Throat Infections & Disorders Specialist

What are the most common causes of sore throats?

Sore throat is one of the most common symptoms of colds and allergies, and it can occur for many other reasons as well. Although sore throat may not seem like a serious symptom, in some cases it can indicate a serious infection, and having a persistent or chronic sore throat evaluated is the best way to make sure it's treated appropriately so it doesn't progress to something more serious. In addition to colds and allergies, sore throats can also occur as a result of:

• bacterial or viral infection

• exposure to smoke, chemicals or other pollutants

• gastric reflux disease (GERD)

• tumors

• loud yelling

What is strep throat?

Strep throat is an infection caused by a bacterium in the streptococcus family. Although it may begin as a mild sore throat, symptom can quickly become severe, causing pain when speaking, swallowing, eating and drinking. Left untreated, a strep throat infection can spread to the kidneys and heart and also cause infections like pneumonia, sinusitis and scarlet fever. Although strep throat causes visible symptoms like red or swollen mucus membranes in the throat, Dr. Patel will need to take a culture of your throat cells using a long swab to confirm the diagnosis. Once strep throat is confirmed, Dr. Patel will prescribe antibiotics to help kill the germs that are causing the infection. It's important to take the entire course of antibiotics, even after symptoms have resolved.

How are sore throats treated?

Treatment of a sore throat depends on what's causing the symptoms to begin with. In some cases, antibiotics may be required to kill disease-causing germs; when a sore throat is caused by allergies,  testing can help determine the specific cause so preventive measures can be taken. In some cases of chronic sore throat, surgery may be needed to address the underlying causes.

See some of our patient reviews about diagnosing and treating throat infections & disorders below.

"Dr. Patel has always been fantastic. Once again, he took care of my health issues... nasal congestion and throat pain. I will definitely stay as his patient . It's nice to visit a doctor's office when you are greeted by a smiling staff..... thank you!" (ZocDoc)