To date, pharyngitis is considered a very common disease not only in adults, but also in children. It is an inflammation that forms on the back of the pharynx. Moreover, the symptoms of pharyngitis can be completely different, as well as the symptoms of this disease.
Please note that this ailment should be treated immediately, otherwise the consequences can be dire.
Symptoms of Acute Pharyngitis
Find out the signs of this disease is easy. First you need to determine body temperature. If it ranges from 37.5-38 degrees, then this may indicate the presence of inflammation in the upper part of the pharynx. However, this symptom is not the only one. Most often, pharyngitis, the first signs of which are described in this article, manifests itself as an unpleasant sensation in the throat.
It is usually very difficult for a patient to swallow. In this case, there is excessive dryness in the throat. Very often, you can notice the patient's wheezing during sleep. In this case, a general malaise of the whole organism will be felt.
If you notice at least one of the symptoms listed above, head to the hospital immediately. Your doctor will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe an effective treatment.
Usually, in this case, the ENT will conduct a pharyngoscopy, during which reddening of the throat, as well as thickening of the vessels, will be detected. To determine a more accurate diagnosis, a throat swab is usually taken, and general tests are also prescribed.
The most common cause of pharyngitis is the presence of viral infections in the body. Therefore, the course of treatment should be comprehensive, and aimed at eliminating all the possible causes of the development of the disease.
At the same time, in order to successfully cure the disease, the patient must necessarily follow a diet. It is forbidden to eat hot, cold, very acidic and spicy dishes, as well as drink excessive amounts of water. If treatment is started on time, then an uninvited ailment will leave the body in about a week.
What is chronic pharyngitis
Chronic pharyngitis is a very unpleasant disease that can accompany an injured person for months. Most often, this form of the disease is caused by:
- bad ecology;
- excessive consumption of alcohol and cigarettes;
- caries;
- weakened immunity;
- problems with the digestive system.
What does pharyngitis look like?
Pharyngitis is an infectious disease. In this case, not only the throat suffers, but also the lymph nodes, as well as the mucous membranes.
Signs of pharyngitis can be different, but most often the throat becomes inflamed and swollen, acquires a red tint.
Each patient may have different manifestations of the disease. In some patients, a large number of red dots appear on the throat itself; someone has enlarged lymph nodes. In this case, a large amount of mucus or pus appears. Usually, the tongue takes on a whitish hue, and breathing is not so easy.
Pharyngitis in adults
Signs of pharyngitis in adults are characteristic. Most often, this is an increase in body temperature, as well as general malaise and weakness. Of course, it is very difficult to determine the type of disease by such signs. However, after a short period of time, others join these symptoms, which will accurately indicate the presence of pharyngitis in the body.
It is worth paying attention to such signs of pharyngitis in adults:
- inflammation of the mucous membranes;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- dry throat;
- sensation in the throat of a foreign object;
- Ear pain and hearing loss;
- sometimes a very painful cough occurs.
In no case should you self-medicate. There are many diseases with signs of pharyngitis. Only after consulting a doctor and passing all the necessary tests, treatment can be prescribed. It is imperative to determine what exactly caused such an unpleasant ailment.
Infantile pharyngitis: symptoms
Most often, the child’s immunity is much weaker than that of an adult, so it will not be difficult for a child to get pharyngitis. The signs of pharyngitis in children may differ slightly from the symptoms of an adult, so in any case, specialist advice is necessary. Symptoms of the disease will appear very soon after its onset. Most often, typical symptoms are severe sore throat, as well as irritated and constantly watery eyes.
At the same time, there are such signs of a disease in a child as:
- severe pain during swallowing movements;
- sore and red throat ;
- The frequent occurrence of noise in the head;
- a sharp increase in body temperature;
- noticeable inflammation on the tonsils;
Very often, children get sick with the viral type of pharyngitis. In this case, even doctors are not able to cope with the disease. The body will do everything by itself. The task of adults is to alleviate symptoms.
Key recommendations for treating childhood pharyngitis
This disease will disappear much faster if the patient will consume a large amount of fluid. It is very important to pay attention to the temperature of the drink. It should be just warm. It is better to forget about cold and hot liquids for a while.
Be sure to gargle with warm water. It will also speed up the healing process. In order to reduce unpleasant and painful sensations, you can arrange gargling with warm water and salt. Such a procedure will well remove puffiness.
Observe the humidity of the room in which the child is located. During illness, try to make the atmosphere as humid as possible. You can use a humidifier for this. Or simply place an open container of water in the room. Increased humidity will help reduce sore throat, as well as reduce irritation of the mucous membranes.
If the baby has a too high body temperature, it will be better if you beat it with the help of special medications.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic pharyngitis
Chronic pharyngitis is distinguished from acute by the duration of the disease. In this case, inflammation most often focuses on the mucous membranes and lymph nodes.
