What could these symptoms be (read all additional info plz)?

I’m not that worried, but I’m pretty curious because this doesn’t seem to match anything I’ve had before.

I get sore throats every time I get a cold. It’s always the first sign of a cold for me. But the sore throat I have now is different. First of all, I have no other symptoms of a cold, no congestion, no runny nose, no phlegm, nothing. I just have a sore throat.

I thought it might be strep or something (I’ve never had strep before), but I don’t have a fever and that seems to be a primary symptom of strep. The only other symptom I have is that my mouth tastes extremely bitter (this is not normal for me). The bitterness will go away after eating, but then it will come right back and right now, it’s so bad I almost can’t stand it. I’m sure my breath smells pretty bad, too.

Last night I woke up around 5:30 with the sore throat pain so severe that it was preventing me from falling back asleep, so I took Tylenol. Sore throats I get from colds are usually not that bad at all.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? Keep in mind I am a certified hypochondriac.