Sore Throat

Your Primary Care physician will work with you to identify the cause of your sore throat. In addition, UR Medicine offers urgent care and video visits, real-time video connections with UR Medicine providers that can diagnose the cause of sore throat.

In the case of cold or flu, simple home remedies (such as over-the-counter pain medication, warm and clear liquids, humidifying the air in your home, and elevating your head slightly while sleeping so mucus can drain more efficiently) can relieve the discomfort of a sore throat until the virus goes away.

Most often, when you a visit an ear, nose and throat physician for a sore throat, a provider will perform a throat culture by using a medical cotton swab to collect cells from the back of your throat. Lab technicians look at the cells under a microscope and determine the presence and type of bacteria causing the sore throat.

For bacterial infections such as strep throat, your doctor will need to prescribe an antibiotic to prevent the infection from becoming more severe and spreading to other parts of the body.

At times, severe and recurring cases of tonsillitis—especially in children—will require removal of the tonsils. Most people who undergo a tonsillectomy find a significant reduction in colds and infections after having their tonsils removed.