Obama Goes To Hospital For Sore Throat

President Barack Obama went to a hospital on Saturday after complaining about a sore throat, the White House announced.

According to the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, Dr. Jackson, the president’s physician, recommended he go to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington for diagnostic tests.

"According to Dr. Jackson, the test is a matter of convenience for the President, not a matter of urgency," the White House said.

The trip was unscheduled. The press pool, journalists who typically follow the president, had initially been dismissed for the day.

UPDATE: The White House released the following statement from Ronny L. Jackson, the president's physician, noting that Obama's symptoms were "consistent with soft tissue inflammation related to acid reflux."

This morning, an ear, nose and throat specialist from Fort Belvoir Medical Center conducted a fiber optic exam, under my supervision, of the President’s throat based on symptoms of sore throat over the past couple weeks. The exam revealed soft tissue swelling in the posterior throat and I, in consultation with the specialist, determined that further evaluation with a routine CT scan was prudent. The CT scan was conducted this afternoon purely as a matter of convenience for the President’s schedule. The CT scan was normal. The President’s symptoms are consistent with soft tissue inflammation related to acid reflux and will be treated accordingly.