Always sore throat: The request could not be satisfied
What’s Causing Your Sore, Dry, or Scratchy Throat?
As a symptom of illness, sore throat rivals fatigue for being both commonplace and a potential sign of catastrophe. Usually, having a sore throat is nothing to worry about — most are caused by cold and flu germs. In rare cases, however, a sore throat can signal something much more serious. One of the first symptoms of infection caused by the dreaded ebola virus, for example, is a sore throat.
And strep bacteria, a common cause of sore throat, especially in children, can spread like wildfire if it gets into the blood, damaging the liver, brain, kidneys, and other organs.
Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, came down with a sore throat caused by a strep infection late Sunday, May 13, 1990. He was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia on Tuesday and died 20 hours later of septic shock, a life-threatening response to a severe infection.
“In the preantibiotic era, people died from sore throats all the time,” says Robert T. Sataloff, MD, associate dean for clinical academic specialties at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. “They’d end up with general toxicity and seed infections in the brain or lungs, and they’d die.”
So how do you know the difference between a scratchy throat that will disappear on its own and the start of a potentially deadly infection?
Sore Throat Threat Level: Always “Guarded”
When it comes to sore throat, forget the “low” threat level. The symptom always merits “guarded” or even “elevated” alertness. Pay attention, but don’t panic.
If you were talking loudly at a noisy, smoky bar, you may have strained your vocal cords, resulting in throat soreness. If you have hay fever, or if your allergies are acting up, that can make your throat feel scratchy. Even sleeping with your mouth open in the winter, when the air can get as dry as the Sahara, can cause a sore throat.
Even if your sore throat is caused by a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu, you probably can wait it out while drinking hot tea with honey and sucking on throat lozenges to ease the discomfort. Because most sore throats are caused by viruses that don’t respond to antibiotics, there’s not much you can do about them outside of resting so your immune system is strong and ready to fight the invaders.
“Wait a day, drink plenty of fluids, take pain medication if you’d like,” Sataloff tells WebMD. “You might as well try vitamin C. The data are controversial, but vitamin C doesn’t do any harm, and there’s some suggestion that vitamin C and antioxidants may have some efficacy. These are not unreasonable things to do when helping your body fight off an infection, and that’s what it has to do since we don’t treat viral infections with antibiotics.”
Some people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may experience hoarseness with a sore throat, but this will probably be accompanied by other symptoms, such as heartburn or the sour reflux of stomach contents.
(Do you have a favorite sore throat remedy? Tell us about it on the Health Cafe message board.)
When Sore Throat Hits “High” Threat
If your sore throat is accompanied by an achy feeling all over and you have a fever, you should elevate your threat level to “high. ” You might want to go to the doctor for a throat culture to see if you have a strep infection, especially if you have been around children, who frequently harbor strep bacteria.
“A strep infection can be dangerous for adults or kids,” Sataloff says. “The greatest dangers are local inflammation and rapid spread to the throat and adjacent structures like the tonsils and lymph tissues. They can swell and obstruct the airway, and the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause infections elsewhere, such as the heart valves.”
Inflammation is what makes a sore throat sore, and the greater the inflammation, the greater the danger, Sataloff explains.
“Extreme” Sore Throat Threat: Know the Symptoms
Raise your threat level to “extreme” if you are having difficulty swallowing or breathing, or if you develop a high fever with painful swelling of your lymph nodes. That could indicate tonsillitis, mononucleosis, or some other potentially dangerous infection. These symptoms can also signal strep throat.
“A simple sore throat can cause lots of problems,” Sataloff says.
Lemierre’s syndrome, for example, is a rare disorder that begins with a fever and sore throat. Soon blood clots form in the jugular vein, and when these infected clots break away, they carry the infection to other parts of the body.
The good news is that prompt treatment can forestall almost all the serious consequences of sore throat.
“We don’t see them very often because people get treated,” Sataloff says of the life-threatening complications of sore throat. “And if they don’t get treated and the sore throat gets worse, then they get treated.”
