One-sided throat pain is common and usually comes from irritation or infection on just that side, but sometimes it can signal something more serious that needs prompt care.

Quick Scoop

Most common reasons one side of your throat hurts

These are frequent, usually nonā€‘emergency causes.

  • Viral or bacterial infection (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, strep)
    • One tonsil or area of tissue can get more inflamed than the other.
    • Clues: red or swollen tonsil on one side, white spots, painful swallowing, fever, body aches, swollen neck glands, maybe ear pain on the same side.
  • Postnasal drip or allergies/sinus infection
    • Mucus draining down the back of your throat can irritate mostly one side, especially depending on how you sleep.
    • Clues: stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, cough, worse in the morning, ā€œdripā€ feeling in the throat.
  • Acid reflux (silent or classic)
    • Stomach acid can splash up and inflame one area of the throat more than the rest.
    • Clues: burning in chest or throat, sour taste, hoarseness, lump-in-throat feeling, worse after lying down or big meals.
  • Tonsil stones or small localized sores
    • Debris stuck in tonsil crypts or a cankerā€‘like sore on or near a tonsil can make one side very sore.
    • Clues: bad breath, feeling like something is stuck, visible white/yellow speck in the tonsil, localized sharp pain.
  • Dental or mouth problems (tooth abscess, gum infection, mouth ulcers, thrush)
    • Pain can ā€œradiateā€ to the throat and feel like only one side hurts.
    • Clues: toothache, swollen or red gums, pus, bad taste, white patches in the mouth, pain when chewing or with hot/cold foods.
  • Minor injury or irritation
    • Scratches from hard food, hot drinks, smoking, vaping, or shouting/singing can all irritate one side.
    • Clues: pain started right after a specific event (choking on food, long night of yelling, drinking something very hot), usually no fever.

More serious but less common causes

These are less likely but important to know about.

  • Peritonsillar abscess (collection of pus near a tonsil)
    • Often starts as tonsillitis that worsens on one side.
    • Red flags: very severe oneā€‘sided pain, trouble or extreme pain when swallowing, drooling, muffled ā€œhotā€‘potatoā€ voice, high fever, swelling in the neck, uvula pushed to one side, trouble opening the mouth or breathing.
  • Deep neck infection, severe dental abscess, or swollen lymph nodes
    • Can cause intense, localized pain and swelling on one side.
    • Red flags: rapidly worsening pain, visible neck swelling, high fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, feeling very unwell.
  • Nerveā€‘related pain (glossopharyngeal or trigeminal neuralgia)
    • Causes sudden, electricā€‘shockā€‘like pain on one side of the throat, tongue, or ear.
    • Clues: brief but severe stabs of pain triggered by swallowing, talking, or touching a spot, with little to see on exam.
  • Tumors or growths in the throat, neck, or thyroid
    • Rare, usually cause chronic, slowly progressive oneā€‘sided pain.
    • Clues: symptoms lasting weeks, lump in neck, persistent hoarseness, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, or feeling of pressure in the neck.

Simple home care thatā€™s often safe (short term)

For mild symptoms without red flags, people often get relief from:

  • Drinking warm fluids (herbal tea, broth) and plenty of water.
  • Saltā€‘water gargles several times a day.
  • Throat lozenges or sprays, and overā€‘theā€‘counter pain relievers (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) used as directed.
  • Avoiding smoking, vaping, and alcohol while the throat heals.
  • Elevating the head of the bed, avoiding big lateā€‘night meals, and cutting back on acidic/spicy foods if reflux is suspected.

When you should get urgent or sameā€‘day medical help

Go to urgent care or the ER immediately, or call emergency services, if you have any of these:

  • Trouble breathing, noisy breathing, or feeling like your throat is closing.
  • Trouble swallowing saliva, drooling, or severe pain when swallowing.
  • Very high fever, feeling extremely unwell, or rapidly worsening symptoms.
  • Swelling in the neck or jaw, especially on one side.
  • A visible bulge near a tonsil, or your uvula looks pushed to one side.

See a doctor soon (within a day or two) if:

  • Your oneā€‘sided throat pain lasts more than a week without improving.
  • You keep getting the same pain repeatedly on the same side.
  • You also have weight loss, persistent hoarseness, a neck lump, or ear pain on that side with a normal ear exam.
  • You have significant tooth pain, gum swelling, or mouth sores along with the throat pain.

Quick HTML table of key causes

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Possible cause</th>
      <th>Typical clues</th>
      <th>Urgency</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Tonsillitis / strep / viral infection</td>
      <td>One tonsil red/swollen, white spots, fever, painful swallowing, swollen neck glands</td>
      <td>See primary care or clinic within a few days; sooner if severe</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Postnasal drip / allergies / sinus infection</td>
      <td>Stuffy or runny nose, drip sensation, cough, worse in morning</td>
      <td>Usually non-urgent; clinic visit if lasting &gt;1 week or worsening</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Acid reflux</td>
      <td>Burning, sour taste, hoarseness, worse after meals or lying down</td>
      <td>Non-urgent; discuss with doctor if frequent or persistent</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Tonsil stones / localized sore</td>
      <td>Bad breath, feeling of something stuck, visible small white spot</td>
      <td>Non-urgent; dental or ENT visit if recurrent or very painful</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Dental or gum infection</td>
      <td>Toothache, swollen/red gums, bad taste, pain radiating to throat</td>
      <td>Dental or urgent care, especially if fever or swelling</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Minor trauma or irritation</td>
      <td>Started after hard/rough food, hot drink, smoking, or shouting</td>
      <td>Usually self-limited; see a doctor if not improving in a few days</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Peritonsillar abscess</td>
      <td>Severe one-sided pain, muffled voice, drooling, high fever, swelling, trouble swallowing</td>
      <td>Emergency / same-day urgent care</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Neck infections or large swollen lymph nodes</td>
      <td>Neck swelling, high fever, very painful side of throat/neck</td>
      <td>Emergency / urgent evaluation</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Nerve-related pain</td>
      <td>Electric-shock-like, brief, one-sided pain triggered by swallowing or talking</td>
      <td>Non-emergency but see a specialist promptly</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Tumors or thyroid / headā€“neck cancers</td>
      <td>Persistent one-sided pain, neck lump, hoarseness, weight loss, trouble swallowing</td>
      <td>See doctor/ENT soon (within days); urgent if rapid progression</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

This canā€™t diagnose the exact cause of why one side of your throat hurts, but it should help you judge how urgent it might be and what to watch for.

If you tell me how long it has hurt, exactly where you feel it (high/low, closer to tongue, ear, or neck), and any other symptoms (fever, cough, heartburn, dental issues, smoking, recent illness), I can help you think through the most likely possibilities and what next step makes sense. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.