All of us have had a sore throat at least once in our lives. Usually we tiredly dismissed the symptoms, drank hot tea with raspberries and talked hoarsely for some time. But this did not stop us from attending school, university or going to work, because the symptoms are minor. And we never wondered if pharyngitis is contagious or not. Because they didn’t even know that this sore throat is called pharyngitis.
Definition
Pharyngitis is a contagious disease that manifests itself in acute or chronic inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa and is accompanied by pain, tickle and general discomfort.
From the anatomical point of view, the pharynx is divided into three sections:
- upper - nasopharynx;
- medium - oropharynx;
- lower - larynx.
Therefore, pathological processes can be divided according to the same principle. Of course, all this is rather arbitrary, but for the formulation of the diagnosis it is of fundamental importance. Viral or bacterial agents do not really understand where what is. They diffusely contaminate the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and move down. The presence of morphological changes in the tissues gives clinicians the opportunity to determine certain nosological units, for example, acute nasopharyngitis, with some conventionality .
Causes
Pharyngitis is a contagious disease, but it is not bacteria and viruses that provoke it at all, but the banal inhalation of cold or toxic air. And already pneumococci, staphylococci, viruses or fungi join physical or chemical damage to the mucosa. Often the focus of inflammation is already in the oral cavity, for example, a carious tooth, stomatitis, rhinitis or sinusitis.
The main causative agents of pharyngitis are rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, adenoviruses, influenza viruses and parainfluenza. Herpes viruses, enteroviruses, Coxsackie, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and others are rare. Is herpes pharyngitis contagious? Yes, of course. But he is so rarely found in clinical practice that it is not worth the alarm. And in order to get infected, you need to make serious efforts.
Types of Pharyngitis
Globally, two forms of pharyngitis are distinguished: acute and chronic. The acute form develops after a short period of time after the aggression factor has been exposed to the pharyngeal mucosa (toxins, chemically active substances, cold, heat, microorganisms and protozoa). Chronic pharyngitis occurs as a result of an incomplete treatment of an acute form or as an independent disease, if the irritant acts on the mucous membrane for a long time. This form provides for the presence of phases of exacerbation and remission.
The most common form of pharyngitis is catarrhal, but, in addition to it, there is also atrophic, granulosa and mixed. Is granular pharyngitis contagious? It is difficult to answer this question. Most likely, yes, since granulations are caused by some kind of pathogen. But it is difficult to rely on the research of foreign colleagues, since they do not have such a nosological unit, and pharyngitis is, rather, a collective concept that combines a large number of diseases of the throat.
Symptoms
Is acute pharyngitis contagious? The answer is categorically positive. It is characterized by discomfort in the throat: soreness, pain when swallowing saliva, dryness. Of the common symptoms, subfebrile temperature, weakness, drowsiness, loss of appetite, and general malaise can be observed. Inflammation of the lymphoid tissue of the pharynx is accompanied by irradiating pain in the direction of the auricles. Palpation of the cervical and submandibular lymph nodes is painful. Acute pharyngitis can be manifestations of measles, scarlet fever, rubella.
Atrophic pharyngitis is characterized by thinning of the mucosa. She looks dry, covered with mucus and is easily injured. Thickened vessels may be visible on its surface. With a hypertrophic form, areas of thickening of the lymphoid tissue are primarily striking. They are randomly located on the back of the throat. In addition, there is an increase in the palatine and pharyngeal tonsils.
Factors Contributing to Chronic Pharyngitis
Under certain conditions, chronic pharyngitis develops from the mucosa, as well as the specific effects of an aggressive factor. Is he contagious? Generally not. This is due to the fact that the etiology of this disease may not be associated with a bacterial, viral or fungal pathogen. But if an acute process preceded chronic pharyngitis, then the ability to infect is preserved.
Among the factors that provoke the appearance of chronic pharyngitis are:
- structural features of the pharyngeal mucosa and digestive tract;
- long-term constant exposure to trigger factors (dust, dry and cold air, chemicals);
- frequent breathing through the mouth;
- smoking;
- allergy;
- endocrine pathology;
- hypovitaminosis A;
- cardiac, pulmonary or renal failure.
