Sore Throat & Dizziness: Causes, Treatment & When It’s Serious

Key takeaways:

• Most cases of sore throat and dizziness aren’t serious and will resolve with home remedies.
• Strep throat is a common cause of sore throat and dizziness, which may occur due to dehydration, fever, or an inner ear infection.
• If your sore throat and dizziness persist or come with other symptoms, consult your doctor.

Sore throat and dizziness are two of the most common symptoms that lead patients to seek medical attention. When you’re experiencing both, the most likely cause is a viral or bacterial infection.

Dizziness can be described differently by various individuals in different contexts. Some may refer to it as “imbalance” or “vertigo,” depending on their experience. Others might describe feelings of falling, staggering while walking, lightheadedness, faintness, or a floating sensation.

Visiting a healthcare professional can help you determine if an infection is behind your symptoms and what steps you can take to treat them.

Are sore throats and dizziness related?

Sore throats and dizziness are sometimes related, but not always. You may also experience additional symptoms, such as fatigue (intense tiredness), when you have a sore throat. Often, these feelings of illness are the result of a viral or bacterial infection. However, your sore throat could be related to other issues, so seeking medical attention is important if you are uncertain about the cause.

Common causes of a sore throat and dizziness experienced together

Several medical conditions could explain your sore throat and dizziness. Some of them resolve on their own within a few days or weeks, but others require medical attention. Let’s take a closer look.

Infection

If you're experiencing a sore throat and dizziness, it could be due to a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection.

The most common cause of sore throat and dizziness is a viral infection, such as the common cold, flu, or COVID-19. Strep throat, caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, is the most likely bacterial cause. Your dizziness may be a response to the overall infection and inflammation, which could also include an ear infection in addition to the throat issue.

Dehydration

If you have a sore throat, you may find swallowing difficult and painful. As a result, you might be hesitant to eat or drink, which can lead to dehydration.

Dehydration can cause fatigue and lower your blood pressure, potentially resulting in dizziness. This dizziness may be due to orthostatic hypotension, a condition that leads to a rapid drop in blood pressure when you change positions, like when standing up from a seated or lying position.

Allergies

An allergic reaction to environmental allergens such as dust mites, molds, pollen, chemicals, or smoke can trigger your immune system. When this happens, it leads to an increase in inflammation in your nose, sinuses, Eustachian tubes, and ears.

The eustachian tube connects your middle ear—the area behind your eardrum—to the back of your nose and throat, helping to equalize air pressure. If you experience nasal or sinus congestion or your eustachian tube becomes blocked, the air pressure cannot equalize, which may lead to fluid buildup behind your eardrums. This fluid can result in decreased hearing, pain, ringing in the ears, and dizziness.

Vestibular migraine headache

It’s common to experience a severe headache known as vestibular migraine or migraine-associated dizziness, which may accompany a sore throat.

This headache can cause symptoms such as vertigo (a spinning sensation), imbalance, sensitivity to light, nausea, and vomiting. The root cause of these symptoms may be dehydration, anemia (a low blood count), or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Other symptoms associated with a sore throat and dizziness

Dizziness can accompany a throat infection, especially if you have strep throat, along with other signs and symptoms:

Fever

You may have a temperature of 101°F or higher. A throat infection, sore throat, dehydration, medication reactions, or ear infections could cause your fever. Symptoms such as dizziness, fever, or loss of balance may indicate a serious medical condition, so you should seek medical attention promptly.

Ear pain, decreased hearing, ringing in your ears, ear drainage

You might experience ear pain due to a sore throat, but it's also possible that an ear infection is causing symptoms such as decreased hearing, ringing in the ears, ear drainage, and dizziness or balance issues.

Confusion, fatigue, and malaise

You may be experiencing confusion, fatigue, and malaise (a general feeling of unwellness) along with your sore throat and dizziness. These are especially common symptoms if you are suffering from an infection or having an allergic reaction.

Nausea and vomiting

You may experience nausea and vomiting with a sore throat and dizziness. There are many possible causes, including:

• Inner ear disturbance
• Dehydration
• Side effects of medicines
• Low blood pressure
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Anxiety

Throat or neck pain

Throat or neck pain can often accompany a sore throat and dizziness. You may experience enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or swelling associated with your sore throat. Typically, throat or neck pain is caused by an infection in the throat or ear, which may require medical attention.

Difficulty breathing or swallowing

Your sore throat may make it hard to breathe or swallow. It could be due to an infection or allergies. Dizziness or imbalance might stem from fatigue, low blood pressure, dehydration, or issues with the inner ear.

At-home remedies for relieving a sore throat and dizziness

Treating the underlying cause of your sore throat and dizziness may be possible at home. Try these remedies to find relief from your symptoms as you recover.

