Sore Throat and Other Throat Problems (2024)

Do you have a sore throat?

This also includes symptoms like hoarseness or a lump in the throat.

How old are you?

Are you male or female?

Do you have an injury to your mouth or teeth?

Do you think that a problem with your mouth (such as a sore or an infection) is causing the sore throat?

Does your baby seem sick?

A sick baby probably will not be acting normally. For example, the baby may be much fussier than usual or not want to eat.

How sick do you think your baby is?

Sometimes babies may have trouble breathing because of a stuffy nose. If your baby's nose is stuffy, clearing the nose with a rubber bulb may help.

Do you think your baby may be dehydrated?

Is your child having trouble breathing (more than a stuffy nose)?

Is your child's ability to breathe:

Is your child's ability to breathe:

Does your child have a chronic health problem that affects his or her breathing, such as asthma?

A breathing problem may be more of a concern if your child normally does not have breathing problems.

Is the problem your child is having right now different than what you are used to?

Does your child make a harsh, high-pitched sound when he or she breathes in?

This often occurs with a loud cough that sounds like a barking seal.

Is your ability to breathe:

Do you have a chronic health problem that affects your breathing, such as asthma, allergies, or COPD?

A breathing problem may be more of a concern if you normally do not have breathing problems.

Are the breathing problems you're having right now different than what you are used to?

Are the symptoms severe, moderate, or mild?

Are you having trouble drinking enough to replace the fluids you've lost?

Little sips of fluid usually are not enough. You need to be able to take in and keep down plenty of fluids.

Do you think your baby has a fever?

Did you take your child's temperature?

This is the only way to be sure that a baby this age does not have a fever. If you don't know the temperature, it's safest to assume the baby has a fever and needs to be seen by a doctor. Any problem that causes a fever at this age could be serious. Rectal temperatures are the most accurate. Taking an axillary (armpit) temperature is also an option.

Is it 38°C (100.4°F) or higher, taken rectally?

This would be an axillary temperature of 37.5°C (99.5°F) or higher.

Do you think your child has a fever?

Did you take your child's temperature?

NOTE: Most people have an average body temperature of about 37°C (98.6°F). But it can vary by a degree or more and still be considered normal. If a low body temperature is the only symptom, it’s usually not something to worry about. But be sure to watch for other symptoms.

How high do you think the fever is?

How long has your child had a fever?

Does your child have shaking chills or very heavy sweating?

Shaking chills are a severe, intense form of shivering. Heavy sweating means that sweat is pouring off the child or soaking through his or her clothes.

Do you think you may have a fever?

Did you take your temperature?

NOTE: Most people have an average body temperature of about 37°C (98.6°F). But it can vary by a degree or more and still be considered normal. If a low body temperature is the only symptom, it’s usually not something to worry about. But be sure to watch for other symptoms.

How high do you think the fever is?

How long have you had a fever?

Do you have shaking chills or very heavy sweating?

Shaking chills are a severe, intense form of shivering. Heavy sweating means that sweat is pouring off you or soaking through your clothes.

Is there any pain?

How bad is your throat pain, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?

Is the pain on only one side of your throat?

Does your voice sound hoarse or muffled?

How long have you had the sore throat or other throat problem?

Have you been exposed to someone who may have strep throat?

Do you have swollen lymph nodes in your neck?

Do you have white or green patches or pus on the back of your throat?

Do you have cold symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose or drainage from your nose down the back of your throat?

Colds often cause a sore throat. You can usually treat this at home.

Do you have a rash?

Certain illnesses can cause a sore throat and a rash. You may need to be seen sooner if you have both.

Have your symptoms lasted longer than 2 weeks?

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

• Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
• Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
• Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.
• Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
• Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home.

Symptoms of difficulty breathing can range from mild to severe. For example:

• You may feel a little out of breath but still be able to talk (mild difficulty breathing), or you may be so out of breath that you cannot talk at all (severe difficulty breathing).
• It may be getting hard to breathe with activity (mild difficulty breathing), or you may have to work very hard to breathe even when you're at rest (severe difficulty breathing).

Symptoms of difficulty breathing in a baby or young child can range from mild to severe. For example:

• The child may be breathing a little faster than usual (mild difficulty breathing), or the child may be having so much trouble that the nostrils are flaring and the belly is moving in and out with every breath (severe difficulty breathing).
• The child may seem a little out of breath but is still able to eat or talk (mild difficulty breathing), or the child may be breathing so hard that he or she cannot eat or talk (severe difficulty breathing).

If you're not sure if a child's fever is high, moderate, or mild, think about these issues:

With a high fever:

• The child feels very hot.
• It is likely one of the highest fevers the child has ever had.

With a moderate fever:

• The child feels warm or hot.
• You are sure the child has a fever.

With a mild fever:

• The child may feel a little warm.
• You think the child might have a fever, but you're not sure.

Pain in children under 3 years

It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her.

Pain in adults and older children

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's there.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

Severe trouble breathing means:

• The child cannot eat or talk because he or she is breathing so hard.
• The child's nostrils are flaring and the belly is moving in and out with every breath.
• The child seems to be tiring out.
• The child seems very sleepy or confused.

Moderate trouble breathing means:

• The child is breathing a lot faster than usual.
• The child has to take breaks from eating or talking to breathe.
• The nostrils flare or the belly moves in and out at times when the child breathes.

Mild trouble breathing means:

• The child is breathing a little faster than usual.
• The child seems a little out of breath but can still eat or talk.

Severe trouble breathing means:

• You cannot talk at all.
• You have to work very hard to breathe.
• You feel like you can't get enough air.
• You do not feel alert or cannot think clearly.

Moderate trouble breathing means:

• It's hard to talk in full sentences.
• It's hard to breathe with activity.

