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What is a sore throat?
Sore throats can be painful and annoying. Fortunately, most sore throats are caused by a minor illness and go away without medical treatment.
Several conditions can cause a sore throat.
Viral infections
Many sore throats are caused by a viral illness, such as:
- The common cold, the most common type of viral infection.
- Infection of the voice box (laryngitis)
- Mononucleosis (mono, "the kissing disease"), a viral infection that tends to cause a persistent sore throat.
- Other viral infections, such as mumps, herpangina, or influenza.
