What is it
Pharyngitis is an inflammation of the pharynx, the back of the throat, seat of the tonsils. In practice it is the common sore throat, in first place in the ranking of winter illnesses.
Most pharyngitis is viral in nature and often constitutes one of the most common symptoms of colds, more rarely it is caused by bacteria. It can be acute, and then tends to heal spontaneously, or chronic.
Causes
The main causes are viruses (especially those of colds and flu) and, to a lesser extent, bacteria such as streptococcus.
Contrary to popular belief, the cold does not directly induce a sore throat, while it can favor the attack of viruses and bacteria, as well as sudden changes in temperature between heated rooms and the outside.
Other causes of sore throats are alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking and smog, mainly responsible for chronic forms.
Even excessively heated and poorly ventilated rooms, or air conditioning, dust and irritating vapors are among the causes of pharyngitis.
The following table summarizes the main causes of pharyngitis, divided according to whether it is an acute or chronic form.
Acute pharyngitis | Chronic pharyngitis |
---|---|
Viral infections (Rhinovirus, Adenovirus, Herpesvirus) |
Evolution of untreated or unresolved acute pharyngitis |
Bacterial infections (group A B-hemolytic streptococcus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae) |
Nasal respiratory obstruction |
Alcohol and smoking abuse | |
Smog | |
Work environments with dry climate or the presence of dust or vapors |
Common symptoms
The main symptom is localized pain in the pharynx, usually accompanied by painful swallowing, itching or lumping sensation in the throat, hoarseness, local redness of the mucous membrane.
Enlargement of the tonsils, high fever, enlargement of the lymph nodes of the neck may also appear. Sometimes ear pain may also be present.
In the chronic form there are often no obvious symptoms or there is only lowering of the voice, but in the phases of exacerbation there is a feeling of tension in the back of the throat, located in a precise point. In the morning there is coughing and urgent need to scrape the throat.
Complications
The most feared complications occur in cases of pharyngitis caused by streptococcus, which can also involve lungs, heart, kidneys with the appearance of pneumonia, endocarditis or nephritis, or cause rheumatic fever.
For this reason it is good to carefully treat bacterial pharyngitis.
Treatment
In cases of acute pharyngitis, therapy is symptomatic and consists of taking over-the-counter analgesics and antipyretics. In addition to bed rest.
In these cases, doctors also recommend humidifying the environment and drinking plenty of water to counteract dehydration caused by fever.
If the origin of pharyngitis is bacterial, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate antibiotics.
In cases of chronic pharyngitis, it is necessary to trace the cause before proceeding with the correct drug therapy.
Propolis is a useful natural remedy, in case of pharyngitis. Read this article to learn more.
When to consult your doctor
Acute pharyngitis usually heals spontaneously: the symptoms disappear within 4 to 5 days.
The use of the doctor becomes necessary when the sore throat persists after a week, if the fever is very high, if a streptococcal infection is suspected, if breathing difficulties occur, or in case of frequent attacks
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
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