# How can I tell the difference between just a sore throat and something else? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-just-a-sore-throat-and-something-else/272443 "2004-11-01T23:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![me\_paso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@me\_paso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/me_paso)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-just-a-sore-throat-and-something-else/272443/1 "2004-11-01T23:44:00Z")
Like strep throat, or mono, or tonsilitus. I have a pretty bad sore throat, with a lot of mucus in my throat causing me to lose my voice completely at times. It also hurts to cough, burp, and sometimes talk. I have felt very tired today and yesterday, but I am not able to get to sleep very easily. Today it might just be caused because I couldn’t fall alseep until 12, and woke up at 5:30 and couldn’t fall back alseep. Yesterday I was also tired. At about midday today, I felt a little nausea after lunch. Pain Relievers like Tylenol Soar Throat (liquid) haven’t helped and neither does Tylenol Cold (non drowsy). Halls Fruit Breezers help a little bit. What is the deal? Is it just a sore throat, or something more serious? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-just-a-sore-throat-and-something-else/272443/2 "2004-11-01T23:46:43Z")
By asking a doctor? I mean seriously, if you really think there is any chance of those illnesses why would you ask us instead of a professional? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-just-a-sore-throat-and-something-else/272443/3 "2004-11-02T00:02:17Z")
IANAD, but I’ve spent a lot of time in pediatricians’ offices with my children. Doctors determine the answer to questions like yours with throat cultures and blood tests. If a physician, with many years of intensive education and experience, can’t tell by looking (and they can’t), why should anonymous strangers be able to tell from a description? If it’s a strep, you may or may not get over it without complications, but you run the risk of getting scarlet fever and/or heart valve damage. Antibiotics can usually cure most strep. A throat culture is needed to diagnose it. If it’s mono, it’s a virus and no antibiotic in the world will cure it, only rest. A blood test is needed to diagnose it. Usually done only if the strep culture is negative. If it keeps up more than a couple days, and/or if you have a significant fever, (or even if you don’t) go see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-just-a-sore-throat-and-something-else/272443/4 "2004-11-02T00:04:41Z")
[when to call a doctor](http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw54821.asp) [Strep throat symptoms](http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw54784.asp) If you really feel like crap you should go to a doctor.