Summary

Sore throat is a common complaint in the outpatient and emergency room settings. Typically, little workup is necessary and includes visual inspection with or without swabs for bacterial infection. We present a case that demonstrates an important entity to be excluded by simple history and physical examination in patients presenting with pain in the throat or neck. The most important cause of pneumomediastinum is previous instrumentation. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is uncommonly seen in young adults. Most cases of spontaneous pneumomediastinum are uncomplicated, as mediastinal pressures rarely mount to dangerous levels. However, when the patient presents with distended neck veins, cyanosis or marked dyspnoea, further action is necessary. Lastly, since pneumomediastinum can be caused by oesophageal rupture and occasionally present with concurrent pneumothorax, these dangerous entities must be excluded.