Almost everyone deals with a sore throat at some point, and it can be truly annoying. The proper name for sore throat is pharyngitis, and it is very common. In fact, it usually comes along with a host of other symptoms, including mild cough, hoarseness, headache, feeling sick, exhaustion, and even fever or swelling of the glands in your neck. A sore throat can make it painful to swallow.
Oddly enough, sometimes there is a sore throat on one side only. This can be troubling, because it makes you wonder what is going on, and it can make you worry unnecessarily. There are some good reasons why the sore throat on one side might be happening.
What Causes Sore Throat on One Side?
Not sure what is causing the problem? There are a few options, ranging from simple to serious.
- Peritonsillar abscess. In some cases, the problem with sore throat on one side can be caused by an abscess. This peritonsillar abscess can be a pus-filled area near the tonsils on one side only. It can make the throat swell and make it very sore, if not quite painful.
- Bacterial infections can take hold on one side of the throat and make it sore. A good example of this is strep throat, which usually starts on one side and then migrates to the other.
- When you are sick, the lymph nodes in your body often swell. If the nodes around your neck swell, they might become bigger on one side, and that can lead to trouble swallowing a feeling of sore throat on one side.
- Nodules on the vocal cords can often lead to a sore throat. They will also lead to problems with speaking or making sounds, so this kind of pain can be diagnosed rather quickly by a physician.
- Having a simple sore throat as a response to a cold or flu might also lead to problems on just one side. That is especially true in the early morning hours. As you sleep on one side at night, the mucus from your nose drains down your throat – down one side. It can make you sore on one side while the other side feels fine.
- Dental issues, such as an abscess underneath a tooth or a problem with your gums on one side, might lead to a sore throat. Sometimes simply having dental work done can cause a sore throat on one side, usually because of the way you breathe differently during a long dental procedure.
Home Remedies to Relieve Sore Throat on One Side
There are numerous ways you can find relief from a sore throat, whether it is your entire throat that hurts or just one side of it.
1. Take a Steam Shower
A shower that is filled with steam will help loosen any mucus that might be hurting your throat, as well as soothe it with the added humidity that you breathe in. Stand in the shower and breathe deeply for as long as you like.
2. Use a Humidifier
To keep things moist in the room and avoid the dryness that often leads to sore throat, use a humidifier. Use it as directed, and feel free to add certain aromatherapy oils to it that might help you breathe, such as eucalyptus.
3. Drink Down Some Honey
Warm teas can help ease the sore throat, especially if they are accompanied by a general spoonful of honey. Honey is known for coating the throat and providing relief while tasting wonderful, too. It is also a cough suppressant!
4. Drink Lots of Water
Sometimes soothing cold water can help your throat. Even if it doesn’t, be sure to drink as much as you can, because being dehydrated leads to dryness in the throat and other areas. That can lead to an even worse sore throat.
5. Turn to Cough Drops
Look for cough drops that have eucalyptus and honey in them in order to get the strongest effect. Though most cough drops contain menthol, be cautious at first, because too much menthol in a drop can actually make your throat hurt a bit worse before it gets better.
6. Gargle with Salt Water
Blend one teaspoon of salt with eight ounces of warm water, mix it well, and then gargle with it. This will help loosen the mucus in your throat and can make you feel better immediately. Do this several times a day.
When to Call a Doctor
At-home treatment and plenty of patience will usually help a sore throat. However, there are times when you should go see a doctor in order to figure out the problem and get well. If you have a fever over 101 degrees that lasts for more than a few days, or if you are dealing with a sore throat so bad that it blocks your ability to swallow or eat, it’s time to go in. If at any point you develop a rash all over your body, get to the doctor immediately.
A sore throat on one side, or even both sides, can be a sign of a serious issue if it doesn’t go away within a reasonable timeframe of about a week. Anything that persists longer than that or suddenly gets very severe could be a sign of a bacterial infection, which will usually require antibiotics to cure. Your doctor can figure out what is going on with a few simple tests and then prescribe the medicine that will have you feeling better very soon.