Sore throat left side can range from mild to debilitating. You’ve undoubtedly dealt with a sore throat quite a few times, so you know what symptoms to look out for. Even if you don’t have tonsils, a sore throat on one side of your throat can be caused by several different factors. Canker sores, dental infections, and postnasal drip are some of the disorders that fall into this category.
The sole symptom you’re experiencing is sore throat, but you could also have others, such as an earache. It is especially the case when the discomfort in your sore throat does not go away or is localized to a specific area of the throat. Continue reading to learn more about what can be causing the sore throat left side.
How long does a sore throat left side last?
A sore throat, medically referred to as pharyngitis, can be acute, in which case it will only stay for a few days, or chronic, which will continue to persist until the underlying cause is addressed. Common viruses cause most sore throats and typically go away on their own anywhere from three to ten days later. Sore throat left side that is brought on by a bacterial infection or allergies may last for a longer period.
Causes and signs of sore throat left side:
However, there are situations where an unexpected cause could be responsible for your sore throat, requiring more in-depth medical attention. Consequently, a painful throat may get significantly worse during the night or first thing in the morning. Exposure to some allergens at night could worsen postnasal drip and a sore throat. The sole symptom you’re experiencing is sore throat, but you could also have others, such as an earache.
Postnasal drip:
Postnasal drip is the name for mucus discharge at the back of the nose. When this occurs, it may feel like all that mucus is building up in your throat. Mucus is regularly produced by glands in your nose and throat at a rate of one to two daily quarts. Mucus production, on the other hand, is likely to increase when a person is sick with an infection or has allergies. When mucus can’t drain properly, it may feel like it’s gushing down your throat.
Tonsillitis:
Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, typically brought on by an infection. The tonsils are lymphatic tissue shaped like spherical balls and located at the throat’s rear. You have one tonsil on each side of your neck, immediately behind the tongue. They are called adenoids. Sometimes only one of a person’s tonsils is affected by tonsillitis, resulting in a sore throat on just one side. A viral infection most commonly brings tonsillitis, but bacterial diseases can also bring it on.
Peritonsillar abscess:
An infection that forms a walled-off collection of pus close to and frequently behind one of your tonsils is known as a peritonsillar abscess. This type of abscess can be quite painful. In most cases, it develops as a complication of bacterial tonsillitis, and older children and young adults are more likely to be affected by it than younger children. Although a peritonsillar abscess can produce pain throughout the entire throat, the discomfort is typically considerably severe on the mouth’s side, containing the infected tonsil.
Tumors:
Tumors are one of the least common reasons for a painful throat, but they can impact the throat and the surrounding areas. They could be malignant or completely harmless. A tumor may cause soreness or ache on one side of the throat. In most cases, a tumor will also result in symptoms that do not manifest themselves in the case of common illnesses and infections.
Canker sores:
Canker sores are a type of mouth sore that can develop anytime. They can appear on the inside of your cheeks, on or beneath your tongue, inside of your lips, in the upper part of your mouth near the back of your throat, or anywhere else in your mouth. You may only feel pain on one side of your throat if a canker sore develops in the back corner of your throat. For the most part, Canker sores heal on their own within fourteen days.
Lymph nodes:
Lymph nodes help fights infections. When they swell, it’s usually a sign of something wrong with them, such as a viral or bacterial infection. You may discover enlarged lymph nodes in your neck, beneath your chin, armpits, or groin. The regions of your head and neck contain many lymph nodes. When they are swollen, you may experience pain when you apply pressure to them because they are more sensitive. The lymph nodes will typically swell whenever there is an infection in the surrounding area.
Abscess or inflammation of the tooth:
An abscess is a collection of pus trapped within a tooth and caused by a bacterial infection. At the very end of the root of your tooth, there is a pus pocket that develops. It can create considerable discomfort that spreads to one side of the face and affects the jawbone and the ear. Infection is a common complication of having wisdom teeth that are impacted, which refers to the situation in which the rear four molars of your mouth do not have enough space to develop correctly.
Laryngitis:
Inflammation of the larynx, more commonly known as the voice box, is referred to medically as laryngitis. In most cases, the condition is brought on by excessive use of one’s voice, discomfort, or an illness brought on by a virus. Larynx vocal cords are open and close to produce sound. If the chords become swollen or irritated, you may feel pain and notice a change in how your voice sounds. You may be just experiencing sore throat left side if one of your cords is more irritated than the other.
Conclusion:
A sore throat left side is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor. It is a symptom of allergies, the common cold, or the flu most of the time. On the other hand, having a sore throat on only one side of the throat may indicate a specific illness or condition. Most cases of sore throat are brought on by bacteria or viruses, both of which can be treated at home.
FAQs:
What does it signify when the left side of your throat hurts?
Even if you don’t have tonsils, a sore throat on one side of your throat can be caused by several different factors. Canker sores, dental infections, and postnasal drip are some of the disorders that fall into this category.
Why is it that a sore throat seems to get worse at night?
Itching, discomfort, and pain can be brought on by excessive mucus in the throat. When a person is lying down, the postnasal drip they experience often rises.