Waking up during a pandemic isn’t always easy. Some of the most common experiences—such as a minor, dry throat in the morning—can make you scared that you contracted the virus. As it turns out, there are quite a number of things that can cause a sore throat, which is both fortunate in that it may not be COVID, but also unfortunate as it can be hard to be sure you’re coronavirus-free. According to experts, however, there are a few ways to tell if your sore throat is COVID or something else entirely. Keep reading to find out the signs your sore throat is not COVID.
You feel like you have to clear your throat often.
Marc Goldstein, MD, a board-certified allergist and chief medical advisor at Curist, says it’s possible that your sore throat may just be allergies. In an article for Curist, Goldstein wrote that allergies often induce a postnasal drip, “which triggers throat clearing.” So if you find yourself having to clear your throat often, you could actually be dealing with a sore throat from allergies, not coronavirus.
Taking an antihistamine makes your sore throat feel better.
If you do have allergies, you’re likely to experience other symptoms such as an itchy throat, watery eyes, sneezing, congestion, and a runny nose, says Goldstein. However, these symptoms (including your sore throat) should significantly improve if you take an antihistamine like Claritin or Benadryl. If you don’t feel your symptoms improve at all, you could be dealing with something else, including COVID.
You have a metallic taste in your mouth.
If you’re experiencing a metallic taste in your mouth, it could point to another sore throat cause. According to Sheneen Lalani, DO, a board-certified internal medicine doctor working with COVID patients, this is typically present when you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The Mayo Clinic says GERD patients usually experience acid reflux at least twice a week, which can be aggravated by smoking, eating large meals, eating late at night, eating fatty or fried foods, drinking alcohol or coffee, and taking certain medications like aspirin.
Your lymph nodes feel swollen and tender.
Your sore throat could also be the result of a strep throat infection. According to Goldstein, a strep throat will often leave your lymph nodes swollen and tender, causing pain when you swallow. You may also see redness, white patches, or pus on the back of your throat or tonsils
You don’t have any other coronavirus symptoms.
Since there are so many things that can cause a sore throat, it can be a challenge to know if yours is COVID-related. Fortunately, you can rest assured that a sore throat alone is not actually that common a coronavirus symptom. A joint report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese researchers found that only 13.9 percent of COVID patients experience a sore throat.
According to Leann Poston, MD, a licensed physician and medical advisor for Invigor Medical, if your sore throat is COVID, you’re likely to experience more common symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, sputum production, and shortness of breath. However, since there is no way to fully differentiate, you should get a COVID test to make absolutely sure your sore throat is not the virus.
Source: By Kali Coleman for BestLife©
