WebMD

Condition guides, condition symptoms and condition treatments

Plain-language health condition and symptom guides from WebMD.

Get condition

Get condition

Get a plain-language overview and the available symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and doctor-call guidance from WebMD’s main condition guide. Missing sections and review details are null.

Your information

Condition

Condition or symptom name, such as migraine or acid reflux.

1 credit per run

Example results

Title: Sore Throat: The Basics
Causes: There are many causes of sore throat. The most common are bacterial and viral infections like the cold and flu. Viral infections This is the most common cause of a sore throat. It happens when a virus gets in your body and makes you sick. Some viruses that can cause sore throats are: Common cold COVID-19 Flu (influenza) Chickenpox Measles Mono (mononucleosis) Croup Bacterial infections Not all infections are caused by viruses. Some are caused by a different type of germ called bacteria. There are many different kinds of bacteria, but the one most likely to cause a sore throat is Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus), or "strep" for short. Some cases of sinus infections or tonsillitis are also caused by bacteria. Allergies Some people get sore throats from allergies. Common culprits include pet dander, dust, and pollen. Allergies can trigger a postnasal drip, which is when mucus drips down your throat. And if you breathe out of your mouth because of a stuffy nose, the dry air also can irritate your throat. GERD Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a condition when stomach acid backs up into your throat. You might feel a burning sensation and get a sore throat. Some other signs your sore throat is caused by acid reflux are heartburn, hoarse voice, and a lump-like feeling in your throat. Smoking or being around people who smoke Tobacco and other chemicals can irritate your throat, even if you’re only breathing in someone else’s smoke. Plus, smoking raises your risk of getting throat, tongue, or mouth cancer. Other things that can cause a sore throat include: Dry air. This can dry out your throat, making it feel scratchy. Mouth breathing. Breathing through your mouth, usually when you’re asleep or have a stuffy nose, also can dry your throat out. Pollution. Chemicals in the air can irritate your throat. Spicy foods. Eating spicy foods can trigger a sore throat. Overuse. Shouting, talking loudly, and singing can tire out your throat muscles, causing them to feel sore. Some cancers. Tumors in your throat or tongue can cause a sore throat. Keep an eye out for hoarseness, trouble swallowing, loud breathing, a lump on your neck, and blood in your spit or phlegm.
Overview: Everyone knows what a sore throat feels like. It’s one of the most common health complaints, particularly during the colder months of the year when respiratory diseases are at their peak. The raw, scratchy, burning feeling at the back of your throat that hurts most when you swallow is often the first warning sign that you have a cold or that the flu is on the way. Rarely, it can be a symptom of more serious conditions, so you should watch how it develops.
Symptoms: If you have a sore throat, you might notice: Scratchiness, pain, or irritation in your throat Pain when you speak or swallow Trouble swallowing A scratchy, muffled, or hoarse voice Red, swollen tonsils White spots on your tonsils Swollen glands and lymph nodes on your neck Most sore throats are caused by infections. If you have an infection, you also might notice: Cough Fever Fatigue Runny or stuffy nose Sneezing Aches and pains Headaches Upset stomach Nausea or vomiting If you have a sore throat from a cold or flu, you may also have swollen glands on your neck. (Photo Credit: Moment RF/Getty Images)
Diagnosis: Your doctor will probably start by looking at your throat with a tiny flashlight. They may also check your nose and ears. Then, they’ll feel the sides of your neck for any lumps, which can be a sign of swollen lymph nodes. The doctor also will use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs as you breathe. If your doctor thinks you might have strep throat , they’ll do a throat swab. This is when they brush a sterile swab (like a long Q-tip) against the back of your throat. Then, they test the swab to see if it picked up any of the bacteria that cause strep throat. You’ll probably get a result in a few minutes from a rapid antigen test, but will need to wait a day or two for the results to be finalized with a more reliable test called a throat culture.
Treatment: The way you treat a sore throat depends on what is causing it. Most sore throats are caused by viral infections, which usually go away on their own in 5–7 days. Antibiotics won’t fix this kind of infection. But in the meantime, you can take over-the-counter medications to help ease the soreness. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for sore throat Medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help relieve fevers and pain. If your child is sick, look for a children’s version of these drugs. Don’t give aspirin to children or teens as it can cause life-threatening swelling in the liver and brain. If your sore throat is caused by allergies, antihistamines might help. These OTC drugs decrease allergic reactions. Prescription mouthwash for sore throat If you have a severe sore throat from cancer, ask your doctor about getting a special mouthwash. Also known as “magic mouthwash,” this treatment contains painkilling drugs like lidocaine or Benadryl . Antibiotics for sore throat If you have strep throat, antibiotics can help. These are medicines that kill bacteria, including the bacteria that causes strep throat. They don’t work on viruses. If your doctor gives you a prescription for an antibiotic, follow their directions carefully. Ask them what to do if you accidentally forget a dose. Keep taking the medication as directed until you have used all of it, even if you start to feel better. Stopping antibiotics too soon can cause the infection to get worse. Medications for GERD sore throat To treat a sore throat caused by acid reflux, you’ll probably need antacids. Some are available over the counter. Or you can talk to your doctor about getting prescription-strength medication. There are also small lifestyle changes that can help, like not eating a big meal before bed.
Review Date: 2024-09-18
Article Link: webmd.com
Medically Reviewed by: Poonam Sachdev, MD
When to Call A Doctor: It’s time to go to the doctor if you’re in severe pain, the sore throat doesn’t go away within a week, or it keeps coming back. Other signs to get medical care are: Trouble breathing Trouble swallowing Trouble opening your mouth Hoarse voice that won’t go away A lump in the back of your throat Blood in your spit or phlegm Fever of 100.4 F or higher Earache Puffiness in your neck or face A lump on your neck Joint pain Rash Get immediate help if your child has: Trouble breathing Trouble swallowing Unusual drooling

