Uvulitis is an inflammation of the tongue in the throat. This disease appears suddenly, there are pains, a feeling of the presence of a foreign body, as well as breathing problems. Due to coughing, a person’s well-being only worsens. Patients develop acute pain with movement of the tongue and some other concomitant problems.
Description of the disease
With this pathology, many patients sometimes notice that the tongue in the throat is swollen. The causes of this symptom are completely different. We will consider them a little later. It should be noted that the tongue with a similar pathology can increase in size, hurt, acquire a different shade, including blue, covered with a film. Often spots or plaque can form on it. Due to the fact that it hangs and touches the root of the tongue, this can cause the appearance of vomiting reflexes. Therefore, the consequences of puffiness are not very pleasant.
The palatine tongue is a small organ that cannot become a source of problems by itself. Sometimes there are cases: a person notices that a small tongue is swollen in his throat to such an extent that he has trouble breathing. It is located in the soft palate, is a smooth muscle organ. From above it is covered with a mucous membrane. In the tongue there are many capillaries, venules and so on. Edema can occur with tonsillitis, pharyngitis or stomatitis of an infectious nature.
The palatine tongue performs many useful functions. It plays a role in sound production, prevents foreign bodies from getting into the larynx, redistributes the air flows that penetrate the throat, promotes the appearance of vomiting and coughing, and also warms up oxygen. If the tongue becomes inflamed, then any of the functions listed may be impaired.
Causes of occurrence
Why does the tongue swell in the throat? This is a pretty topical issue. Causes may be infections. Even the simplest microorganisms, bacteria, viruses and fungi can contribute to inflammation. Sometimes such symptoms are caused by chronic foci that already exist in a person. Also, in addition to swelling, pain, hyperemia, dysfunction, and so on appear. The tongue can become inflamed due to too long and regular consumption of alcohol, certain medications, hypothermia, snoring, smoking, and also because of rupture of blood vessels.
If we consider the diseases that cause swelling, then these are injuries and burns in the mouth, tumors, allergies, tonsillitis and pharyngitis, diseases associated with dentistry, infectious pathologies, and purulent inflammation in the neck.
Mild stage symptoms
When a person notices that he has a swollen tongue in his throat, what to do is an important issue for him. How to answer depends entirely on the symptoms and causes of the infection. At the initial stage of inflammation, there are practically no manifestations. Breathing problems do not develop. A person in the beginning only feels that his voice is changing, unpleasant manifestations appear during a conversation, as well as a feeling of a foreign body in the throat.
In the process of development of the pathology, the tongue increases slightly, swells quite slowly and slightly. Moreover, the general condition of the patient is quite satisfactory.
Symptoms of moderate and severe stages
If we talk about a disease of moderate and severe degree, then the clinical symptoms will be more noticeable. There are urges to vomit, weakness, fever, drooping tongue to the root, swelling and hyperemia, rhinitis, dysphonia.
These symptoms become more unbearable during eating. They are also noticeable when a person sneezes or coughs. People who underwent tonsillectomy are most susceptible to this disease. If the tongue is covered with plaque, then it will become white. The described organ may become red. With the development of the disease, it increases significantly. If a person does not begin to be treated in time, then he may experience asphyxiation. Diagnosis is carried out using pharyngoscopic examination. Sometimes the tip of the tongue can acquire a blue tint, covered with a special false film, which prevents the performance of functions.
Treatment
If the palatine tongue in the throat is swollen, what to do - the doctor should explain. Therapy should primarily be prescribed with a bias in order to completely get rid of the underlying disease that caused inflammation. Using complex methods, you can quickly restore the balance and normal condition of the patient. If we talk about general recommendations, if you have such symptoms, you need to constantly ventilate your room, observe personal hygiene rules, use separate dishes, moisten the air, do regular cleaning and do not eat foods that irritate your throat, give up bad habits, and also drink more water in order to restore balance in the body.
Traditional medicine
If a person is worried that he has a swollen small tongue in his throat, what to do will tell the otolaryngologist. It is to him that it is necessary to address a similar problem. Sometimes, for some reason, people cannot choose how to be treated: traditional or folk medicine. If the patient prefers the first option, then a doctor should be visited. He will prescribe a course of medicines, and also advise the means by which you can treat the oral cavity. As a rule, these are decoctions of sage or chamomile. It is also allowed to use an antiseptic spray.
In order to prescribe antibiotics, the doctor must first conduct special tests. They will determine the microflora of the oral cavity. Only after that it is allowed to prescribe antibiotics to the patient. Most often they use “Azithromycin”, “Ciprofloxacin” and some others. These are a wide range of drugs. As a rule, they have a therapeutic effect even when other diseases of the oral cavity occur.
If we are talking about allergic inflammation, then diuretics, antihistamines or glucocorticosteroid drugs are used. The latter are prescribed when a person has breathing problems. If the case of swelling is neglected, then the doctors prescribe a tracheostomy. Also, for the treatment of such a pathology, they are sent to quartz, phototherapy, electrophoresis and many other procedures.
Folk methods
When a person notices that he has a swollen tongue in his throat for any reason, then you can choose traditional medicine for treatment. As a rule, they use either inhalation, or infusions or medicinal herbs, from which various products are made.
- A broth of viburnum is well suited. It must be made from dried fruits. They need to be cooked for half an hour using a water bath.
- Excellent reviews received garlic infusion. You can cook it using directly garlic. The latter must be ground and add boiled water to it. You need to insist 5 hours.
- If a person wants to use raspberries, then the leaves and stems should be brewed in boiling water for half an hour. It is necessary to take a container with a volume of glass.
- The collection of onion husks should also be poured with fairly hot water. Next, you need to insist 4 hours. You can’t drink it, you just need to rinse your mouth.
Many patients who have a swollen tongue in their throats use a collection of St. John's wort, thyme and sage. However, it should be noted that you need to do it on vodka, and the process of preparing the tincture itself takes a week. It is recommended to take it, 40 drops inside.
With regard to inhalation, you can use essential oils. As a rule, patients choose the option of fir, cedar and eucalyptus. You can make a decoction of the kidneys of pine and thyme. They need to add eucalyptus oil and inhalation. A diuretic can be a rosehip infusion. Also for the treatment of an inflamed tongue, it is useful to use a decoction of anise and linden tea.
Germs
If a person has a swollen tongue in his throat, and he, taking antihistamines, does not feel relief, then most likely the problem is the development of microorganisms. In this case, the doctor should prescribe antiviral agents. If, as a result of the analyzes, it was revealed that any pathogenic microorganisms provoked the pathology, then antibiotics will have to be used. Quite often, the doctor prescribes some sprays with anti-inflammatory drugs. They can reduce pain, as well as remove the infectious process.
Burns
If the patient has a swollen tongue in his throat, then sometimes this can occur due to injury. One of these options should be noted burn. If similar symptoms appeared after exposure to fairly high temperatures, then you can do without treatment by a doctor. It is allowed to use ordinary folk remedies. Often used a decoction of chamomile or sage. After a few days, the organ will begin to recover and the pain will disappear.