AT some point in time, we all come down with a sore throat, and the first thought that usually comes to mind is seeing an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor. But while this may seem normal, the truth is that the cause and evolution of the disease tends to vary from person to person.

Included in the respiratory system disorders, the acute or chronic condition arises from causes such as mouth infections, allergies, tumors and drug reactions.
Sore-throat is usually a prominent symptom of a wide variety of diseases, among which are rheumatic, scarlet and relapsing fevers (the latter of which is spread by a tick). Others include polio, tetanus, tonsillitis and Vitamin B deficiency.
What we commonly call the throat is really the oropharnyx, which is visible at the back of the mouth, just below the nasopharnyx, and slightly above the larynx (voice box).
Tonsils are spongy tissues at the back of the throat, and are composed mainly of lymphocytic cells. There are three types of tonsils: The palatine tonsils, usually referred to as the ‘tonsils’, are visible between the arches that extend from the uvula (bell-shaped structure at the centre of the opening) to the floor of the mouth.
The pharyngeal tonsils, often called the adenoids, lie at the back of the throat. These generally shrink as a child grows, but may have to be surgically removed if it becomes enlarged or inflamed. The lingual tonsils are on the upper surface of each side of the back of the tongue.
The tonsils’ function is to protect the pharynx (the common entrance to the gullet, nose and wind-pipe) and the rest of the body from infectious organisms (such as bacteria, viruses and fungi).
Infection of the tonsils, called tonsillitis, may serve as a source of infection elsewhere in the body. The tonsils form lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that produce antibodies to combat harmful organisms trapped in the mucous membrane lining the throat.
In fact, the lymphocytic tissue circumscribing the throat actually represents the first line of defense against invading pathogens (germs that cause disease).
In reality, the HIV is too frail to kill anyone. Most people who die from AIDS succumb generally as a result of either pneumoncystic carinii pneumonia, or cancer. These situations develop because there is the development of special white blood cells known as Tee Four Lymphocytes, which have the responsibility of providing immunity against the aggressive germs.
The AIDS virus also invades and kills Tee Four Lymphocytes, leaving the body vulnerable. These protective cells are manufactured in the tonsils, bone marrow and spleen.
A sore throat that is not responding to conventional treatment may be gonorrhea of the oropharnyx contracted from oral sex. Also occurring sometimes is diphtheria, which begins gradually with fever and sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck.
A thick white membrane forms on the tonsils, and may obstruct breathing to necessitate the surgical opening of the windpipe. Heart muscle and nerves may be affected, causing heart failure, paralysis and sometimes death.
The throat communicates with the middle ear, located behind the ear drum, by means of a passage called the Eustachian tube. This is why the pain of an ear infection is occasionally experienced when the victim has a cold.
With a sore throat, the typical complaint is a raw, dry or burning sensation, and pain on swallowing all but cool substances, such as ice cream.
If the infection spreads downwards to the larynx, a hoarseness and temporary loss of voice may ensue.