Strep Throat or Sore Throat? Best Ways You Can Tell – Cleveland Clinic
Sore throats are not only a pain, but they can be caused by many different factors. Viruses, bacteria such as Streptococcus pyogenes, dry air, allergies or even drainage from a runny nose can make your throat hurt.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
But not all sore throats are created equal. While allergies or a runny nose are painful nuisances, strep throat is a illness that needs a doctor’s diagnosis and treatment.
If you suspect strep throat, there are several reasons to seek treatment. For one thing, you can infect others. Also, the bacteria that cause strep throat can spread to other tissues, causing a more serious infection. Finally, untreated strep can, in rare circumstances, lead to a more severe illness such as rheumatic fever, a potentially fatal disease that can harm the heart valves.
So it’s important to be able to know when it’s just a sore throat that needs home treatment and when it’s likely to be strep, which calls for a doctor’s visit. How can you tell?
Acute pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) is one of the most common manifestations of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) and, as a rule, gives the child a lot of unpleasant sensations: pain, perspiration, difficulty swallowing. The child becomes irritated, capricious, whiny, sleep, appetite, etc. are disturbed.In this case, there is a reddening of the palatine arches, the posterior pharyngeal wall, there may be an increase in the tonsils.
Angina – acute inflammation of the tonsils. As a rule, the disease is not limited only to local symptoms (redness of the posterior wall of the pharynx, palatine arches, enlargement and swelling of the tonsils with plaque on them, often white-yellow) and the same discomfort as with pharyngitis (pain, perspiration, difficulty swallowing ), but is also characterized by the development of general symptoms (fever, deterioration of health, weakness, lethargy, headache, dizziness, etc.)etc.). With sore throat, sore throat can be so severe that the child refuses to eat. It is worth noting that with often endured acute pharyngitis and / or tonsillitis, a chronic focus of infection in the pharyngeal region, the so-called chronic tonsillitis (chronic inflammation of the tonsils), can form, when the inflammatory process acquires a recurrent (repetitive) nature. At the same time, new symptoms appear, for example, bad breath, gums begin to inflame periodically, teeth hurt, and stomatitis appears.Each new exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis runs the risk of being complicated by a paratonsillar abscess, when, on the one hand, in the area of the amygdala, a purulent focus occurs locally. In many cases, this complication requires surgical treatment.
Therefore, competent and timely treatment of throat diseases in children is of great importance not only for facilitating the well-being of a child during an acute illness, but also for the prospects for the quality of his future life.
Currently, the pharmaceutical market is full of various drugs for the treatment of throat diseases.And it is difficult not only for parents, but also for doctors to navigate this sea of medicines.
The main problem here is probably the frequent use of antibiotic therapy without good indications. Systemic antibiotics have recently begun to be prescribed not only for any tonsillitis, but also for acute pharyngitis against the background of ARVI, which defies any logical explanation. We are well aware that antibiotics have practically no effect on viruses, but rather, on the contrary, create a more favorable environment for them, weakening the body’s own normal flora and, accordingly, immunity.In addition, the frequent use of antibiotics contributes to the spread of fungal infections, the development of allergic reactions, dysbiosis, dysfunction of liver cells, etc. Therefore, you should be very balanced about antibiotic therapy. Self-administration of antibiotics to a child is unacceptable!
The second problem can be considered undeservedly relegated to the background drugs for the treatment of throat diseases local action . Perhaps this is due to the prevailing stereotype in society of the attitude towards lozenges as a tasty, pleasant, but frivolous medicine.However, it is in this form, convenient for children, that most of the drugs for the treatment of throat diseases are now produced. Moreover, among them there are many drugs of combined action, which combine anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, analgesic effects.
An example of such a combination product is Natur Product’s Anti-Angin Formula. Chlorhexidine, which is part of it, is a powerful antiseptic and acts on most infectious agents.The analgesic effect of the drug is provided by the anesthetic tetracaine. The release forms of Anti-Angina are also convenient: lozenges, sugar-free lozenges (recommended for adults and children from 5 years old), spray (recommended for adults and adolescents from 10 years old). The lozenges and tablets also contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which contributes to the rapid restoration of the mucous membrane of the mouth and throat.