Usually the disease develops very slowly. There may be periods of calm, after which the disease resumes again. Such a cycle can go on for ages.
Signs of chronic pharyngitis usually depend on the form of the disease. But in any case, this ailment is completely treatable. The main thing is to see a doctor and start treatment on time. In order to cure the disease itself, it is necessary to influence the factors that constantly provoke it.
Treatment of chronic pharyngitis
Of course, to cure pharyngitis, the signs, the symptoms of which are described in this article, is not easy, but possible. To do this, you must follow some recommendations:
- the complete exclusion of smoking and alcohol from your life;
- you need to start using antibiotics prescribed by your doctor;
- during an exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to use anti-inflammatory drugs, also a good effect has a gargle with healing decoctions of herbs;
- Inhalations also have a good effect, but you also need to talk about this with the otolaryngologist.
Is it possible to cure pharyngitis at home
Any experienced doctor will say that self-medication in the presence of this disease is definitely not worth it. However, there are a number of recommendations that can help alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
Signs of pharyngitis, visible with the naked eye, indicate that treatment should be started immediately. In addition to the drugs prescribed by the doctor, you can perform several operations at home, which will not only not harm your body, but also accelerate the healing process.
Use an inhaler regularly, and you will notice how inflammation decreases and breathing becomes much easier. Regular gargling with various herbs also has good results. However, in this case, pick up such herbal preparations that will definitely not cause you allergies. In this case, decoctions of chamomile, pine and calendula help very well. Gargle as often as possible, and the results will not take long.
Pay attention to cocoa butter. It will saturate the body with useful substances, and alleviate the symptoms of an accompanying cough.
Proper treatment
Pharyngitis, the signs of the disease of which are described in this article, needs immediate and proper treatment. At the first sign of a disease, you should immediately consult a doctor. If this is done on time, then drug treatment will successfully cope with the disease. However, for each patient, all medications must be selected individually. Therefore, do not listen to the advice of friends who have successfully dealt with the disease.
There are very serious forms of pharyngitis that are not amenable to medical treatment. In this case, the problem can only be solved surgically.
Antibiotic use
Signs of pharyngitis (a photo of the disease can be seen in this article) is a signal for the beginning of immediate treatment, which is sometimes done with antibiotics.
In this case, each patient signs an individual regimen of the drug. Therefore, it is better not to study the method of use indicated in the instructions.
Antibiotic treatment should last until the disease has completely disappeared. Otherwise, interrupting treatment, you can only worsen health indicators.
Do not forget that antibiotics should not be combined with alcohol. This can cause irreparable harm to your health.
Diet
Pharyngitis (signs, treatment of this disease are described in the article) is an infectious disease, so doctors recommend that you follow a certain diet so that the disease leaves the patient’s body faster.
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, because during the illness, immunity is weakened, and the body needs large doses of vitamins. However, avoid foods that are high in acid.
Eat large quantities of dairy products, as well as steamed meat.
You will have to completely limit the use of fatty and fried foods, as well as alcohol and spices. And of course, in no case do not drink cold and hot drinks.
Determination of symptoms of pharyngitis in children under one year old
Children of all ages are equally affected by this disease, and infants are no exception. The disease may have an allergic, bacterial and viral etymology. However, it can occur at absolutely any time of the year.
Very often, pharyngitis is a consequence of other diseases, such as adenoiditis and tonsillitis.
Most often, an sore throat can be seen in babies, very rarely in the fresh air. It is also worth paying attention to the humidity in the apartment. The air should not be excessively dry.
It is very difficult to determine the symptoms of the disease in the baby, since he will not be able to say what exactly is bothering him. But still it is real.
A baby's eyes may begin to watery, insomnia will appear, and behavior will also change. In the oral cavity, you can notice the presence of red dots and bubbles. Also, the back of the pharynx looks swollen.
As soon as you notice at least one of these symptoms, immediately call a pediatrician. Only he can choose the right treatment. The correct diagnosis can be established only after passing certain tests. In no case do not prescribe antibiotics yourself, as you can only aggravate your situation.
Prevention
By recognizing the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis in adults, and starting treatment on time, many health problems can be avoided. However, it is even better if you prevent the disease. This is not so difficult to do. Take care of your health in general. The first thing you need to pay attention to is immunity. Enter the maximum amount of foods rich in vitamins and essential minerals in your diet. Try to lead a healthy lifestyle, get rid of bad habits and go in for sports.
Also pay attention to how you deal with viral diseases that bother you. Be sure to finish them to the end. Especially if you are taking antibiotic treatment.
But if you still notice signs of the disease, immediately go to the doctor. The sooner you do this, the better. Be sure to follow all his recommendations, and do not ignore home procedures in the form of inhalations and rinses. Ventilate the apartment as often as possible and monitor air humidity.
Do not forget that it is much easier to cope with any disease if it is at the initial stage. Watch your health and it will thank you!