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Sore Throat (Pharyngitis)
What Is It?
A sore throat, also called a throat infection or pharyngitis, is a painful inflammation of the back part of the throat (pharynx). Pharyngitis can involve some or all of these parts of the throat:
- the back third of the tongue
- the soft palate (roof of the mouth)
- the tonsils (fleshy tissue that are part of the throat's immune defenses).
The most common cause of sore throat is infection with bacteria or a virus.
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