According to preliminary observations, the effect of Anti-Angina is obvious already on the first day of its use – complaints of sore throat disappear, the child’s mood and appetite improve against this background, and on days 2-3: the treatment stops symptoms such as redness of the throat, swelling of the tonsils, sore throat.
The preparations of the Green Doctor series, the main components of which are herbal products, have become very popular now in the practice of doctors, especially pediatricians. So, for the treatment of throat diseases, the drug “Sage” is successfully used, which is allowed to children from 5 years of age in the form of lozenges and tablets for resorption. Sage contains astringent substances and thus has an anti-inflammatory effect. This remedy is effective not only for diseases of the pharynx, but also for inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity (stomatitis, periodontitis, etc.). In addition, unlike many medicinal plants, Sage Green Doctor has a pleasant taste, which is important for children.
No less interesting is a preparation from the same plant series “Green Doctor” called “Eucalyptus-M”, the main component of which is eucalyptus essential oil and levomenthol, which has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and expectorant effects. The drug is used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis), is effective in the complex therapy of sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses) and diseases with the manifestation of cough. “Eucalyptus-M” is approved for use in children from 8 years of age in the form of lozenges and lozenges.
For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that modern preparations containing herbal ingredients are now more favorably perceived by parents, and if these preparations also have pleasant taste, then they are easily taken by children, which contributes to adherence to the treatment regimen.
In case of severe sore throat, it is rational to combine herbal (“Green Doctor Sage”) and synthetic agents (for example, Anti-Angin Formula spray), while the maximum effect of therapy is achieved without the use of systemic antibiotics.
In each specific case, the doctor makes the choice of a drug or a set of drugs, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient and the course of the disease.
In St. Petersburg, the number of so-called frequently ill children (CFD) is growing, who suffer ARVI 7-8 or more times a year, often with complications. More than half of them have chronic foci of infection in the nasopharynx region. Remediation of chronic foci of infection in this category of children is of paramount importance.And the above drugs can take their rightful place among both therapeutic and prophylactic agents in the complex work with BWD.
Competent use of combined preparations and herbal remedies for topical use for throat diseases in children in many cases avoids the appointment of systemic antibiotics.
Angina and strep throat are highly contagious (that is, contagious) infections and it is necessary to protect the sick child from contact with healthy children.
It is important, , in the event of the first signs of the disease, promptly consult a pediatrician!
90,000 7 myths about angina (KI Shustov) – Family Doctor clinic.
Autumn and spring are the most frequent times for sore throat, but in winter, the disease sometimes does not pass by. You can get sick at any age, but mostly young children, adolescents and adults under 30 years old suffer.Many myths are associated with angina. Kirill Shustov, an otolaryngologist at the Family Doctor clinic, will help us figure out what is true and what is not.
Myth 1: if the throat hurts, then it is sore throat
Not at all necessary. A sore throat can be a symptom of influenza, acute respiratory infections, pharyngitis (inflammation of the back of the throat) and other diseases. Angina, on the other hand, is an inflammation of the tonsils that are in the pharynx (palatine tonsils most often suffer).
Kirill Shustov “Also, pain in the throat can be of a reflex nature and occur during inflammatory processes in the muscles or lymph nodes of the neck.Therefore, for the correct treatment, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner. ”
Myth 2: you can get sore throat only if you have close contact with the patient
This is not true. Most often, angina is transmitted by airborne droplets (microbes with droplets of saliva spread when talking, coughing or sneezing), so you can get infected without even approaching the patient “back to back”.
It must be remembered that microbes can also enter the body by contact.You can not use one plate, fork and cup, as well as a towel and a handkerchief with a sick person.
Myth 3: sore throat is not a reason to stay at home
Misconception. Many do not take this disease seriously – and completely in vain, because angina leads to various complications. The infection can penetrate the ears and cause otitis media, into the paranasal sinuses, provoking sinusitis, ethmoiditis, frontal sinusitis or sphenoiditis. If the microbes spread to the tissues surrounding the amygdala, an abscess will appear, and the help of a surgeon will already be required.
