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Sore Throat

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Learn more about the medications that can treat Sore Throat

  • PHENOXYMETHYLPENICILLIN
    Phenoxymethylpenicillin
    • FREE secure consultation service
    • Fast and effective treatment
    • FREE tracked and signed delivery
  • ERYTHROMYCIN STEARATE
    Erythromycin stearate
    • FREE secure consultation service
    • Fast and effective treatment
    • FREE tracked and signed delivery
  • ERYTHROMYCIN ETHYL SUCCINATE
    Erythromycin ethyl succinate
    • FREE secure consultation service
    • Fast and effective treatment
    • FREE tracked and signed delivery
  • ERYTHROMYCIN
    Erythromycin
    • FREE secure consultation service
    • Fast and effective treatment
    • FREE tracked and signed delivery
  • CLARITHROMYCIN
    Clarithromycin
    • FREE secure consultation service
    • Fast and effective treatment
    • FREE tracked and signed delivery
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Sore Throat key facts

Navin Khosla NowPatientGreen tick
Updated on 24 Sep 2024

A sore throat is defined as the feeling of pain anywhere in the throat. It can be characterised by painful swallowing. Usually, there is nothing to worry about and it typically resolves within a week.

Although mostly caused by viruses, such as the cold or flu virus, approximately 5-25% of adult sore throats are caused by a bacterial infection from group A Streptococcus (group A strep).

Diagram showing three types of throat conditions: normal, bacterial infection with white spots and redness, and viral infection with swollen tonsils and red throat.

What are the causes of Sore Throat?

Sore throats can be caused by:

  • Viruses, such as the cold or flu virus
  • Tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils)
  • Strep throat (also called streptococcal pharyngitis caused by bacterial group A Streptococcus)
  • Smoking
  • Mouth breathing at night while you sleep
  • Pollution
  • Allergies to pets, pollens and moulds
  • Mononucleosis
  • Sinus infections
  • Acid reflux

What are the symptoms of a Sore Throat?

Symptoms of an acute sore throat can vary depending on the cause. However, you may experience one or more of the following:

  • Pain or a scratchy sensation in the throat
  • Pain that worsens with swallowing or talking
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Sore, swollen glands in your neck or jaw
  • Swollen, red tonsils
  • White patches or pus on your tonsils
  • A hoarse or muffled voice

How can I self-manage a Sore Throat?

You can use the following self-care methods to soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts:

  • Gargle with warm, salty water (not suitable for children)
    • Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water (warm water helps salt dissolve)
    • Gargle with the solution, then spit it out (do not swallow it)
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Eat cool or soft foods
  • Avoid smoking or smoky places
  • Suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets
  • Rest
  • Take paracetamol or ibuprofen
  • Take medicated lozenges containing a local anaesthetic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory medicine
  • Use anaesthetic spray (although there’s little proof they help when used on their own)
  • Use a sore throat gargle (like Sanderson’s Throat Specific)

When to get advice from a GP

You should contact your GP if you suspect you have a Sore Throat and:

  • You have a very high temperature, or you feel hot and shivery
  • You have a weakened immune system – for example, because of an underlying health condition like diabetes or if you are being treated with immunosuppressive medications

You should go to A&E or Call 999 if:

  • Are drooling – this can be a sign of not being able to swallow
  • Are making a high-pitched sound as you breathe (called stridor)
  • There are signs of inflammation of the epiglottitis (flap of tissue at the back of the throat) – the pain may be severe and you may have difficulty breathing and difficulty swallowing

Check if you qualify for FREE treatment with NHS Pharmacy First, without seeing your GP

You can check your eligibility to use the NHS Pharmacy First service if you suspect you have a Sore Throat and you:

  • Are 18 years or over

And you have ONE or more of the following symptoms:

  • A raised temperature (above 38C)
  • Pain when swallowing
  • Red, inflamed tonsils
  • White, streaky patches on the tonsils

The NHS Pharmacy First service may NOT be suitable if:

  • You have a weakened immune system – for example, because of an underlying health condition like diabetes or if you are being treated with immunosuppressive medication.
  • Your sore throat symptoms been persisting for 12 months or have you had 7 episodes of sore throats over the last year
  • Have difficulty breathing or are unable to swallow

The NHS Pharmacy First service is available to all NowPatient users who are registered with the NHS in England. If you are exempt from paying for your prescriptions, the service and the treatments are provided free of charge. If you are not exempt from paying prescription charges, treatments are provided at the prevailing NHS prescription charge rate. There is no charge for consultations.

What NHS Pharmacy First treatments are available for a Sore Throat?

You do not normally need antibiotics for a Sore Throat because they will not usually relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery. You will only be considered for antibiotics if you or show signs of having a bacterial infection. Remember, most Sore Throats are viral in nature and will NOT respond to antibiotics.

What happens if I do not get treatment for a Sore Throat?

