General Medical Information
Information from Mayo clinic and other sources;
(1) Streptococcal vs. Viral Pharyngitis – YouTube
Sore throat – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Overview,
A sore throat is pain, scratchiness or irritation of the throat that often worsens when you swallow. The most common cause of a sore throat (pharyngitis) is a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu. A sore throat caused by a virus resolves on its own.
Strep throat (streptococcal infection), a less common type of sore throat caused by bacteria, requires treatment with antibiotics to prevent complications. Other less common causes of sore throat might require more complex treatment.
When to suspect it is from Bacterial infection:
Bacterial infection of throat (Strep) usually starts with abrupt fever and sore throat and is accompanied with;
- Headache, nausea and vomiting, malaise, difficulty swallowing, and abdominal pain might be present.
- Cough and runny nose are usually absent.
- Redness and swelling of the tonsils and pharynx are usually present.
- Lymph nodes of neck might be enlarged and tender.
- A white or grey membrane on tonsils (exudate) might be present.
Symptoms of a sore throat can vary depending on the cause. Signs and symptoms might include:
- Pain or a scratchy sensation in the throat
- Pain that worsens with swallowing or talking
- Difficulty swallowing
- Sore, swollen glands in your neck or jaw
- Swollen, red tonsils
- White patches or pus on your tonsils
- A hoarse or muffled voice
Infections causing a sore throat might result in other signs and symptoms, including:
- Fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
When to see a doctor
For Kids, take your child to a doctor if your child’s sore throat doesn’t go away with the first drink in the morning, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Get immediate care if your child has severe signs and symptoms such as:
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Unusual drooling, which might indicate an inability to swallow
If you’re an adult, see your doctor if you have a sore throat and any of the following associated problems, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery:
- A sore throat that is severe or lasts longer than a week
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty opening your mouth
- Joint pain
- Earache
- Rash
- Fever higher than 101 F (38.3 C)
- Blood in your saliva or phlegm
- Frequently recurring sore throats
- A lump in your neck
- Hoarseness lasting more than two weeks
- Swelling in your neck or face
Causes
Viruses that cause the common cold and the flu also cause most sore throats. Less often, bacterial infections cause sore throats.
Viral infections
Viral illnesses that cause a sore throat include:
- Common cold
- Flu (influenza)
- Mono (mononucleosis)
- Measles
- Chickenpox
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Croup — a common childhood illness characterized by a harsh, barking cough
Bacterial infections
Many bacterial infections can cause a sore throat. The most common is Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus) which causes strep throat.
Other causes
Other causes of a sore throat include:
- Allergies to pet dander, molds, dust and pollen can cause a sore throat. The problem may be complicated by postnasal drip, which can irritate and inflame the throat.
- Dry indoor air can make your throat feel rough and scratchy. Breathing through your mouth — often because of chronic nasal congestion — also can cause a dry, sore throat.
- Outdoor air pollution and indoor pollution such as tobacco smoke or chemicals can cause a chronic sore throat. Chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and eating spicy foods also can irritate your throat.
- Muscle strain.You can strain muscles in your throat by yelling, talking loudly or talking for long periods without rest.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).GERD is a digestive system disorder in which stomach acids back up in the food pipe (esophagus).
Other signs or symptoms may include heartburn, hoarseness, regurgitation of stomach contents and the sensation of a lump in your throat.
- HIV infection.A sore throat and other flu-like symptoms sometimes appear early after someone is infected with HIV.
Also, someone who is HIV-positive might have a chronic or recurring sore throat due to a fungal infection called oral thrush or due to a viral infection called cytomegalovirus (CMV), which can be serious in people with compromised immune systems.
- Cancerous tumors of the throat, tongue or voice box (larynx) can cause a sore throat. Other signs or symptoms may include hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, noisy breathing, a lump in the neck, and blood in saliva or phlegm.
Rarely, an infected area of tissue (abscess) in the throat or swelling of the small cartilage “lid” that covers the windpipe (epiglottitis) can cause a sore throat. Both can block the airway, creating a medical emergency.
Risk factors
Although anyone can get a sore throat, some factors make you more susceptible, including:
- Children and teens are most likely to develop sore throats. Children ages 3 to 15 are also more likely to have strep throat, the most common bacterial infection associated with a sore throat.
- Exposure to tobacco smoke.Smoking and secondhand smoke can irritate the throat. The use of tobacco products also increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and voice box.
- Seasonal allergies or ongoing allergic reactions to dust, molds or pet dander make developing a sore throat more likely.
- Exposure to chemical irritants.Particles in the air from burning fossil fuels and common household chemicals can cause throat irritation.
- Chronic or frequent sinus infections.Drainage from your nose can irritate your throat or spread infection.
- Close quarters.Viral and bacterial infections spread easily anywhere people gather, whether in child care centers, classrooms, offices or airplanes.
- Weakened immunity.You’re more susceptible to infections in general if your resistance is low. Common causes of lowered immunity include HIV, diabetes, treatment with steroids or chemotherapy drugs, stress, fatigue, and poor diet.
Prevention
The best way to prevent sore throats is to avoid the germs that cause them and practice good hygiene. Follow these tips and teach your child to do the same:
- Wash your handsthoroughly and frequently for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the toilet, before and after eating, and after sneezing or coughing.
- Avoid touching your face.Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Avoid sharingfood, drinking glasses or utensils.
- Cough or sneezeinto a tissue and throw it away, and then wash your hands. When necessary, sneeze into your elbow.
