acute pharyngitis

Symptoms

Symptoms include malaise, fever, dysphagia, throat pain, and difficulty swallowing.

Patient care

Comfort measures for sore throat include gargling (e.g., with salty water), throat lozenges, or OTC topical anesthetics. Many patients benefit from rest, hydration, and analgesics. An appropriate antibiotic (if prescribed) is given when there is evidence of bacterial infection.