Kirill Shustov “If you carry a sore throat” on your feet “, then the likelihood of getting such serious complications as glomerulonephritis or endocarditis increases significantly. ”
From all of the above, the conclusion suggests itself – with severe sore throat and high temperature, you need to go to the doctor, and observe bed rest for the entire period of treatment.
Myth 4: sore throat can be cured by yourself, for example, gargling
Gargling with sore throat is undoubtedly necessary, as this will accelerate recovery.Infusions of medicinal herbs are suitable – chamomile, eucalyptus, calendula or sage.
However, it is impossible to cure sore throat only by rinsing or resorption of lozenges, because these funds do not penetrate into the tonsils. And it is there that the multiplication of microbes occurs, which led to sore throat. That is why the disease requires taking antibiotics, which must be prescribed by a doctor.
Myth 5: antibiotics for angina can be used without a doctor’s prescription
This is totally wrong.Antibiotics can only be prescribed by a doctor. After all, the drug is selected based on the sensitivity of microbes to it. This is why the doctor takes a swab of the tonsils before prescribing an antibiotic. With its help, they find out which bacteria caused the sore throat and with what antibiotic they can be defeated.
Taking antibiotics on your own can be harmful. Often, the uncontrolled use of these drugs leads to the fact that microbes become insensitive to them.
Myth 6: as soon as the temperature has dropped, antibiotics for angina can be stopped
It is not right.
Kirill Shustov “In a few days the antibiotic will only weaken the pathogenic bacteria, and in order to defeat them, you need to take the drug for 7-10 days.”
It is very important to adhere to the antibiotic regimen. Some patients perceive the doctor’s prescription to take the drug three times a day differently. And they drink the medicine in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening (and everyone has their own mealtime). For antibiotics, it is imperative that there are regular intervals between pills.That is, three times a day means – we drink an antibiotic at 7 am, at 3 pm and at 11 pm.
Myth 7: to avoid tonsillitis, you need to remove the tonsils
Kirill Shustov “Angina is an infectious disease, therefore such a radical measure as the removal of tonsils is absolutely not necessary to prevent it. If you follow such simple rules as wearing a mask in the presence of a sick person, washing your hands after contact with a sick person, eating from a separate dish, you can avoid getting sore throat.If you remove healthy tonsils, which are the basis of the barrier protection in the oropharynx, then you can greatly weaken the immune system. ”
You can make an appointment with a specialist by calling the contact center in Moscow +7 (495) 775 75 66, or through the on-line registration form. Departure to the house is possible.
Hypertrophic pharyngitis: description of the disease, causes, symptoms, cost of treatment in Moscow
Hypertrophic pharyngitis is one of the varieties of the chronic form of the disease.It usually begins to appear 6-8 months after acute inflammation has been diagnosed and has not been properly treated. Affected by the hypertrophic form of pathology is not only the posterior wall of the pharynx, but also its lateral parts.
With pathology, the mucous membrane of the pharynx not only becomes thicker, but also increases its density. These changes are pathological, and as a result of them, it begins to function incorrectly and becomes inflamed. Also, with this disease, the appearance of lymphoid granules, which look like pink grains, is noted.The disease can appear in people of any age, but more often it affects adults, since they often do not carry out the correct treatment for the acute form of the disease and carry it on their feet. Gradually, a violation of the condition of the pharyngeal mucosa can pass to the uvula. Hypertrophic pharyngitis symptoms are increasing as the mucosal lesion progresses.
Reasons
The disease develops against the background of the fact that negative factors cause excessive activity of the immune system, because of which it begins to provoke the development of a number of neoplasms on the mucous membrane associated with the identification of even minor pathogens.As a result, inflammation develops and tissue changes occur. The main factors causing hypertrophic pharyngitis, in addition to its advanced acute form, are as follows:
-
living in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions;
-
work in hazardous work in violation of safety rules;
-
long-term regular stay in a room in which the air is very dry and warm;
-
smoking – not only active, but also passive smoking has a negative effect on the mucous membrane and on the body as a whole;
-
alcohol abuse – even not strong, they irritate and damage the tissues of the pharynx, making them more susceptible to pharyngitis;
-
diseases of the cardiovascular system, in which blood circulation in the tissues of the pharyngeal mucosa is impaired, as well as those that lead to congestion in the respiratory system;
-
serious metabolic disorders, especially against the background of endocrine system pathologies;
-
regular occurrence of allergies;
-
violations in the structure of the pharynx;
-
permanent significant lack of vitamins.
