By board certified, American trained primary care physicians.
Pharyngitis and tonsillitis are terms used to describe sore throat and cough. Pharyngitis describes pain or swelling in the throat itself, while tonsillitis is specifically pain or swelling of the tonsils, the masses of tissue at the back of your throat. The throat, or pharynx, can be sore for a variety of reasons, and symptoms and treatments can vary depending on the specific cause. Coughing and sore throat are common symptoms that may accompany several upper respiratory infections.
Causes of sore throat with cough vary from allergies to bacterial infections, viral infections, or habits like smoking. If you’re experiencing throat pain and cough, it’s important to seek timely care.
Some common bacterial infections that can cause either pharyngitis or tonsillitis are:
Strep Throat: A condition caused by streptococcus pyogenes, a harmful bacterium that invades the tissue in your throat, causing inflammation in your throat and tonsils. This is an incredibly common condition in school children, although adults can also contract it. It is highly contagious and spreads easily—many wonders how contagious strep throat is, and the answer is very. You can consult an online doctor at WebDoctors for fast diagnosis and care. Our doctors can provide strep throat treatment online and prescriptions from the comfort of your home.
Mononucleosis: A condition passed through saliva and transmitted by activities like kissing, sharing food or beverages, coughing, sneezing, or any other means of encountering infected saliva. Many times, this shows up in young adults and adolescents. It is also called “mono”.
Some common viral infections that can cause pharyngitis or tonsillitis are:
The Common Cold: A viral infection that causes a host of unpleasant symptoms ranging from cold and sore throat to sneezing and congestion. It is incredibly contagious but ultimately harmless. If you’re struggling with cough, cold and sore throat, our physicians can help with cough treatment online to relieve discomfort.
Influenza Virus: Also called the flu, a severe condition caused by a viral infection that makes you feel very sick. It attacks your upper respiratory system—nose and throat—and is different from the stomach flu. You may also experience throat pain while coughing during flu infections.
Symptoms of pharyngitis and tonsillitis include swelling of the throat or tonsils, throat swollen from coughing, difficulty swallowing, and in more severe cases, difficulty breathing. Other symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, mild to severe pain or tenderness in the back of the throat, white or yellow coating in the back of the throat or on the tonsils, headache, loss of appetite, hoarseness or loss of voice, and redness in the back of the throat. These may make it difficult to distinguish strep vs sore throat without a professional diagnosis.
Treatments that relieve the pain and symptoms associated with pharyngitis or tonsillitis include sucking on lozenges, drinking lots of liquids, and gargling. Over-the-counter medicines may also help relieve the pain but do not necessarily eliminate the cause of the condition. Certain sore throat treatments may require prescriptions and can be provided via online consultation.
Children should not take aspirin in the event of pharyngitis or tonsillitis. It should also be noted that the cause may be linked to a strep throat contagious infection, and necessary precautions should be taken to make sure others do not contract the infection. This includes, but is not limited to, not sharing food or beverage, covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and keeping one’s distance from others to prevent sore throat contagious spread.
