Scratchy throat is commonly caused by colds and allergies, but it is also a symptom of the flu, strep throat, tonsillitis, and COVID 19. Scratchy and sore throat should be closely monitored.
It’s believed that a sore throat can be a sign of early omicron COVID 19 wave. You should get vaccinated to prevent omicron symptoms. You should also get tested if you haven’t had the vaccine before. But in the absence of the omicron COVID 19 wave, the cause of your sore throat could be a cold or allergy.
A cold is a viral infection that affects the nose and throat, but if not given proper care and attention, it can spread to the whole respiratory tract and cause other damage. A common cold can be caused by other viruses, but it’s harmless and will clear out within weeks. Symptoms of a cold may include pain in the muscles, congestion, runny nose, sneezing, loss of smell, redness, or post-nasal drip; cough; chills; fatigue; fever, malaise, or body ache; watery eyes, itchiness, or redness; sinus pressure; chest pressure; headache; swollen lymph nodes; or throat irritation.
Common colds can easily be treated with over-the-counter products and home medications can help. Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, antihistamines, cough medicine, and decongestants will also clear it out.
Allergy, on the other hand, is a reaction of the immune system to a foreign substance or to substances it never welcomes. There are different kinds of allergies, we have drug allergies, which is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to a medication. Food allergies are an unpleasant or dangerous immune system reaction that occurs after eating a specific food; contact dermatitis is a skin rash caused by contact with a specific substance. Symptoms of allergies may include Symptoms vary and may include swelling, a rash, itching, and shortness of breath. Symptoms of food allergies include a reaction that can include digestive problems, hives, or swollen airways. Severe reactions can be life-threatening.
Some symptoms are common in both colds and allergies. This table below should help you decide the condition.
| Cold | Allergies | |
| Aches and pain | Sometimes | No |
| Itchy and watery eye | Rarely | Yes |
| Runny nose | Yes | Yes |
| Fever | Sometimes | Yes |
| Sneezing | Yes | Yes |
| Sore or scratchy throat | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Stuffy nose | Yes | Yes |
| Fatigue | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Cough | Sometimes | Sometimes |
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