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizersas an alternative to washing hands when soap and water aren’t available.
- Avoid touchingpublic phones or drinking fountains with your mouth.
- Regularly clean and disinfectphones, doorknobs, light switches, remotes and computer keyboards. When you travel, clean phones, light switches and remotes in your hotel room.
- Avoid close contactwith people who are sick or have symptoms.
Treatment
A sore throat caused by a viral infection usually lasts five to seven days and doesn’t usually require medical treatment. Antibiotics don’t help treat a viral infection.
To ease pain and fever, many people turn to acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or other mild pain relievers.
Consider giving your child over-the-counter pain medications designed for infants or children, such as acetaminophen (Children’s Tylenol, FeverAll, others) or ibuprofen (Children’s Advil, Children’s Motrin, others), to ease symptoms.
Never give aspirin to children or teenagers because it has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that causes swelling in the liver and brain.
Treating bacterial infections
If your or your child’s sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor or pediatrician will prescribe antibiotics.
You or your child must take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed even if the symptoms are gone. Failure to take all of the medication as directed can result in the infection worsening or spreading to other parts of the body.
Not completing the full course of antibiotics to treat strep throat can increase a child’s risk of rheumatic fever or serious kidney inflammation.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what to do if you forget a dose.
Other treatments
If a sore throat is a symptom of a condition other than a viral or bacterial infection, other treatments will likely be considered depending on the diagnosis.
Preventing and Treating Bronchitis (cdc.gov)
Symptoms
◆ Coughing with or without mucus production
◆ Soreness in the chest
◆ Fatigue (feeling tired)
◆ Mild headache
◆ Mild body aches
◆ Watery eyes
◆ Sore throat
Causes
◆ Acute bronchitis is usually caused
by a virus and often occurs after
an upper respiratory infection.
◆ Bacteria can sometimes cause acute bronchitis,
but even in these cases antibiotics are NOT
recommended and will not help you get better.
When to Seek Medical Care
See a healthcare professional if you or your child have any of the following:
◆ Temperature of 100.4°F (38 deg C) or higher
◆ Cough with bloody mucus
◆ Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
◆ Symptoms that last more than 3 weeks
◆ Repeated episodes of bronchitis
Preventing and Treating Bronchitis
Cough keeping you up at night? Soreness in your chest
and feeling tired? You could have acute bronchitis, but
be aware: an antibiotic will not help you get better.
What is Acute Bronchitis?
Bronchitis occurs when the airways of the lungs swell and
produce mucus. That’s what makes you cough. Acute
bronchitis, often called a “chest cold,” is the most common type of bronchitis. The symptoms last less than 3
weeks. If you’re a healthy person without underlying heart
or lung problems or a weakened immune system, this
information is for you.
CS322870C
Accessible version: https://www.cdc.gov/anibiotic-use/bronchitis.html
Treatment
Acute bronchitis usually gets better on its own—without antibiotics. Antibiotics won’t help
you get better if you have acute bronchitis.
When antibiotics aren’t needed, they won’t help you, and the side effects could still cause
harm. Side effects can range from minor issues, like a rash, to very serious health problems,
such as antibiotic-resistant infections and C. diff infection, which causes diarrhea that can
lead to severe colon damage and death.
If you have whooping cough (pertussis) or pneumonia, which can have similar symptoms to
acute bronchitis, your doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics.
How to Feel Better
◆ Get plenty of rest.
◆ Drink plenty of fluids.
◆ Use a clean humidifier, cool mist vaporizer, or saline nose drops to relieve a stuffy nose.
» For young children, use a rubber suction bulb to clear mucus.
◆ Breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water or shower.
◆ Suck on lozenges. Do not give lozenges to children younger than 4 years old.
◆ Use honey to relieve cough for persons at least 1 year old.
◆ Ask your doctor or pharmacist about over-the-counter medicines that can help you feel
better. Always use over-the-counter medicines as directed. Remember, over-the-counter
medicines may provide temporary relief of symptoms, but they will not cure your illness.
Remember, always use over-the-counter medicines as directed. Be careful about giving
over-the-counter medicines to children. Not all over-the-counter medicines are
recommended for children of certain ages.
◆ Pain relievers:
» Children younger than 6 months: only give acetaminophen.
» Children 6 months or older: it is OK to give acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
» Never give aspirin to children because it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a rare but very
serious illness that harms the liver and brain.
◆ Cough and cold medicines:
» Children younger than 4 years old: do not use unless a doctor specifically tells you to.
Use of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines in young children can result
in serious and potentially life-threatening side effects.
» Children 4 years or older: discuss with your child’s doctor if over-the-counter cough
and cold medicines are safe to give to your child for temporary symptom relief.
Prevention
◆ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand
sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
◆ Make sure you and your child are up-to-date with all recommended vaccines.
◆ Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke, chemicals, dust, or air pollution.
◆ Always cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
◆ Keep your distance from others when you are sick, if possible.
Antibiotics will not treat acute bronchitis. Using antibiotics when not needed could do
more harm than good.
To learn more about antibiotic prescribing and use, visit www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use.
Anatomy of spine and disc; (7) A Patient’s Guide to Lower Back Pain – Chapter 1 – YouTube
Common causes of back pain; (7) 5 Common Causes of Back Pain – YouTube
Although I don’t recommend interpreting your blood test result without talking to your doctor, this is best website to understand the result of blood test; Patient Education on Blood, Urine, and Other Lab Tests – Testing.com
Answer 10

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