Warm salt water rinses or gargles

Mix ¼ to ½ teaspoons of salt in eight ounces of warm water. Rinsing and gargling can relieve your sore throat and help you swallow and breathe more easily.

Throat lozenges, hard candies, and spray

Throat lozenges, hard candies, and throat sprays provide instant relief for a sore throat. These products offer a cooling sensation and contain menthol, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, or mild numbing agents such as benzocaine.

Hot and cold beverages or frozen treats

Staying hydrated can be challenging when you have a sore throat. Finding relief with both hot and cold beverages may help you drink more easily. It's important to avoid dehydration, as it can lead to and worsen dizziness.

Analgesics

If you experience pain or fever along with a sore throat, it is important to take over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium. Analgesics will allow you to swallow better and reduce your fever.

When you should see a doctor for a sore throat and dizziness

If your sore throat and dizziness don’t get better within a day or two, it’s probably time to check in with your doctor. You may have an infection that requires antibiotics to clear up. It’s especially important to seek medical care if you also have other symptoms, like a high fever, coughing, or vomiting.

You should see a doctor if:

You experience one or more of the following:

• Generalized weakness
• Vertigo that comes in episodes with nausea and vomiting
• Falling down episodes
• Passing out (loss of consciousness)
• Motion intolerance
• Light-sensitivity
• Fever over 1010F

You should go to the emergency room if:

You experience any of the following symptoms:

• Chest or abdominal pain
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Ear pain and pain with opening your mouth (trismus)
• Unusual sounds with breathing
• Severe headache
• Loss of hearing
• Double vision (diplopia) or loss of vision
• Weakness in arms or legs

Questions to ask your doctor about a sore throat and dizziness

• Why am I dizzy? Is my dizziness related to my sore throat?
• Am I contagious? If so, for how long?
• How will you determine the cause of my symptoms?
• What can I do to manage pain and discomfort at home?

How a doctor can help treat a sore throat and dizziness

If your sore throat and dizziness do not improve or worsen, seek medical attention. Your doctor will take a detailed history of your illness, perform a physical exam, order tests, and may prescribe medications.

Antibiotics

Most sore throats and dizziness are caused by viral infections. However, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic if you have a bacterial infection.

The most commonly prescribed antibiotics for strep throat and similar infections include:

• Penicillin VK
• Amoxicillin or amoxicillin with clavulanate
• Cephalexin
• Azithromycin
• Erythromycin
• Clindamycin
• Ceftriaxone

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are not the same as steroids. These medications can help relieve symptoms like sore throat and dizziness by reducing swelling in the throat and inflammation in the inner ear. Likewise, corticosteroids may help prevent dizziness from returning.

Antihistamines

Your dizziness may respond to antihistamines that prevent the release of histamines, which are chemicals that are released during inflammation and allergic reactions. Your doctor may recommend these medicines:

• Meclizine: This medicine temporarily blocks the inner ear from communicating with your brain and may relieve nausea and vomiting as well.
• Dimenhydrinate: Works to reduce irritation of the balance system and reduce dizziness.

Anxiolytics

Anxiolytics are medicines that reduce anxiety and prevent dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. These include benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium). If your dizziness is severe, your doctor may prescribe these medicines.

Anticholinergic agents

Anticholinergic agents help suppress the dizziness in the inner ear. These are common medicines for combating vertigo or imbalance. This includes Scopolamine (Transderm Scop.)

Frequently asked questions: sore throat and dizziness

You may have additional questions about treating a sore throat and dizziness that your doctor can address. Here are some additional answers that might help you better understand your symptoms.

Can strep throat make you dizzy?

Strep throat can make swallowing and breathing difficult, leading to dehydration and poor sleep. You might also experience a fever and feel weak. Additionally, your blood pressure could drop, and you may suffer from severe headaches. All of these things can make you feel dizzy when you have strep throat.

Can COVID make you have a sore throat and feel dizzy?

Sore throat is a common symptom of COVID-19, and dizziness can also occur as a neurological symptom. Additionally, you might experience COVID-related vertigo, which includes sensations of spinning or imbalance, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), loss of hearing, and lightheadedness.

What if you’re experiencing dizziness, a sore throat, and fatigue?

The combination of dizziness, sore throat, and fatigue is usually a sign of either a viral infection, strep throat, or COVID-19. Typically, you will need to focus on rest, stay hydrated, and take medication for pain or fever relief. If your dizziness worsens or you experience severe nausea, vomiting, or muscle weakness, it’s important to seek medical attention.

Final thoughts on sore throat and dizziness

Many sore throats that come with mild dizziness are due to infection, inflammation, or other causes. Your symptoms may resolve on their own, but a bacterial or fungal infection may require medication to clear up. Talk to your doctor if you’re not sure what’s causing your symptoms or if you experience others, like headaches, nausea, or altered vision.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Jennifer Nadel, MD.

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