One sided throat pain

I often develop pains in one side of my throat. Kindly let me know why this is so and what to do to tackle it.

James (by SMS)

A one-sided throat pain may be due to some swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes in the body act as filters, helping to identify and trap germs, such as viruses and bacteria before they can infect other areas. As they do this, the lymph nodes may swell up and become sore.

The lymph nodes closest to the throat are on either side of the neck. Sometimes only one node in the area is sore, which can cause a sore throat on one side. Some conditions that may lead to swollen lymph nodes include: a cold or flu, strep throat or tonsillitis, an ear infection, an infected tooth or tooth abscess, cancer and HIV among others.

In addition, infection of the Tonsils (Tonsillitis) which are at the back of the throat, can cause a one-sided throat pain depending on which of the tonsils is affected. Any form of injury to the inside of the throat can also cause a one sided throat pain.

If one side of the throat is sore from scraping or burning, gargling with warm salt water may help to soothe symptoms. A quick examination of the inside of the throat can also confirm the cause of the pain as well as the form of treatment.

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