Health condition · plain-language reference

Throat Disorders

Also called: Pharyngeal disorders

Your throat is a tube that carries food to your esophagus and air to your windpipe and larynx. The technical name for your throat is the pharynx. Throat problems are common. You've probably had a sore throat . The cause is usually a viral infection, but other causes include allergies, infection with strep bacteria or the leaking of stomach acids back up into the esophagus, called GERD . Other problems that affect the throat include: Tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils Cancer Croup - inflammation, usually in small children, which causes a barking cough Laryngitis - swelling of the voice box, which can cause a hoarse voice or loss of voice Most throat problems are minor and go away on their own. Treatments, when needed, depend on the problem.

Plain-language summary from MedlinePlus (NIH/NLM) ↗. For informational purposes only — not medical advice.