Acute pharyngitis (sore throat)
Also known as: Acute pharyngitis, unspecified
General information only. Anpheros does not diagnose and does not recommend treatment. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your situation. In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number).
In short
The pharynx is the technical name for the throat, which is a tube that carries food to the esophagus and air to the windpipe and larynx. A sore throat can occur for many reasons, often caused by colds and flu, as well as allergies, mononucleosis, smoking, strep throat, or tonsillitis. Treatment depends on the cause, and pain may be eased by sucking on lozenges, drinking lots of liquids, gargling, or using over-the-counter pain relievers, though children should not take aspirin.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.
Codes
Description
Your throat is a tube that carries food to your esophagus and air to your windpipe and larynx (also called the voice box). The technical name for the throat is pharynx.
You can have a sore throat for many reasons. Often, colds and flu cause sore throats. Other causes can include:
- Allergies
- Mononucleosis
- Smoking
- Strep throat
- Tonsillitis
Treatment depends on the cause. Sucking on lozenges, drinking lots of liquids, and gargling may ease the pain. Over-the-counter pain relievers can also help, but children should not take aspirin.
Next to it in ICD-10
- I95Low Blood Pressure
- J00Common cold
- J01Acute sinusitis
- J03Acute tonsillitis, unspecified
- J04Acute laryngitis
- J05Croup
Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.
External resources
Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for Acute pharyngitis (sore throat)?
J02 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).
What is the ICD-11 code for Acute pharyngitis (sore throat)?
CA02.Z: Acute pharyngitis, unspecified (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).
Sources and attribution
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, © World Health Organization, licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 IGO.
- Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
- Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).
Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →
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