Example data · Run in Studio for fresh results.

About WebMD

WebMD’s Get condition method returns a plain-language condition guide with available symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and doctor-call guidance.

Get condition needs a condition or symptom name, such as migraine or acid reflux.

Built by Fous from webmd.com and bing.com and checked automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026. Fous is not affiliated with WebMD.

Actions

Get condition

1 credit per run

Get a plain-language overview and the available symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and doctor-call guidance from WebMD’s main condition guide. Missing sections and review details are null.

Uses WebMD and bing.com.

What you provide

Field	Type	Required	Description
Condition`condition`	Text	Required	Condition or symptom name, such as migraine or acid reflux.Example: Migraine

What you get

Field	Type	Description
Title`title`	Text	Article title.Example: Sore Throat: The Basics
Causes`causes`	Text	Causes described in the guide.
Overview`overview`	Text	Plain-language introduction to the condition.Example: Everyone knows what a sore throat feels like. It’s one of the most common…
Symptoms`symptoms`	Text	Symptoms described in the guide.
Diagnosis`diagnosis`	Text	Diagnosis described in the guide.
Treatment`treatment`	Text	Treatment described in the guide.
Review Date`review_date`	Date	Medical review date in YYYY-MM-DD, when provided.Example: 2024-09-18
Article Link`article_link`	Link	Link to the WebMD guide.Example: https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/understanding-sore-throat-basics
Medically Reviewed by`medically_reviewed_by`	Text	Named medical reviewer, when provided.Example: Poonam Sachdev, MD
When to Call A Doctor`when_to_call_a_doctor`	Text	Guidance on when to contact a doctor.

Example result

For Condition: sore throat

JSON

{
  "title": "Sore Throat: The Basics",
  "causes": "There are many causes of sore throat. The most common are bacterial and viral infections like the cold and flu.\n\nViral infections\n\nThis is the most common cause of a sore throat. It happens when a vir…",
  "overview": "Everyone knows what a sore throat feels like. It’s one of the most common health complaints, particularly during the colder months of the year when respiratory diseases are at their peak.\n\nThe raw, sc…",
  "symptoms": "If you have a sore throat, you might notice:\n\nScratchiness, pain, or irritation in your throat\n\nPain when you speak or swallow\n\nTrouble swallowing\n\nA scratchy, muffled, or hoarse voice\n\nRed, swollen t…",
  "diagnosis": "Your doctor will probably start by looking at your throat with a tiny flashlight. They may also check your nose and ears. Then, they’ll feel the sides of your neck for any lumps, which can be a sign o…",
  "treatment": "The way you treat a sore throat depends on what is causing it. Most sore throats are caused by viral infections, which usually go away on their own in 5–7 days. Antibiotics won’t fix this kind of infe…",
  "review_date": "2024-09-18",
  "article_link": "https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/understanding-sore-throat-basics",
  "medically_reviewed_by": "Poonam Sachdev, MD",
  "when_to_call_a_doctor": "It’s time to go to the doctor if you’re in severe pain, the sore throat doesn’t go away within a week, or it keeps coming back. Other signs to get medical care are:\n\nTrouble breathing\n\nTrouble swallow…"
}

For developers

Run this workflow from your own code. In Studio, turn on Developer mode and create an API key.

cURL

# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
: "${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example}"

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 120 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@webmd",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_condition",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "condition": "migraine"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'

What you can do with it

Review symptoms and causes described in a condition guide
Compare condition diagnosis and treatment information
Find guidance on when to contact a doctor
Identify the medical reviewer and review date when provided

Questions

Is Fous affiliated with WebMD?

No. Fous is not affiliated with WebMD. This workflow reads the public webmd.com website and returns its data.

How much does it cost?

Each run costs 1 credit. With pay-as-you-go, a credit costs 1¢; monthly plans cost less per credit.

Do I need a WebMD account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from webmd.com when you run it; repeating the same request within a day may return the saved result. Fous checks this workflow automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026.