I've been dealing with a cold and cough for a few days now, and today it's gotten worse with a sore throat. It's actually making it hard to swallow my own saliva, but weirdly, I don't have the same problem when I'm eating food. I'm really curious why this is happening and what I can do to make it better. Can you help explain what's going on and any treatments I might try?

Dr Dr Khaleel Ur Rahim

General Practitioner

• MBBS
• 1+ Yrs

Consult Now

Your symptoms of cold, cough, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing saliva, but not food, suggest a possible viral pharyngitis or tonsillitis; the reason for this selective difficulty swallowing is likely due to the inflammation and irritation of the throat, which is more pronounced when swallowing thin liquids like saliva, but less noticeable with thicker, more lubricated foods; treatment options include: gargling with warm salt water, sucking on lozenges or ice chips,

Answered 15 days ago