By far the most common cause of sore throat is a viral infection. It's often accompanied by typical symptoms of a cold - coughing, sneezing, feeling tired and a bit achy. Your pharmacist can advise on over-the-counter remedies to help you feel better while your immune system fights it off.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/news-and-features/could-your-sore-throat-be-something-more-serious