A sore throat with mild difficulty breathing should not affect your ability to speak in full sentences. When you have mild difficulty breathing, you may:

• Breathe faster than normal.
• Have mildly increased difficulty breathing with activity.

Swelling in the nose may cause the sensation of difficulty breathing. Swelling of the tissues of the throat may make breathing and swallowing difficult. This is rarely serious, but it can be a nuisance.

Mild difficulty breathing that occurs with a sore throat may be caused by swelling in the throat or nasal congestion.

Moderate to severe difficulty breathing or the inability to swallow can be life-threatening. Swelling in the upper airway may block the inflow of air so that you cannot breathe. Immediate medical treatment is needed.