Diseases & Conditions Blog

What do Doctors call this Condition?

Pharyngitis

What is this Condition?

The most common throat disorder, sore throat is an acute or chronic inflammation of the pharynx, the passage between the mouth cavity and the esophagus. It’s widespread among adults who live or work in dusty or very dry environments, use their voices excessively, habitually use tobacco or alcohol, or suffer from chronic sinus infection, persistent coughs, or allergies.

What Causes it?

Sore throat is usually caused by a virus. The most common bacterial cause is group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. Other common causes include Mycoplasma and Chlamydia.

What are its Symptoms?

The person has a sore throat and slight difficulty in swallowing. Swallowing saliva is usually more painful than swallowing food. Sore throat may also cause the sensation of a lump in the throat as well as a constant, aggravating urge to swallow. Other symptoms may include mild fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and a runny nose. A sore throat usually subsides in 3 to 10 days.

How is it Diagnosed?

Physical exam of the pharynx reveals generalized redness and inflammation. Bacterial sore throat usually produces a large amount of drainage.

A throat culture may be performed to identifY bacterial organisms that may be the cause of the inflammation.

How is it Treated?

Treatment of acute viral sore throat is usually symptomatic, and consists mainly of rest, warm saline gargles, throat lozenges containing a mild anesthetic, plenty of fluids, and analgesics as needed. If the person can’t swallow fluids, he or she may have to go into the hospital for intravenous hydration.

The doctor will treat suspected bacterial sore throat with penicillin or another broad-spectrum antibiotic. The person will begin receiving antibiotic therapy while waiting for results of the throat culture. If the culture is positive (or if bacterial infection is suspected despite negative culture results), penicillin therapy will be continued for 10 days. Continued antibiotic therapy helps to prevent acute rheumatic fever.

Chronic sore throat requires the same supportive measures as acute sore throat but with greater emphasis on eliminating the underlying cause, such as an allergen. Preventive measures include providing room humidity and avoiding excessive air conditioner use. In addition, the person should be urged to stop smoking.

Laryngitis is usually caused by bacterial or viral infection of the larynx, or voice box, which is at the top of the trachea, or wind­pipe. The infection causes general inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx, including the vocal cords. In young children, because the opening of the larynx is very narrow, the swollen membrane sometimes interferes with breathing . Occasionally, laryngitis is caused simply by irritation and inflammation of the larynx without infection. This may be caused by tobacco smoke, alcohol, or excessive shouting, talking, or singing. The main symptom is hoarseness, which may lead to loss of voice in two or three days. Speaking may even become painful. There may be fever or other symptoms associated with influenza, or flue. Most people recover in a few days.

What are the Risks?

Uncomplicated attacks of laryngitis are not dangerous. The main risk is that a condition similar to laryngitis is one symptom of tumors in the larynx . Sometimes painful swallowing and earache associated with hoarseness are symptoms of tuberculosis that is spreading from the lungs. This is rare, but when it occurs the apparent laryngitis may be the first symptom

What should be done?

If you think you have laryngitis and you are otherwise in good condition, stay home, rest your voice, and do not smoke or drink alcohol until the inflammation clears up and you can talk normally. This improvement should take no more than four or five days. If hoarseness persists for more than a week, you may have chronic laryngitis. Consult your physician, who may question you about your general health and examine your throat. If there is no inflammation, you do not have laryngitis, and you may need diagnostic tests.

If your physician finds that you have chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, or tuberculosis, treatment of the underlying condition should relieve the laryngitis-like symptoms.