seriously ill and have no respiratory symptoms may have neck x-rays to look for a swollen epiglottis or have flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy done in the emergency department or a specialist's office.
Despite what many people think, it is difficult for doctors to distinguish a strep throat from a sore throat caused by a virus based only on appearance. Both may cause a very red throat with white patches. Thus, unless people clearly have just a cold, doctors usually do tests to diagnose strep throat. There are two types of test, a rapid strep antigen test and a throat culture. Both tests are done on a sample taken from the back of the throat with a swab. The rapid strep antigen test can be done in the doctor's office in about 20 minutes. The rapid test is usually done only in children. If results are positive, children are treated for strep throat with antibiotics. If results are negative, another sample is sent to the laboratory for culture (growing microorganisms on a special gel so that there are enough to identify). If adults need testing for strep throat, doctors usually do only a throat culture because adults may have another bacterial infection that would not be identified by the rapid antigen test.
An abscess is often noticeable during the doctor's examination. The doctor can both diagnose and treat the abscess by inserting a small needle into the swollen area after spraying the throat with an anesthetic. If pus comes out, an abscess is confirmed, and the doctor removes as much pus as possible. If the location and extent of an abscess are unclear, doctors do a computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck.
Doctors do blood tests for mononucleosis or HIV only when they suspect people have one of these infections.
Doctors treat any specific or underlying conditions. For example, people with strep throat or other bacterial infections are given antibiotics.
It is important to relieve the pain of sore throat so that people can eat and drink. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen helps relieve pain and fever. People in severe pain may require the short-term use of opioids (such as oxycodone or hydrocodone). Warm saltwater gargles and throat lozenges or throat sprays (such as those containing benzocaine, lidocaine, or dyclonine) may temporarily help relieve pain. Providing soup is a good way to keep children well hydrated and nourished when swallowing is painful and before their appetite has returned.
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Most sore throats are caused by viral tonsillopharyngitis and resolve without treatment.
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Occasionally, sore throats are caused by certain bacteria (particularly streptococci) and result in strep throat.
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It is difficult for doctors to distinguish viral from bacterial causes of tonsillopharyngitis without testing.
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Abscess and epiglottitis are rare but serious causes.
Symptoms Sore Throat, Ear Pain, Pain in Back Teeth
Source: https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/ear,-nose,-and-throat-disorders/symptoms-of-nose-and-throat-disorders/sore-throat