Throat been hurting for five days.

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hey I have had my throat sore for about 5 days now. Every time I swallow it hurts. It makes it hard to sleep and just recently I started getting headaches and a stuffy nose making it hard to breathe. I have been taking cough drops for a day and it doesn't work. Cough medicine didn't work either and my throat keep hurting. It seems to hurt more and more every day.

Dear Chris: You may be having an acute upper respirratory tract infecton due to a virus or may be having strep throat. If it is infact a viral infection it will run its course and regress in 5-7 days. However since it has not regressed there are more chances of it being a strep throat. For this you need antibiotics thus I would request you to see your family physician and get checked up regarding the same. All the best.