What causes sore throat? i woke up this morning with one and got worse as the day wore on. and then i started to cough a little.

Dr. can check throat: New throat pain can be from a strep throat infection (antibiotics are needed), a cold or influenza (antibiotics usually not used), or from some other cause such as allergies or irritants. Usually, a person sees the doctor if the sore throat is bothersome, recurrent, or doesn't go away quickly (mainly to check for strep). A couple days of throat lozenges and Tylenol (acetaminophen) can lessen pain.