DefinitionA sore throat is discomfort, pain, or scratchiness in the throat. A sore throat often makes it painful to swallow.Alternative NamesThroat - sore; Pain - throatConsiderationsSore throats are common. Most of the time the soreness is worse in the morning and improves as the day progresses.Like colds, the vast majority of sore throats are caused by viral infections. This means most sore throats will NOT respond to antibiotics. Many people have a mild sore throat at the beginning of every cold. When the nose or sinuses become infected, drainage can run down the back of the throat and irritate it, especially at night. Or, the throat itself can be infected.Some viruses can cause specific types of sore throat. For example, Coxsackievirus sometimes causes blisters in the throat, especiall