The main signs of pharyngitis are sore throat, dryness, sore and irritated, dry cough. After a few days, the cough becomes wet, discharge appears - mucus or pus. The causes of the development of the disease can be different. Most often, inflammation is provoked by exposure to cold air. The causative agents of the disease can be both viruses and fungi, and bacteria - in particular, staphylococci, pneumococci and streptococci. It may accompany other diseases: for example, acute respiratory infections, measles and scarlet fever usually also cause acute pharyngitis. Symptoms, treatment and course of the disease in this case depend on the underlying disease. For accurate diagnosis, additional studies may be necessary - for example, a throat swab.
The pharynx can also become inflamed due to polluted air that a person is forced to breathe for a long time, namely due to the presence of harmful substances in it or a large amount of dust (for example, in chemical or carpentry). In this case, in addition to treatment, the patient may be recommended a change of work - otherwise acute pharyngitis will most likely turn into a chronic form.
Acute pharyngitis, the treatment of which, as a rule, is simple, most often requires the use of local antiseptics (Strepsils, Septolete, etc.) and warm rinses, for example, decoctions of calendula and chamomile, solutions of furacilin, chlorophyllipt. Salt rinsing is undesirable, as it can increase irritation. Sprays (“Ingalipt”, “Hexoral”, “Tantum Verde”, etc.) are also useful. With bacterial pharyngitis, oral antibiotics are prescribed.
Pharyngitis is traditionally considered not a very serious disease, but do not underestimate it and try to carry it on your feet, as well as continue to lead your previous lifestyle (drink cold or very hot drinks, smoke). With an untreated disease, chronic pharyngitis often develops. Symptoms, treatment and the general picture of this disease depend on its form: catarrhal, granulosa and subatrophic chronic pharyngitis are distinguished.
Symptoms of catarrhal chronic pharyngitis are characteristic of most of its forms: swelling, redness and sore throat, worsening general condition. With granular pharyngitis, in addition, on the back wall of the pharynx there appear small sizes of formation of a bright red color - the so-called granules. In this case, in addition to physiotherapy, cauterization of the granules is shown: otherwise, defeating this pharyngitis, symptoms, treatment and course of which have their own specifics, will be quite difficult. The granules are treated with a solution of trichloroacetic acid or cauterized with liquid nitrogen. A good effect in this case also gives a laser treatment.
In older people, subatrophic pharyngitis often develops . Symptoms, treatment and its course are quite specific: in this case, it is impossible to completely restore the mucous membrane due to atrophic changes in it. The mucous membrane in this form of the disease is partially replaced by connective tissue. The main complaints of patients with subatrophic pharyngitis are the drying of the throat and the feeling of tickling in it. Patients may be recommended a course of special injections into the mucous membrane of the pharynx, which stimulate the formation of mucus and thereby eliminate unpleasant sensations. For this purpose, for example, a solution of aloe with novocaine can be used.
Only a specialist will be able to conduct a detailed examination and prescribe adequate treatment, depending on the reasons that caused pharyngitis. Symptoms in children and adults of the chronic form of this disease are usually less pronounced and often do not pay much attention to them, preferring to be treated independently. However, chronic pharyngitis can accompany diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or endocrine system, so a doctor’s consultation is necessary in this case.