Chronic pathologies of the nasopharynx, such as tonsillitis, sinusitis and rhinitis, can also cause the appearance of the disease. Pathogenic bacteria will abundantly penetrate into the mucous membrane and stay in it in a dormant state until the appearance of factors unfavorable for immunity. With them, an exacerbation of the disease develops.
Views
This form of the disease can be of two types. Depending on which of them is diagnosed, the exact method of treatment is determined.Granular hypertrophic pharyngitis affects only the posterior pharyngeal wall. With it, the swelling of tissues is not so felt at the onset of the disease, which is why not all patients seek medical help in a timely manner.
Lateral hypertrophic pharyngitis is manifested by more acute pain and difficulty breathing. It is extremely difficult to ignore it for a long time, which is why treatment most often begins on time. The diagnosis is made after examining the patient’s throat.
Forecast
With timely, complete and systematic treatment of the disease, the prognosis for the patient is favorable.At the same time, it is possible to stop pathological changes in the tissues of the mucous membrane. After high-quality therapy, exacerbations of the disease are extremely rare.
If treatment is started late, when the throat lesion is already serious enough, then the prognosis for the patient is relatively positive, since it will not be possible to provide a long remission, but at the same time the risk of complications will be eliminated.
What not to do
During the period of treatment, there are certain restrictions, violating which, the patient runs the risk of greatly aggravating his condition.The doctor will not be able to guarantee the patient a positive result of therapy if the following actions are allowed:
-
smoking during treatment;
-
the use of alcohol preparations for rinsing the throat;
-
eating spicy food;
-
stay in a dusty room;
-
violation of medical prescriptions regarding treatment.
If there are no violations in the process of therapy, then it is possible to stop the disease at the beginning of its development without using surgical methods of therapy. Treatment of hypertrophic pharyngitis in adults and children is the same.
Diagnostics
Only an external examination of the pharynx is not enough to identify not only the disease itself, but also the reasons for its appearance, as well as the state of the body. Because of this, the doctor, having determined pharyngitis by eye during the initial examination, necessarily prescribes further tests to the patient, which help to get a complete picture of the state of health and choose the most effective treatment.
1. A swab from the pharynx followed by inoculation on a nutrient medium. It is necessary to determine the composition of the pathogenic microflora and its sensitivity to certain antibiotics.
2. Biochemical blood test. It requires venous blood. The study reveals the presence of antibodies to certain pathogens of inflammation, hormonal parameters and the presence or absence of malignant cells.
3. Clinical blood test.Finger blood is used. Shows the percentage of the ratio of its main components. The deviation of one or another up or down makes it possible to detect a number of pathologies.
4. General analysis of urine. The study of the material allows you to accurately assess the severity of inflammation in the body, as well as whether there are any disorders in the work of the kidneys against its background.
5. Biopsy of tissues of the pharyngeal mucosa. Not always assigned. The procedure is necessary if there is a suspicion of the development of a cancerous process.When examining a tissue sample taken, the presence or absence of malignant (cancerous) cells in the mucosa is determined.
If necessary, an electrocardiogram and x-ray of the sinus area may also be prescribed. These procedures are rarely required. They are usually carried out if complications of the disease begin to develop. In young children, an X-ray of the lungs may also be needed, since quite often they have pneumonia or bronchopneumonia against the background of inflammation of the larynx in a fairly quick time.
Prevention
To prevent the disease, a number of preventive measures must be followed. They are quite simple and can effectively prevent the appearance of pathology. The following measures are considered to be the main ones by doctors:
-
ensuring the correct air humidity in the room in which a person is most of the time;
-
timely treatment of nasopharyngeal inflammation;
-
treatment of carious teeth and sore gums;
-
Regular wet cleaning in the apartment.
For complete protection against the appearance of hypertrophic pharyngitis, prevention alone is not enough. It is also important to maintain a correct lifestyle, which will have a positive effect on the state of the entire body.