Sore throat
 Viral pharyngitis the most common cause of a sore throat. |
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| ICD-10 | J02, J31.2 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 462, 472.1 |
| DiseasesDB | 24580 |
| MedlinePlus | 000655 |
| eMedicine | emerg/419 |
| MeSH | D010612 |
A sore throat (or throat pain) is pain or irritation of the throat. A common physical symptom, it is usually caused by acute pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat), although it can also appear as a result of trauma, diphtheria, or other conditions. A sore throat may cause mild to extreme pain.
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Definition [edit]
A sore throat is pain anywhere in the oropharynx.[1]
Differential diagnosis [edit]
A sore throat is usually from irritation or inflammation. The most common cause (80%) is acute viral pharyngitis, a viral infection of the throat.[1] Other causes include other infections (such as streptococcal pharyngitis), trauma, and tumors.[1] Gastroesophageal (acid) reflux disease can cause stomach acid to back up into the throat and also cause the throat to become sore.[2] In children streptococcal pharyngitis is the cause of 37% of sore throats.[3]
Treatment [edit]
Analgesics such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol (acetaminophen) help significantly in the management of pain.[4] Steroids are also useful in this respect.[5] The Mayo Clinic advises gargling with salty warm water, resting the voice, and avoiding air pollution.[6]
Epidemiology [edit]
In the United States there are about 2.4 million emergency department visits with throat-related complaints per year.[1]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d Marx, John (2010). Rosen's emergency medicine: concepts and clinical practice 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby/Elsevier. p. Chapter 30. ISBN 978-0-323-05472-0.
- ^ http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/tc/sore-throat-topic-overview
- ^ Shaikh N, Leonard E, Martin JM (September 2010). "Prevalence of streptococcal pharyngitis and streptococcal carriage in children: a meta-analysis". Pediatrics 126 (3): e557–64. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-2648. PMID 20696723.
- ^ Thomas M, Del Mar C, Glasziou P (October 2000). "How effective are treatments other than antibiotics for acute sore throat?". Br J Gen Pract 50 (459): 817–20. PMC 1313826. PMID 11127175.
- ^ Hayward, G; Thompson, MJ; Perera, R; Glasziou, PP; Del Mar, CB; Heneghan, CJ (2012 Oct 17). "Corticosteroids as standalone or add-on treatment for sore throat". In Thompson, Matthew J. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) 10: CD008268. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008268.pub2. PMID 23076943.
- ^ "Sore throat: Lifestyle and home remedies". Mayo Clinic/Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
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