Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED for a sore throat. Your sore throat is likely caused by a virus. Your symptoms will probably go away without antibiotics in a week or 2. But if you have strep throat, which is caused by bacteria, you will need antibiotics.
You might be waiting on test results. The staff will notify you if there are concerning results.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment if you were told to.
●To help ease your symptoms, you can:
•Use a sore throat spray.
•Suck on hard candies, ice chips, ice pops, or throat lozenges.
•Gargle with warm saltwater a few times each day.
•Use a cool mist humidifier.
●Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain if needed, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).
●If you take over-the-counter cough or cold medicines, follow the directions on the label carefully. Make sure you do not take more than 1 medicine that contains acetaminophen. If you have a heart problem or high blood pressure, check with your doctor before you take any of these medicines.
●Avoid smoking or being around people who are smoking.
●Wash your hands often. This helps prevent spreading the infection to others.
When should I get emergency help?
●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:
•You have trouble breathing.
•Your neck, tongue, or throat is swelling.
•You are drooling because you cannot swallow your saliva.
•You cannot move your neck, or have trouble opening your mouth.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if:
●Your throat pain is severe within the first 2 days, or does not start to improve within 5 to 7 days.
●You have a fever of at least 101°F (38.4°C).
●You have very bad pain in your throat that prevents you from eating or drinking.
●You have large, painful lumps in your neck.
●You have blisters in the back of your throat.
●You got antibiotics, but still have symptoms after finishing them.
●You have new or worsening symptoms.
Patient education: Sore throat in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Strep throat in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in adults (Beyond the Basics)
