Ask a Doctor: Not all sore throats are created equal


Medical doctor or physician in white gown uniform with stethoscope in hospital or clinic doctor tile clinic tile health care healthcare medicine / Getty Images
Medical doctor or physician in white gown uniform with stethoscope in hospital or clinic doctor tile clinic tile health care healthcare medicine / Getty Images

Question: What's the difference between laryngitis and pharyngitis?

Answer: Almost everyone has heard of laryngitis, a condition that results from inflammation or infection of the larynx and vocal cords. When contracted, laryngitis often produces hoarseness during speech or the inability to speak at all without discomfort.

Most people, however, have not heard of pharyngitis, even though we've all had it. A person with pharyngitis experiences pain, discomfort and scratchiness in their throat rather than their larynx. They may experience difficulty swallowing, enlarged glands and irritated tonsils. Pharyngitis is most commonly caused by infections such as the flu or common cold, but may also result from bacterial infection.

Quite simply, pharyngitis is a sore throat.

But not all sore throats are created equal. They vary in severity depending upon what is causing them. In the case of strep throat, caused by the streptococcus bacteria, the pain can be far more severe than that of a sore throat caused by a common cold. There can also be high fever, headaches and vomiting.

Children are at much higher risk of getting strep throat than adults. If your child is showing these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention so your child's physician can prescribe antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection and provide relief from symptoms.

Similarly, laryngitis can vary in its severity and may be accompanied by difficulty swallowing/breathing, persistent fever, wheezing and coughing blood. It is important to see a physician immediately if these signs are present, as they may be indicators of croup, which could result in death in the most severe cases.

Croup is an infection of the upper airway that obstructs breathing. It is most common in children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, and rare in kids over the age of 6.

Self-care is often sufficient for mild cases of laryngitis and pharyngitis. If symptoms worsen over time, intervention by a physician is the best recourse against these common illnesses.

- Katrina V. Gooden, M.D., Galen East Internal Medicine and Pediatrics; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society

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