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Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better by themselves within a week.

To help soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts, you can:

• gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
• drink plenty of water
• eat cool or soft foods
• avoid smoking or smoky places
• suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets – but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
• rest

You can ask a pharmacist about ways of relieving the pain and discomfort of a sore throat, such as:

• paracetamol or ibuprofen
• medicated lozenges containing a local anaesthetic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory medicine
• anaesthetic spray (although there's little proof they help)

You can buy these treatments from a supermarket or from a pharmacy without a prescription.

A pharmacist can also provide other treatments if you need them, without you seeing a GP.

Some medicines are not safe for everyone (for example, if you're pregnant). Always check the leaflet or speak to a pharmacist before taking them.

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You do not normally need antibiotics for a sore throat because they will not usually relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.

You'll only be given antibiotics if you could have a bacterial infection.

See a GP if:

Get advice from 111 now if:

Call 999 if:

If you have a sore throat you might have:

• a painful throat, especially when swallowing
• a dry, scratchy throat
• redness in the back of your mouth
• bad breath
• a mild cough
• swollen neck glands

The symptoms are similar for children, but children can also get a temperature and appear less active.

Sore throats are usually caused by viruses (like cold or flu) or from smoking. Very occasionally they can be caused by bacteria.

A sore throat can also be caused by:

• laryngitis
• tonsillitis
• strep throat (a bacterial throat infection)
• glandular fever