Causes and symptoms

As the first patient point of contact in the pharmacy, pharmacy team members need to be aware of the causes and symptoms of sore throat.

Acute sore throat involves inflammation of the oropharynx, the part of the throat behind the soft palate (see diagram), or the tonsils and are most commonly caused by a viral infection such as colds and flu, bacterial streptococcal infection, glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis), tonsillitis, and laryngitis. Non-infectious causes are uncommon, but may include physical irritation due to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, hayfever and cigarette smoke.

People with a sore throat may complain of pain when swallowing, a dry or scratchy throat, redness in the back of the mouth, bad breath, a mild cough, or swollen neck glands. The symptoms are similar for children, who can also get a temperature and appear less active.

Customers may be concerned about the cause of their sore throat and ask for advice on whether antibiotics may be needed, but since around 90 per cent of sore throats are caused by viral infection, antibiotics are not of use. Even where there is bacterial infection, research shows that antibiotics can make little difference to the outcome and are unnecessary in most cases.