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Pharyngitis - Symptom

Alternative Names

Pharyngitis - bacterial

Symptoms:

The main symptom is a sore throat.

Other symptoms may include:

Fever
Headache
Joint pain and muscle aches
Skin rashes
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and look at your throat.

Tests to rule out strep throat may be done. Additional laboratory tests may be done depending on the suspected cause.

Throat anatomy

Reviewed last on: 3/14/2009
Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Hayden GF, Turner RB. Acute pharyngitis. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 378.

Jenson HB. Epstein-Barr virus. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 251.

Del Mar CB, Glasziou PP, Spinks A. Antibiotics for sore throat. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008:(3):CD000023.

Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. Health careguideline:Diagnosis and treatment of respiratory illness in children and adults. Jan 2008. Accessed Nov. 9, 2008.

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