What are the causes of sore throat without fever?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

A sore throat without a fever, medically known as pharyngitis, can stem from several common causes. These include viral infections, seasonal allergies, acid reflux (GERD), postnasal drip, dry air, or irritation from smoke and pollutants. Because the cause isn't always obvious, symptoms alone may not tell you whether you need rest, allergy relief, or medical care.

Understanding what's driving your sore throat is the first step to effective relief. Rather than guessing, take a few minutes to complete a free, instant, and confidential online symptom check. It analyzes your symptoms against thousands of possible conditions, helping you identify likely causes and decide whether home care, a pharmacist, or a doctor's visit is your best next step.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/14/2026

Important Next Steps

Discover likely causes of sore throat without fever Find out if your sore throat needs care See if your sore throat could be serious Find OTC options for sore throat relief Find doctors for throat and voice problems Learn medically valid home remedies for sore throat Understand what’s causing your sore throat today

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Explanation

Sore throat without fever has a variety of different causes and commonly seen in primary care. Some of the most common reasons include a viral, bacterial or fungal infection, seasonal allergies and acid reflux. Viral, bacterial or fungal infections may often not cause fever but will often be accompanied by other symptoms like runny nose or nasal congestion. Seasonal allergies can lead to a sore throat due to irritation from the seasonal allergen, and may not necessarily be accompanied by other allergy symptoms like runny nose or itchy eyes. Lastly, untreated acid reflux may lead to sore throat because stomach acid irritates the throat. If you're experiencing a sore throat and want to better understand what might be causing it, try our free symptom checker to get personalized insights based on your specific symptoms.

(References)

Sykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA. Pharyngitis: Approach to diagnosis and treatment. Can Fam Physician. 2020 Apr;66(4):251-257. PMID: 32273409; PMCID: PMC7145142.
Krüger K, Töpfner N, Berner R, Windfuhr J, Oltrogge JH; Guideline group. Clinical Practice Guideline: Sore Throat. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2021 Mar 19;118(11):188-94. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0121. PMID: 33602392; PMCID: PMC8245861.

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