Throat Often Uncomfortable?Beware of Pharyngitis

Your throat is sore, dry and itchy, and you have difficulty swallowing …… These symptoms are coming in droves.However, please never stay awake and don’t be fooled by appearances into thinking this is the seasonal flu.Behind these symptoms, it is most likely pharyngitis at work!

Failure to recognize acute pharyngitis, entangled in chronic pharyngitis

Pharyngitis is a collective term for inflammation of the pharynx.Depending on how quickly the disease progresses, it can usually be divided into two categories: acute pharyngitis and chronic pharyngitis.

Acute pharyngitis has a rapid onset and progression, and usually presents with more severe pharyngeal symptoms in a short period of time – dry, itchy, burning, swollen and painful pharynx, and pain that worsens when swallowing.Since acute pharyngitis mainly develops in the fall, winter or the alternation of winter and spring seasons, it can easily be mistaken for seasonal flu, thus delaying treatment.

Acute pharyngitis attacks are dominated by pharyngeal symptoms, while influenza is often characterized by nasal congestion and runny nose, and systemic symptoms are more severe.

Acute pharyngitis is likely to develop into chronic pharyngitis if treatment is not timely.Chronic pharyngitis has a long course and is prone to recurrence, and although the symptoms may not seem serious, it is extremely stubborn and difficult to be cured once it occurs.

The main manifestation of chronic pharyngitis is discomfort and foreign body sensation in the pharynx, there will be a feeling that there is something in the throat but you can’t spit it out or swallow it, and it can be accompanied by slight pain.Therefore, the common style of patients with chronic pharyngitis is:

1.frequent swallowing (foreign body sensation in the pharynx is obvious);

2. frequent throat clearing and dry cough, but not easy to cough up sputum (pharyngeal secretions are viscous but limited in amount);

3. open-mouth breathing at night, and often irritating cough and nausea when waking up in the morning (the posterior wall of the pharynx is usually stuck by the more viscous secretions).

Chronic pharyngitis may flare up acutely in response to stronger stimuli, producing symptoms similar to those of acute pharyngitis.

Why is pharyngitis bothering me?

The occurrence of pharyngitis is inseparable from external environmental stimuli.Seasonal changes, air pollution, excessive smoke and dust, food irritation, and germ infections can all trigger pharyngitis.Among the most common triggers are the following three:

viral and bacterial infections of the pharynx;

2. infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract such as acute rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc. involving the pharynx;

3. allergens or irritants in the environment coming into contact with the pharyngeal mucous membranes, such as cigarette smoke.

If the stimulation of the above factors is strong, short, and the symptoms are severe, it is mostly manifested as acute pharyngitis; if the stimulation is weak but lasts for a long time, it is easy to develop into chronic pharyngitis.

In addition, incomplete treatment of acute pharyngitis, recurrent episodes, esophageal reflux and other diseases involving the pharynx, long-term loud talking or excessive use of the voice, etc. are also prone to induce chronic pharyngitis.Therefore, the incidence of chronic pharyngitis is higher among teachers, singers and other people in cities with poorer air environment.

Pharyngitis should be prevented early

Pharyngitis is time-consuming and laborious to treat, and it is better to prevent it early rather than treating it after the disease.The prevention of pharyngitis mainly starts from several aspects such as living habits, environment and prevention of other diseases.

In terms of life, it is important to maintain a healthy routine and avoid staying up late and overworking.

In terms of diet, it is advisable to eat more light and easy to digest food, quit smoking and limit alcohol.

Environmentally, try to avoid contact with smoke, dust or chemical fumes, and if there are such irritants in the work environment, take precautions in advance.

For disease prevention, it is important to actively prevent and promptly treat diseases such as inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and gastroesophageal reflux.

If you have pharyngitis, please treat it as soon as possible

If you already have pharyngitis, it is even more important to treat it as soon as possible.In reality, many people are suffering from chronic pharyngitis before seeking treatment.But the key to breaking the cycle of acute and chronic pharyngitis lies in the timely treatment of acute pharyngitis, to avoid the development of chronic pharyngitis, once there is no treatment as soon as possible, it is easy to fall into the seamless switch of acute and chronic pharyngitis throughout the year.

When symptoms similar to those of acute pharyngitis occur, you should seek medical attention and follow your doctor’s instructions.Generally, anti-inflammatory or desensitizing medications are required, and antibiotics may also be used when infection is suspected.In addition, patients themselves should try to avoid exposure to irritating environments, avoid loud talking, and take regular rest, adequate nutrition and hydration in order to cure acute pharyngitis early.These good living habits can also effectively prevent the recurrence of acute pharyngitis.

Chronic pharyngitis is treated by trying to get rid of the cause (the irritant) and by paying attention to lifestyle habits as well.Medications can then be used under a doctor’s supervision to relieve throat symptoms, such as some lozenges and gargles.Patients with severe symptoms may also be treated with ultrasonic nebulization or even laser or radiofrequency, but all need to be agreed with the doctor.

In contrast, chronic pharyngitis is often more difficult to cure due to its long duration and complex treatment.And many patients do not listen to the doctor’s advice, can not do on time to receive treatment, improve the bad habits, will make chronic pharyngitis more difficult to completely cure.Therefore, it is important to insist on treatment.