Inflammation of the pharynx: possible causes, symptoms and treatment

Inflammation of the pharynx and larynx is a common disease that affects children and adults during periods of weakened immunity. More often it is diagnosed in autumn and winter, since at this time the frequency of development of respiratory pathologies increases. Pharyngitis is very rarely an independent disease. More often it is combined with other pathological conditions.

General description of the pathology

The human throat is lined with a delicate mucous membrane, which actively reacts to any negative factors. Often diagnosed with its defeat in middle-aged and elderly people, however, it is also common in children. Moreover, the child has an acute form of the disease.

The throat is anatomically divided into several parts. Pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) in most cases is of a viral or bacterial nature. According to statistics, in men this disease is diagnosed more often than in women.

Causes of the appearance of pathology

The causes of pharyngeal inflammation are various: inhalation of dirty or too cold air, infection, exposure to chemicals. Additional provoking factors are:

• Fungal or viral damage to the mucous membrane.
• Caries, sinusitis, rhinitis.
• Individual structural features of the tissues of the pharynx and larynx, as a result of which the inflammatory process often occurs.
• Long-term influence of external negative factors: inhalation of smoke, exhaust gases, chemical fumes.
• Smoking, alcohol abuse.
• Allergy.
• The use of certain drugs that contribute to dry mucous membranes.
• Constant tension of the muscles of the pharynx in teachers, singers, broadcasters.
• Disruption of the endocrine system, hormonal failure.
• Structural features of the facial part of the skull.
• Mechanical damage to the mucous membranes.
• Diabetes.
• Lack of functionality of the kidneys, liver, respiratory organs, heart.
• Reduced moisture in the air.
• Hypothermia.
• Inflammation of the salivary glands.

Frequent exposure to acute respiratory viral infections also causes inflammation of the pharynx and larynx. To treat pathology at home is possible only after a visit to the doctor. Otherwise, complications are possible.

Pathology classification

Inflammation of the pharynx can have a different location and cause. Before starting treatment, you need to determine the type of disease. Classification of pathology is presented in the table.

Inflammation of the pharynx is an unpleasant disease, which is accompanied by pain, sore throat and other symptoms. Without timely and proper treatment, complications may occur.

Symptoms of pathology

Common symptoms of pharyngeal inflammation are as follows:

• Fatigue and dry throat, moderate pain.
• General weakness.
• A slight increase in temperature.
• Dry cough.

On palpation examination by a doctor, an increase in cervical lymph nodes is noted, and pain can spread to the ears. In chronic inflammation of the pharynx, the intensity of the symptoms is small. However, the patient becomes more irritable.

Viscous mucus often appears on the affected tissues. Another symptom of the inflammatory process is increased salivation, stuffy ears.

If the pathology is complicated, then it is characterized by such signs:

• Strong headache.
• Lump and pain in the throat (and not only when swallowing).
• Redness of the mucous membranes.
• Trouble swallowing.

Sometimes the patient sits a voice. In any case, the patient should consult a specialist. But there are cases when he needs emergency care: with prolonged sore throat, which cannot be eliminated with the prescribed drugs; with loss of voice for more than a week. You should not delay a visit to the clinic at high temperature, pain in the ears and joints, the appearance of blood in sputum or saliva. Call a doctor if swallowing and breathing are difficult.

Diagnosis of the disease

Determining acute or chronic pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) is difficult only by symptoms. To make an accurate diagnosis, a thorough examination is necessary.

It includes:

1. Initial visual inspection in good light, listening to patient complaints and taking an anamnesis.
2. General and biochemical analysis of blood and urine.
3. Microscopic examination of sputum.
4. Pharyngoscopy. It is carried out in good light using a mirror. Sometimes this procedure requires the use of anesthetics (for people with severe gag reflex).
5. Laryngoscopy
6. The immunogram.

With a complicated course of inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, tomography can be prescribed. In any case, the diagnosis should be differential. Doctors rarely do without instrumental methods of research.