Mild trouble breathing means:

• You feel a little out of breath but can still talk.
• It's becoming hard to breathe with activity.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in children are:

• Diseases such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and congenital heart disease.
• Steroid medicines, which are used to treat a variety of conditions.
• Medicines taken after organ transplant.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
• Not having a spleen.

Babies can quickly get dehydrated when they lose fluids because of problems like vomiting or fever.

Symptoms of dehydration can range from mild to severe. For example:

• The baby may be fussy or cranky (mild dehydration), or the baby may be very sleepy and hard to wake up (severe dehydration).
• The baby may have a little less urine than usual (mild dehydration), or the baby may not be urinating at all (severe dehydration).

Severe dehydration means:

• The baby may be very sleepy and hard to wake up.
• The baby may have a very dry mouth and very dry eyes (no tears).
• The baby may have no wet diapers in 12 or more hours.

Moderate dehydration means:

• The baby may have no wet diapers in 6 hours.
• The baby may have a dry mouth and dry eyes (fewer tears than usual).

Mild dehydration means:

• The baby may pass a little less urine than usual.

You can use a small rubber bulb (called an aspirating bulb) to remove mucus from your baby's nose or mouth when a cold or allergies make it hard for the baby to eat, sleep, or breathe.

To use the bulb:

1. Put a few saline nose drops in each side of the baby's nose before you start.
2. Position the baby with his or her head tilted slightly back.
3. Squeeze the round base of the bulb.
4. Gently insert the tip of the bulb tightly inside the baby's nose.
5. Release the bulb to remove (suction) mucus from the nose.

Don't do this more than 5 or 6 times a day. Doing it too often can make the congestion worse and can also cause the lining of the nose to swell or bleed.

You can get dehydrated when you lose a lot of fluids because of problems like vomiting or fever.

Symptoms of dehydration can range from mild to severe. For example:

• You may feel tired and edgy (mild dehydration), or you may feel weak, not alert, and not able to think clearly (severe dehydration).
• You may pass less urine than usual (mild dehydration), or you may not be passing urine at all (severe dehydration).

Severe dehydration means:

• Your mouth and eyes may be extremely dry.
• You may pass little or no urine for 12 or more hours.
• You may not feel alert or be able to think clearly.
• You may be too weak or dizzy to stand.
• You may pass out.

Moderate dehydration means:

• You may be a lot more thirsty than usual.
• Your mouth and eyes may be drier than usual.
• You may pass little or no urine for 8 or more hours.
• You may feel dizzy when you stand or sit up.

Mild dehydration means:

• You may be more thirsty than usual.
• You may pass less urine than usual.

If you're not sure if a fever is high, moderate, or mild, think about these issues:

With a high fever:

• You feel very hot.
• It is likely one of the highest fevers you've ever had. High fevers are not that common, especially in adults.

With a moderate fever:

• You feel warm or hot.
• You know you have a fever.

With a mild fever:

• You may feel a little warm.
• You think you might have a fever, but you're not sure.

Temperature varies a little depending on how you measure it. For adults and children age 12 and older, these are the ranges for high, moderate, and mild, according to how you took the temperature.

Oral (by mouth) temperature

• High: 40 °C (104 °F) and higher
• Moderate: 38 °C (100.4 °F) to 39.9 °C (103.9 °F)
• Mild: 37.9 °C (100.3 °F) and lower

A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.3° C (0.5° F) to 0.6° C (1° F) lower than an oral temperature

Ear temperature

• High: 40.5°C (104.9°F) and higher
• Moderate: 38.5°C (101.3°F) to 40.4°C (104.7°F)
• Mild: 38.5°C (101.3°F) and lower

Armpit (axillary) temperature

• High: 39.8°C (103.6°F) and higher
• Moderate: 37.8°C (100°F) to 39.7°C (103.5°F)
• Mild: 37.7°C (99.9°F) and lower

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

• Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
• Long-term alcohol and drug problems.
• Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
• Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.
• Medicines taken after organ transplant.
• Not having a spleen.

Temperature varies a little depending on how you measure it. For children up to 11 years old, here are the ranges for high, moderate, and mild according to how you took the temperature.

Oral (by mouth) temperature

• High: 40° C (104° F) and higher
• Moderate: 38° C (100.4° F) to 39.9° C (103.9° F)
• Mild: 37.9° C (100.3° F) and lower

A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.3° C (0.5° F) to 0.6° C (1° F) lower than an oral temperature.

Ear or rectal temperature

Armpit (axillary) temperature

• High: 39.8° C (103.6° F) and higher
• Moderate: 37.8° C (100° F) to 39.7° C (103.5° F)
• Mild: 37.7° C (99.9° F) and lower

Note: For children under 5 years old, rectal temperatures are the most accurate.

Sudden drooling and trouble swallowing can be signs of a serious problem called epiglottitis. This problem can happen at any age.

The epiglottis is a flap of tissue at the back of the throat that you can't see when you look in the mouth. When you swallow, it closes to keep food and fluids out of the tube (trachea) that leads to the lungs. If the epiglottis becomes inflamed or infected, it can swell and quickly block the airway. This makes it very hard to breathe.

The symptoms start suddenly. A person with epiglottitis is likely to seem very sick, have a fever, drool, and have trouble breathing, swallowing, and making sounds. In the case of a child, you may notice the child trying to sit up and lean forward with his or her jaw forward, because it's easier to breathe in this position.

A baby that is extremely sick:

• May be limp and floppy like a rag doll.
• May not respond at all to being held, touched, or talked to.
• May be hard to wake up.

A baby that is sick (but not extremely sick):

• May be sleepier than usual.
• May not eat or drink as much as usual.

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

Call 9-1-1 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Make an Appointment

Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care.