It may start as a tickle or an itch that doesn’t go away no matter how much you clear your throat. From there, it may not be too long before your throat starts to feel raw, which is when you know it’s become inflamed and irritated. 

There are a number of underlying causes that can make your throat sore including infection, pollution, allergies, or exposure to an irritant. At best, a sore throat makes it painful for you to swallow or speak. At worst, a sore throat can trigger a host of problems like earaches, fever, swelling, and joint pains (via Mayo Clinic).

The worst thing you can do with a sore throat — particularly one that seems to go on — is to ignore it and hope it goes away. It’s important to make sure the sore throat is not an early symptom of something worse that could be just around the corner, like a viral infection (flu, measles, chicken pox), or strep throat, which is caused by a bacteria. If a sore throat lingers and comes with other symptoms like a rash or fever and joint pains, it’s definitely time to see a doctor.

You can't eat or drink just anything if you have a sore throat

Other things that will do your sore throat no favors include eating fatty foods like red meat, full-fat dairy, and deep-fried foods, which can suppress your immune system and make your symptoms worse at the same time. Indulging in things like citrus fruit (tomatoes, oranges, limes); spicy foods (dishes with chili powder, curry, and cloves); as well as food with rough or coarse textures (dry toast, crackers, granola) are also surefire ways to make your throat feel worse (via Livestrong).

While liquids do wonders for soothing an angry throat, it would be a mistake to assume all liquids are created equal. If your throat is burning, drinking coffee, tea, soda, or anything caffeinated may make you feel worse, because caffeine is a diuretic, and may make your throat feel even drier. When your throat is sore it actually helps to drink something cold, which can soothe your swollen blood vessels. While you would do well to avoid hot liquids, doing away with all liquids altogether is also a no-no, since drinking more will help you stay hydrated, which is important if your sore throat is caused by something that will eventually lead to other symptoms (via Global News).

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