Health experts explain how to tell if your sore throat means that you are Covid-19 positive
A painful throat is a rather frequent sign of sickness. A sore throat can be caused by conditions ranging from harmless to life-threatening.
If you’ve ever woken up with a sore throat after cheering your heart out at a football game or sang along to your favorite band’s lyrics at a concert, you also know that you don’t need to be sick to acquire a sore throat. A painful throat can also be caused by the common cold. In addition, we have just established that a sore throat is a symptom of COVID-19.
Almost everyone has had a sore throat before, but when should we be concerned? And since a sore throat feels the same regardless of the cause, how can we identify if it’s due to a cold, excessive shouting, allergies, or COVID?
How does a sore throat caused by COVID feel?
According to Brian Curtis, MD, vice president of Clinical Specialty Services at OSF HealthCare, the symptoms might be identical to a cold. This makes it difficult to distinguish between a common cold and a mild case of COVID.
Knowing that sore throat is a sign of COVID makes the distinction much more difficult. The virus that causes the common cold and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both coronaviruses and can produce comparable symptoms.
Fever is one of the early signs of COVID. As different COVID strains propagate, it is possible to have a COVID sore throat without fever or other symptoms.
However, Dr. Curtis stated that it is more frequent for COVID patients to have other symptoms in addition to a sore throat.
“Only about 5-10% of COVID-19 patients will have an isolated sore throat. Usually, they will have a touch of fever, loss of taste and smell and difficulty breathing.”
Catching COVID symptoms
“We have to be very vigilant with cold symptoms,” Dr. Curtis said. “We as a society used to be kind of dismissive of cold symptoms, but we can’t be dismissive of them now. If you have just a sore throat with no other symptoms, it’s less likely to be COVID-19. But with other symptoms, it is possible you have COVID. Sore throat, cough, fever – I would be worried about COVID.”
Contact your doctor or be tested for COVID-19 if you experience any further symptoms, even those that are generally associated with the common cold. A home test makes it simple to administer exams.
Even if you have a minor case of COVID-19, you might transmit it to someone with a more severe illness. If you exhibit any probable COVID-19 signs, you must ensure that you do not put others at danger.
How long does COVID cause a sore throat? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID symptoms commonly last five to fourteen days. But if it lasts more than five days, said Dr. Curtis, it may be something different and should be evaluated by a medical professional.
COV throat sore treatment
For fever, body pains, and pain relief, utilize over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol or Motrin. Try a decongestant or allergy medicine for sinus difficulties, congestion, ear, or face pain. Mucinex is also an excellent choice for persistent coughs that create mucus. And continue to relax and drink copious amounts of fluids, such as water and herbal tea.
What could it be else?
Have you lately gotten a new pet and now have a sore throat? Possibly allergies. There are several reasons for your painful throat, including:
- If you additionally experience trouble swallowing, you should consult your doctor. If you have difficulty breathing, you should be assessed. You should be assessed if you have a solitary lump on one side of your neck.
- If your symptoms are caused by a cold, you may require water and rest for a few of days before you can return to normal.
- If you have a painful throat, fever, and no cough or runny nose, you may have strep throat. Check for white patches on the tonsils, which indicate a secretion generated by tonsil inflammation, and sensitive lymph nodes on the front of the neck. Consult your doctor.
- If your painful throat is accompanied by a low-grade fever and excessive exhaustion, you may be suffering from mononucleosis (mono), which is most prevalent in adolescents and young adults. Consult your doctor.
- Influenza can produce a sore throat that is usually quite sudden and frequently accompanied by body pains, fever, and a headache.
- When to be concerned with a sore throat
Dr. Curtis stated that a sore throat by itself is often nothing to worry about.
Your throat may become inflamed due to allergies, air pollution, or usage. It may also be the result of smoking, in which case the cure is straightforward (QUIT).
If it persists for more than a week, though, you should consult a doctor.
According to Dr. Curtis, with so many possible diagnosis, it is best to seek medical attention. If you have any questions or concerns about your health and the symptoms you are experiencing, you should contact your doctor.
