Encountering Chronic Sore Throat: How Challenging is it for the Otolaryngologists?

To explore and diagnose the underlying causes of chronic, recalcitrant sore throat. In this descriptive, cross-sectional study spanning 3 years (January 2014-December 2016), 1580 patients with chronic sore throat (>12 weeks duration, despite conventional medication) were evaluated for the possible cause(s) in a tertiary care teaching institute of eastern India, through proper history, appropriate investigations, and a self-designed algorithm. The common causes for chronic sore throat were chronic tonsillopharyngitis, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, submandibular sialadenitis, and laryngopharyngeal reflux disorder, respectively.