Symptoms of throat infection

Symptoms of throat infection

Common symptoms (viral or bacterial):

• Pain or a raw, scratchy feeling in the throat, worse when swallowing
• Red, swollen tonsils, sometimes swollen neck glands that are tender to touch
• Fever and generally feeling unwell
• Hoarseness or a changed voice
• Bad breath and, in children, refusal to eat or drink

More suggestive of a viral cause: runny or blocked nose, sneezing, cough, watery eyes, hoarseness, and mouth ulcers - these come with colds and settle on their own.

More suggestive of strep (bacterial): sudden severe sore throat, fever above 101F, white or yellow pus patches on the tonsils, swollen tender neck glands, absence of cough, and sometimes a fine sandpaper-like rash (scarlet fever). Children may complain of stomach ache or vomit. These features warrant a doctor visit for testing and likely antibiotics.

Danger signs - seek care urgently:

• Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing (stridor)
• Drooling or inability to swallow even saliva
• A muffled "hot potato" voice with one-sided throat swelling (possible peritonsillar abscess)
• Severe one-sided pain with difficulty opening the mouth
• Stiff neck, severe dehydration, or a child who is unusually drowsy

Call 112 or go to emergency for breathing difficulty or drooling with distress.

Remember: pus patches plus high fever and no cough suggest strep and deserve a doctor; breathing or swallowing trouble is an emergency.

Ayurvedic view (interpretive)

Classical descriptions of throat diseases cover these symptoms under kantha roga. Interpretive only - danger signs belong to emergency medicine.