What can be the causes of one sided sore throat?

We’ve all had them. You are doing something simple, like watching your favorite television show and you swallow only to feel the dreaded pain on the side of your throat. Your first thought is oh, no, I’m getting a cold. After you run through the list of people you have been around to see who you can blame, you realize the pain is only on one side of your throat. What is the cause of that?

A sore throat, in general can be caused by a number of viral, bacterial and environmental situations. While most of us suffer from a one sided sore throat due to the onset of a cold, there are other factors that can be involved. The second most common condition that causes a one sided sore throat is strep throat. Strep throat is very contagious, with symptoms that include a fever over one hundred and one degrees Fahrenheit and white draining patches on the throat. Symptoms of a one sided sore throat can include pain, soreness, difficulty in swallowing, white patches, vomiting, a skin rash, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, jaw or neck pain, bad breathe and a high fever.

Those of us that have had tonsillitis are familiar with another cause of a one sided sore throat. It’s actually a throat abscess where the infection of the tonsils is transmitted to the soft tissues of the throat. More subdued reasons that a person can have a one sided sore throat due to climate change as well as allergies.

While many of the disorders of the past have been almost eliminated from our society, there are still some that can cause a one sided sore throat. As a child, I had mumps on one side. It was a fourth of July I will never forget. My image in the mirror looked more akin to a creature from a science fiction novel and the pain was bearable, as long as I didn’t move. Not too many years after that I came down with measles AND chicken pox in combination. Again, I had a one sided sore throat, but that was the least of my worries. I have talked to a lot of people that had either the measles or the chicken pox, but I seem to be one of the few that I have ever encountered that had both. Other infectious disorders that can cause a one sided sore throat include: Infectious mononucleosis, Pharyngitis, Diptheria, and uvula infection.

There are some lifestyle situations that can result in a one sided sore throat. Some of these include: shouting in a loud voice, excessive consumption of alcohol as well as hot or cold drinks; and breathing through the mouth.

Treatment for a one sided throat should be through your primary physician. Examination and a culture sample will determine what type of disorder you may have. An antibiotic treatment can assist in bacterial infections. Viral infections will require a recommended dosage of ibuprofen and paracetamol. There are also over the counter sprays and medicines that will offer relief.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.