The vast majority of cases of Sore Throat are viral in nature and usually resolve within a week, without treatment.

Sources

Medical Disclaimer

NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.

The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about NHS Pharmacy First

What is NHS Pharmacy First?

If you are aged 18 years and over, and registered with the NHS in England, you may qualify for a FREE remote video consultation and treatment covering six common conditions, without having to see your GP.
Pharmacy First is the name of a new service which is available to ALL NHS patients across England and will allow you to get treated with prescription-only medications, without having to visit your GP or obtain a prescription.
The FREE service is subject to eligibility requirements. To check if you qualify, select the condition you would like to get treated in the search box and answer the screening questions.

What conditions do you treat with NHS Pharmacy First?

We assess and treat the following conditions:

  • Sinusitis
  • Sore throats
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

If treatments are prescribed, they are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from NowPatient’s online pharmacy.

Is this a safe service?

Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by the NHS. Our service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any medications supplied are at the sole discretion of our assessing clinician.

How will I know that the service is being provided by a trustworthy clinician?

Our clinicians are board-certified pharmacists who can also prescribe selected medications for six common treatable conditions, which is set out by the NHS. Our clinicians are registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with one of our clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.

Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?

No. At the moment, it is only available in England.

Can I use NowPatient’s NHS Pharmacy First feature if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

This service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. You will not be able to use the feature if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Do I need to pay for this service?

This is a FREE service for NHS-registered users. If you are prescribed medication at the end of your assessment and you are not exempt from NHS prescription charges, then you will need to pay a single NHS prescription charge, which is currently £9.90. If you are exempt from prescription charges, for example, if you are on Income Support or aged over 60, then you will not be charged.

How do I know if I qualify?

If you suspect you are suffering from any of the following conditions:
  • Sore throats
  • Sinusitis
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women
You will need to complete a screening quiz. This will allow us to check if the service is suitable for you.
To get started, go to the tools page. Select NHS Pharmacy First. You should then select the following action – ‘Treat Condition’
You will be taken to a selection screen where you will need to select the condition that you are looking to treat. After you have selected the condition, you will need to complete a short screening quiz, which will determine if you are suitable for the service. If you do not qualify, we will signpost you to the right NHS care provider or service.

What are the next steps, if I qualify?

If you do qualify, you will be able to book a consultation with one of our NHS Pharmacy First trained clinicians. To do this, you will need to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language of the clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available clinicians. From this list, you can filter clinicians by gender and then select the clinician you would like to confirm for your booking.
Once you have approved this, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar.
Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before it is due to start.
You can ‘star’ the NHS Pharmacy First quick action widget to have it display in the ‘My Favourite Widgets’ section of your dashboard, for ease of future booking or checking active or past orders.

Will you have access to my GP records?

Yes, as an NHS patient, our pharmacists will be able to access to your GP record including medications, observations, and investigations. This ensures we are able to assess and treat your condition safely and appropriately.

What happens during the remote video consultation?

During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to diagnose your health condition and consider possible treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is a safe and appropriate option for you.

If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your ‘shopping cart’ at the end of the consultation.

Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your GP of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your GP is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.

What happens at the end of the consultation?

At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise if any signposting to other NHS services were made or if referrals were made to your GP, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.

If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard.

If you were prescribed a treatment plan, it will now be available in your shopping cart. When you go to your shopping cart, you will be able to checkout and make a payment or claim an exemption. Remember, you only make a payment If you are NOT exempt from NHS prescription charges. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our NHS online pharmacy for processing.

What if the clinician does not prescribe a treatment?

We operate a safe and effective service. This means that our clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can demand a certain medication. If you are not prescribed anything, then you will not be charged.

Will I get status updates for my order?

Yes. When you place an order with NowPatient, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard. You can click the notification and it will take you to your active orders screen which will give you a timeline overview of the progress of your order. This can also be accessed using the ‘My Orders’ quick action widget which is on your dashboard. Here, you can access active and past orders.

How will my order be delivered?

All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour). For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.

For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with the NHS. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.

Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?

Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.

Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.

Where do you deliver?

We currently deliver to all postcodes in England. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.

When will my order arrive?

We aim to ship all orders placed Monday – Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day. All deliveries are shipped with Royal Mail, DPD, or DHL who deliver Monday – Saturday.
Our delivery options have the following delivery times:
  • Royal Mail Standard Tracked & Signed for Delivery for NHS prescriptions – 2/3 day delivery (normally 48 hours)
  • DHL Express Tracked Delivery – 1/2 day delivery (normally 24 hours)
  • Royal Mail Special Delivery – Next working day (Royal Mail Guaranteed before 1pm)

What should I do if my order has not arrived?

Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘My Notifications’ section of your dashboard, at any point after dispatch.

Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system, if after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.

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NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.

Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).

Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?

NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.

Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).

Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.

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From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?

Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:

• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old

NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?

Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.

You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.

Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?

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Please note that we are closed at weekends.

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US – 911

In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:

UK – 111

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