No
To determine the cause of your sore throat, your doctor may do a throat swab. However, there may be some clues. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes and sneezing. The symptoms of tonsillitis infection are usually more severe than symptoms of a sore throat with a cold and may include the following: 1  Sudden sore throat. 2  Painful swallowing. 3  Loss of appetite. 4  Red tonsils with white spots. 5  Headache. 6  Bad breath. 7  Fever. 8  Voice changes because of swelling. 9  Swollen lymph glands in neck. A sore throat (or throat pain) is pain or irritation of the throat. A common physical symptom, it is usually caused by acute pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat), although it can also appear as a result of trauma, diphtheria, or other conditions.  How does a sore throat occur? Sore throat is caused by inflammation of the throat (pharynx). The pharynx is the area behind the tonsils. A sore throat may be the first symptom of a mild illness, such as a cold or the flu, or of more severe illnesses, such as mononucleosis, strep throat or scarlet fever. A sore throat that comes on suddenly is called acute pharyngitis. It can be caused by bacteria or viruses Flu symptoms are usually more severe than cold symptoms and come on quickly. Symptoms of flu include sore throat, fever, headache, muscle aches and soreness, congestion, and cough. Swine flu in particular is also associated with vomiting and diarrhea. Children are more likely to have a fever with a cold. With cold symptoms, the nose teems with watery nasal secretions for the first few days. Later, these become thicker and darker. Dark mucus is natural and does not usually mean you have developed a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection. Most of the time, a sore throat is caused by a virus such as the cold virus, flu, or mono but it can also be caused by bacteria such as “strep”. Viruses that cause sore throat may also cause sneezing, coughing, runny nose, watery eyes, and mild headache. Mono (short for mononucleosis) is a common viral cause of bad sore throat especially in teens. The tonsils usually are big with white patches and you may feel very tired. Tonsillitis (enlarged red tonsils) is caused by a bacterial (usually strep) or viral infection. However, a sore throat from a cold often gets better or goes away after the first day or two. Other cold symptoms such as a runny nose and congestion may follow the sore throat. Strep throat, which is an infection due to streptococcus bacteria, is another cause of sore throats and tonsillitis. With strep throat, the sore throat is often more severe and persists. Although there is no cure for a sore throat caused by a cold virus, there are ways to help you feel more comfortable. Drinking warm liquids, gargling with warm salt water, sucking on ice chips, or taking an over-the-counter medicine may relieve symptoms of pain or fever. Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat, which usually goes away after a day or two. Nasal symptoms, runny nose, and congestion follow, along with a cough by the fourth and fifth days. Fever is uncommon in adults, but a slight fever is possible. Children are more likely to have a fever with a cold. With cold symptoms, the nose teems with watery nasal secretions for the first few days. Later, these become thicker and darker. Dark mucus is natural and does not usually mean you have developed a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection. The most common causes of sore throats are viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes, and sneezing. Other causes of sore throat include smoking, pollution or irritants in the air, allergies, and dry air. Although there is no cure for a sore throat caused by a cold virus, there are ways to help you feel more comfortable. Drinking warm liquids, gargling with warm salt water, sucking on ice chips, or taking an over-the-counter medicine may relieve symptoms of pain or fever.
http://www.webmd.boots.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/sore-throat-cold-strep-throat-tonsillitis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sore_throat http://www.wrha.mb.ca/wave/2014/03/sore-throat-vs-strep-throat.php http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/flu-cold-symptoms http://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/10/31/sore-throat/ http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/sore-throat-cold-strep-throat-tonsillitis http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/flu-cold-symptoms http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/sore-throat-cold-strep-throat-tonsillitis
does sore throat usually mean a cold