The winter season has certainly arrived—with snot dripping, cough droplets swarming, temperatures spiking, and sick people moaning. Germs are spreading faster than wildfire as I write. And a sore throat is often where the story all begins.

The winter season seems to also trigger allergies, asthma, and holiday dietary indiscretions. Therefore, many of you reading this may be wondering why you seem to have developed a sore throat. Is it a bug? And if so, what does it mean? And what if it comes and goes, or remains persistent for days or weeks? How do you know if your sore throat is something serious and when should you see your doctor?

To answer these questions and more, let's review some of the top causes of a sore throat.

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