President Barack Obama has briefly visited a hospital for tests as he has a persistent sore throat, the White House says.

Barack Obama had experienced a sore throat over “the past couple weeks”, which appeared to be caused by acid reflux, his doctor said.

The president had a fiber optic exam, followed by a CT scan, on December 6.

Acid reflux, where stomach acid leaks up the throat, is a common condition and is not considered serious.

The initial fiber optic exam “revealed soft tissue swelling in the posterior throat”, Barack Obama’s doctor, Ronny L. Jackson, said in a statement.

Dr. Ronny L. Jackson said that he decided “further evaluation with a routine CT scan was prudent”.

Barack Obama was given a CT scan at the Walter Reed military hospital. The results of the scan were normal, and the president would be treated for acid reflux, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson said.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that the quick scheduling of the scan was “a matter of convenience for the president, not a matter of urgency”.