Why Does My Eye Twitch?

A Sore Throat

What’s happening? That raw pain that makes you feel as if you’ve eaten broken glass is a sign that the tissue lining your throat is swollen. You also have a multitude of pain receptors concentrated in the small area that is your throat—each one of which is stimulated with every swallow.

Why is your body doing it? Your throat can become swollen for any number of reasons. You might have a viral infection or a serious bacterial infection such as strep throat, which can cause intense pain. Postnasal drip, in which your nasal passages are draining mucous into the back of your throat, can be an irritant; and even acid reflux, in which acids from the stomach back up into the esophagus, can result in a burning sensation.

What should you do? “If the pain is so bad that you are having a hard time breathing or swallowing your own saliva, it needs to be immediately assessed,” says Tylor. You should also call your doctor if the sore throat is severe and is associated with a high fever or body aches, or if it is your only symptom but persists for more than two weeks. In the latter instance, it is possible (though not statistically likely) that the pain is a sign of something more serious, such as throat cancer.