If your throat has been doing the full “aaj theek, kal kharab” routine for days, you’re not being dramatic; you’re living in Sindh’s current weather mood: cool nights, warmer afternoons, wind, haze, and dust that somehow reaches your sinuses even when you swear you stayed indoors.

This week, Karachi is in that classic “subah jacket, dopahar t-shirt” zone (highs in the mid-20s°C, nights around 10–13°C). Hyderabad is similar, with hazy sun in the mix. Up north, places like Sukkur are even seeing haze plus very unhealthy air quality on some days, aka: your throat is not imagining things. Larkana stays cool at night, too, which keeps irritation lingering.

Now, let’s catch the real culprit. A sore throat that “won’t quit” usually has three main suspects:

Post-nasal drip (the silent drip that ruins your vibe)

When your nose gets irritated (dust, allergies, a viral cold), mucus slides down the back of your throat. You might not feel the drip, but your throat feels scratchy, you keep clearing it, and mornings are the worst.

Clues: throat clearing, mild cough, runny/stuffy nose, worse at night/morning.

Sindh does see large waves of flu-like symptoms in surveillance reports. For example, in Week 52 of 2023, Sindh recorded 20,688 suspected Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) cases in that single week. And in Week 35 of 2023, the bulletin shows ILI as one of the most frequently reported suspected conditions for Sindh that week, too.
(That doesn’t mean everyone has “flu,” it means lots of people had flu-type symptoms… which often come with post-nasal drip and sore throat.)

What helps: warm fluids, steam, saline spray/rinses, and avoiding dusty air (yes, even a mask outdoors on windy days can be a throat-saver).

Reflux (Karachi late-night chai’s secret side quest)

Reflux doesn’t always show up as heartburn. Sometimes it’s just throat irritation, hoarseness, or a cough that keeps showing up uninvited, especially if spicy/fried food + late dinners are involved.

Clues: worse after meals or lying down, sour taste, burping, morning hoarseness, dry throat at night.

What helps: smaller dinners, don’t lie down for 2–3 hours after eating, and if you can… try not to make “midnight biryani + chai” your bedtime ritual (your throat is filing a complaint).

Infection (viral most of the time; bacterial sometimes)

If you’ve got fever/body aches and a throat that feels raw, infection climbs the list. Karachi hospitals have described noticeable surges of viral flu-type illness in recent years. In Oct 2025, Civil Hospital Karachi reported seeing around 150–200 viral flu patients and noted sore throat among common complaints, with 1,200–1,600 daily emergency visits overall.
Earlier, Feb 2025 reporting described an influenza season that was overwhelming hospitals, with doctors noting severe cases and admissions.

Clues: fever, body aches, swollen glands, worsening cough, sudden “hit” of symptoms.

When to Stop Guessing and Get Checked

Please don’t “power through” if you have trouble breathing, drooling/can’t swallow, severe one-sided throat pain, high fever that won’t settle, chest pain, or if the sore throat lasts 10–14 days.

If you’re unsure what you’re dealing with or your symptoms are lingering, call Tele-Tabeeb (1123) for free guidance on next steps and whether you need a check-up.