For the chronic form of pharyngitis, fever and a significant deterioration in the general condition, as well as uncomfortable symptoms, are uncharacteristic. Patients talk about how they seem to have a lump in their throat that cannot be swallowed or coughs. Cough, by the way, is frequent, dry and persistent. These symptoms irritate patients and interfere with their usual affairs.
Diagnostics
No specific technique is required to diagnose pharyngitis. How many days will the patient be contagious after the detection of the disease? Most likely, until catarrhal phenomena pass , as a cough promotes the spread of the pathogen, as with any other infectious disease.
The otorhinolaryngologist uses only his experience to identify specific symptoms in the patient. He examines the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx, palpates the lymph nodes, asks for a cough. In order to determine the pathogen, a scraping is done from the mucosa. A glass slide is sent to the bacteriological laboratory so that after a series of tests, stains and seeding, the doctor finds out which microorganism caused the inflammation.
Treatment
Before treatment, you need to determine whether pharyngitis is contagious or not? Rather yes than no. It all depends on the reason that caused it. If this is smoking, then such a person does not pose any threat to society, but if it is suddenly staphylococcus or streptococcus, then you need to prepare for the fact that all close people will also get sick soon. Therefore, treatment should begin with the elimination of the irritating factor.
Further treatment is carried out under the supervision of a doctor and only according to his recommendations. A sparing diet is prescribed to patients so that pieces of solid food do not injure the mucous membrane. As distracting therapy, hot foot baths, compresses on the front of the neck, inhalation with warm steam and gargling with warm soda solution are used. Catarrhal pharyngitis, as a rule, does not require antibiotics.
If necessary, antimicrobials are prescribed in the form of rinses, inhalations, insufflations, tablets or lozenges. The main requirements for them are:
- a wide range of actions;
- low toxic effect and reduced absorption rate from the mucosa;
- lack of an allergic reaction;
- the medicine should not irritate the mucous membrane.
Most drugs come in the form of tablets or lozenges. This form is easy to apply and can be applied on affected tissue.
Treatment of pharyngitis during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a very delicate condition, so any disease brings a lot of discomfort to both the mother and the unborn baby. The difficulty is that almost all drugs are not suitable for treatment.
Therefore, all that doctors can do is recommend a woman to ensure complete peace of throat. That is, do not eat rough food, as well as fried, salty and spicy, do not talk much and loudly, do not overcool. Periodically, gargle with saline and soda solutions. And you also need to drink warm liquid almost constantly. It can be tea or milk, fruit drinks or compote to your taste.
Folk remedies
After all the ups and downs, the doctor still diagnosed pharyngitis. Whether a person is contagious or not, you still have to be treated. If traditional medicine is not to your taste, then today there are many recipes for unconventional methods of treatment. Typically, patients manage to combine these two methods.
Traditional medicine claims that the easiest way to treat pharyngitis is to rinse with sea water. You can gargle with it or rinse the nasopharynx as you like. The bactericidal properties of this fluid reduce inflammation and eliminate bacteria.
Well perceived by the body and herbal baths. If during bathing add eucalyptus oil or thyme tincture to the water. They have a restorative and warming effect. There is advice that, at the first sign of sore throat, you need to chew a few buds of cloves, the one that has spice. This should be done every three to four hours, until the subjective condition improves.
Prevention
Naturally, it is better to prevent the disease than subsequently treat pharyngitis. A person who is sick or not is contagious, but strengthening his own body will never hurt. Therefore, you need to get rid of bad habits and begin to temper in the morning. At least once a day, you need to ventilate the room in which you are constantly located, and also carry out wet cleaning every couple of days to get rid of pathogenic microorganisms.
To exclude irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa by the contents of the esophagus and stomach, do not eat or drink two hours before bedtime. You can still raise the head of the bed, then the acidic liquid will not be able to get to the throat. And the last tip: change your toothbrush every three months. Bacteria accumulate on its bristles, which, with minor damage to the mucosa, can cause inflammation.