General treatment recommendations

Symptoms and treatment of inflammation of the pharynx largely depend on the type of pathology. However, regardless of the classification of the disease, there are general principles of therapy:

1. During treatment, a person should be at home, observe bed rest, not make contact with other people, since a weakened body can catch an additional infection.
2. Sleep enough hours at night, do not ignore daytime rest. So the body will recover faster, and the immune system will become stronger.
3. Replenish the diet with foods rich in vitamins and minerals. The menu should consist of easily digestible dishes of soft consistency. They must be warm.
4. In the room you need to put a humidifier.
5. In order for pathogenic microorganisms to be eliminated faster, you need to drink a sufficient amount of liquid.
6. In the fight against pharyngitis, warm compresses based on medicinal herbs will help.

In order to quickly get rid of the inflammatory process, it is necessary to stop smoking and drinking alcohol.

Traditional treatment for the disease

Treatment of inflammation of the pharynx is prescribed by a specialist. It is not recommended to use drugs on their own, as they can aggravate the situation (some drugs dry the mucous membrane severely). If the acute form of the pathology proceeds without pronounced disorders of the general condition of the body, then symptomatic therapy is prescribed to the person.

Typically, the patient requires:

1. Antibacterial agents, as well as antiseptics: "Faringosept", "Orasept", preparations based on iodine, essential oils, "Chlorhexidine", "Ingalipt". They kill pathogens, restoring local immunity and helping the mucosa recover. Most often they are used in the form of sprays. They are not always suitable for the treatment of children, as they can cause a serious allergic reaction in them.
2. Antibiotics: sulfonamides, Framycetin. They are necessary if the cause of the development of the pathology is a bacterial infection. They are used for at least 5-7 days.
3. Multivitamin preparations to strengthen general and local immunity.
4. Lozenges for resorption, which not only eliminate pain, but also reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process: Strepsils.
5. Inhalations with dimexide, as well as rinsing with decoctions of herbs, solutions of essential oils.
6. Antipyretic drugs: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. They need to be given to the patient only if the temperature has risen above 38 degrees.
7. Antiviral: Cycloferon.
8. Antiallergic drugs: Zirtek, Claritin, Diazolin. They are used to eliminate swelling of the mucous membranes of the pharynx.

Physiotherapeutic procedures are equally useful. They help accelerate the healing of damaged tissues, enhance the effect of drugs. The following procedures are most effective: UHF, electrophoresis, darsonvalization. It is also important to eliminate all negative external factors that can provoke the inflammatory process.

Surgery is required in exceptional cases. Most often, chemical or physical cauterization of overgrown foci is carried out. Surgery is necessary for complications of pathology.

Alternative methods of therapy

It is possible to treat inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa at home with the help of folk remedies. In this case, the disease should not be complicated. Herbs help destroy pathogenic microflora, produce an antiseptic, softening and analgesic effect. Such recipes will be useful:

