What causes sore throat?
Sore throat may have many causes. The most common causes of sore throat are infections of the throat and the surrounding structures. Any inflammation or infection of the pharynx, tonsils, esophagus (the food pipe), or larynx (the top opening part of the windpipe) may cause sore throat. What are the tonsils and tonsillitis? The tonsils are red, oval clumps of tissue located at the back and to the sides of the throat. This location allows the tonsils to intercept germs as they enter the body through the nose and throat. They contain infection-fighting cells and antibodies (infection-fighting proteins in the body) that stop the spread of the germs further into the body. When the tonsils become red, sore, and swollen, this inflammation is called tonsillitis. This is not a specific term, as there are many causes of inflammation of the tonsils. Tonsillitis is a common cause of sore throat. What are the pharynx and pharyngitis? The pharynx is the area in the back of the throat shared by the o
