A sore throat, especially during winter, is most often due to a cold or the flu, although there are other diseases that can be an underlying cause, such as allergies, being HIV positive, Gastroesophageal reflux disease and cancer.
A sore throat most often resolves itself in three to four days, however if it persists past a week or your symptoms worsen to include severe difficulty swallowing or breathing, you develop a fever or tender or swollen lymph glands in the neck, you need to see your doctor.
He/she will diagnose the cause by taking note of your health history and symptoms and through a quick physical examination.
Prepare yourself by looking at this sore throat infographic that explains the how doctors determine what's causing the pain and, in the meantime, put one of these natural sore throat remedies to the test.