1. Bath based on essential oils. Thyme or eucalyptus oil is taken for it. Dry plants can also be used. In the second case, 1 liter of hot liquid and 2 tbsp. Are required. l thyme. Water is infused for half an hour. Next, the liquid must be filtered and added to the bath.
2. Carnation buds. They should just be chewed. Take 2-3 buds. The procedure is repeated every 3-4 hours. After 1-2 days, the patient's condition improves markedly.
3. Salty water. It is used to gargle. 1 teaspoon should be dissolved in 0.5 liters of warm water. salt. Use the product in a warm form every hour. Swallowing liquids is prohibited.
4. Chamomile broth. A warm compress is made from it. Requires 1 tbsp. l dry flowers and 1-2 glasses of boiling water. 5 minutes are enough for insisting. Next, the liquid should be filtered, dip a terry towel in it and attach to the neck. Holds the compress until it cools completely.
5. Cones and pine needles. They are used for inhalation. It is necessary to steam 20 cones with a glass of boiling water. It is enough to carry out 4-6 procedures for 5 minutes. It is important to observe precautions when using an inhaler, so as not to burn the mucous membrane of the throat. Most often, such a remedy is used in the acute form of the disease.
6. Melissa. This herb is able to eliminate pain and reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process. It is used not only for inhalation, but also for gargling. It takes 15 g of grass per 200 ml of water. It is allowed to replace melissa with peppermint.
7. A mixture of grated horseradish, honey and chopped garlic. Each component is taken in 1 tsp. Next, the mixture is poured into a glass of warm liquid. The resulting product must be drunk, stirring occasionally. You can also use it for rinsing.
8. Aloe juice. They need to treat the affected surface of the mucous membrane.
9. Potatoes. An effective way to get rid of pharyngitis is to inhale steam of boiled potatoes.
10. Ginger. The root of the plant must be chopped, steamed with boiling water and let it brew for at least 20 minutes. You can drink the remedy like tea. To improve the taste, honey or lemon is added to the liquid.
11. Picking herbs. It takes 5 g of yarrow and 10 g of peppermint, rosehip petals. The mixture in an amount of 10 g is poured into a glass of cold liquid and infused for up to 2 hours. You need to take the product in a hot form at bedtime, 200 ml each. It is allowed to add honey to the liquid.
12. Calamus root and chamomile. From these plants make a decoction. It takes 10 g of root and 200 ml of boiling water. Next, a decoction of chamomile is prepared (15 g of raw materials per 200 ml of hot water). After that, both liquids are mixed and used to rinse. For each procedure, only 50-100 ml of the drug is enough.
13. Alcohol propolis extract (1 tsp) and peach oil (2 tsp). Both components must be mixed and lubricated the affected parts of the pharynx. This medicine is more effective for chronic inflammation.

Folk remedies are used for complex treatment after consultation with a doctor. They should not be used alone for monotherapy. Plants are not always able to completely rid a person of a problem.

Possible complications

If the therapy for inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa was carried out incorrectly, then the patient develops such complications:

• The pathological process becomes chronic, and getting rid of it completely will not work.
• Peritonsillar abscess. In this case, the vessels and mucous membrane are destroyed, and the infection enters the bloodstream.
• Sepsis.
• Pharyngeal abscess.
• Tracheitis, laryngitis or bronchitis in a chronic form.
• Joint rheumatism (acute).
• Inflammation of the auditory tube and inner ear.
• Lymphadenitis of the neck.
• Sialadenitis.
• Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.

Some of these complications cannot be eliminated without serious medication. In some cases, surgical treatment will be required, so it is better not to start the disease. In addition, the consequences of pathology can be life threatening.

Disease prevention

Chronic inflammation of the pharynx is a difficult disease, which is difficult to completely get rid of. Lack of qualified treatment or self-medication leads to it. In order to prevent chronicization of the process or the development of the acute form of the disease, it is necessary to observe the following preventive measures:

• In the cold season, the throat must be kept warm (drinking cold water is also undesirable).
• In time and correctly treat any infectious foci in the body, regardless of the cause of their occurrence.
• If a person has problems with the digestive system, then he needs to sleep on the raised head of the bed so that stomach acid does not throw into the esophagus.
• With frequent diseases of the throat, too cold or hot food should be excluded from the diet, since it irritates the mucous membranes.
• To strengthen immunity, use vitamin preparations.
• During epidemics of respiratory diseases or during forced inhalation of dusty (contaminated) air at work, it is better for a person to wear individual protective masks.
• Avoid places where smokers are present.
• If a person is prone to allergic reactions, then he must take all measures to stop the attack.
• Use personal hygiene products and utensils.
• Do not forget about the rules of personal hygiene. If it is not possible to wash your hands, you can wipe them with a disinfectant cloth.

Pharyngitis in itself is not dangerous to human life. Disastrous consequences may result in its complications. Therefore, at the very first symptoms of the development of the inflammatory process, you need to contact a specialist. It is better to refuse self-medication.