What’s causing your sore, dry, or scratchy throat? Explore the potential severity of sore throat, from common viral infections to life-threatening conditions like Ebola and Lemierre’s syndrome. Learn when to seek medical attention and effective home remedies for sore throat relief.

Understanding the Severity of Sore Throat

Sore throat is a common symptom that can range in severity from a minor irritation to a potential sign of a life-threatening infection. While most sore throats are caused by harmless viral infections, rare cases can indicate serious conditions like Ebola or streptococcal infections that require prompt medical attention.

Recognizing Viral Sore Throats

Many sore throats are caused by viral infections, such as the common cold or flu. These typically resolve on their own with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter pain medication. However, it’s important to be vigilant, as even a simple viral sore throat can lead to complications if left untreated.

Identifying Streptococcal Infections

Strep throat, caused by streptococcal bacteria, is a more serious type of sore throat that can spread rapidly and lead to severe complications if not treated with antibiotics. Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive white coating on the tonsils.

Rare but Serious Sore Throat Conditions

In rare cases, a sore throat can be a symptom of a much more serious condition, such as Ebola virus infection or Lemierre’s syndrome. These conditions can be life-threatening if not recognized and treated promptly.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If your sore throat is accompanied by a high fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or severe pain, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. These symptoms may indicate a more serious infection that requires prompt treatment.

Home Remedies for Sore Throat Relief

While most sore throats can be managed at home with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications, there are also some effective home remedies that can provide relief, such as honey, warm tea, and throat lozenges.

Preventing and Managing Sore Throat

Practicing good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing, can help reduce the risk of contracting viral or bacterial infections that can lead to sore throat. If you do develop a sore throat, it’s important to monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention if they worsen or persist.

In the preantibiotic era, people died from sore throats all the time. But with modern medical treatments, the vast majority of sore throats can be effectively managed and the serious complications prevented. By understanding the potential severity of sore throat and knowing when to seek medical attention, you can ensure that your sore throat is treated appropriately and avoid potentially life-threatening consequences.

What causes a sore, dry, or scratchy throat?

A sore, dry, or scratchy throat can have a variety of causes, including viral infections like the common cold or flu, allergies, vocal strain, and even sleeping with your mouth open. While most of these causes are relatively harmless, it’s important to be aware of the potential for more serious conditions that can also present with a sore throat.

How can I tell if my sore throat is caused by strep?

Strep throat, caused by streptococcal bacteria, is a more serious type of sore throat that requires antibiotic treatment. Symptoms that may indicate strep include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive white coating on the tonsils. If you suspect you may have strep throat, it’s best to see a healthcare provider for a throat culture to confirm the diagnosis.

What are some effective home remedies for sore throat relief?

There are several home remedies that can provide relief for a sore throat, including drinking warm tea with honey, sucking on throat lozenges, and gargling with salt water. Over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also help reduce inflammation and discomfort. While these remedies can offer temporary relief, it’s important to monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention if the sore throat persists or worsens.

When should I see a doctor for a sore throat?

You should seek medical attention for a sore throat if it is accompanied by a high fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, severe pain, or swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms may indicate a more serious underlying condition that requires prompt treatment, such as strep throat or even a life-threatening infection like Lemierre’s syndrome or Ebola. It’s better to err on the side of caution when it comes to sore throat, as early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent potentially serious complications.

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?

When it’s a sore throat

When it’s a sore throat caused by a cold virus, you will often have other cold symptoms that may include:

• Runny nose.
• Cough.
• Red or watery eyes.
• Sneezing.

“You do not have a cough with strep. If you’re coughing, that typically means no strep,” says Daniel Allan, MD. “Also, when you look in the throat of a person with a sore throat caused by a cold virus, you typically do not see pus or exudate in the back of the throat.”

Colds usually take several days to develop and typically go away on their own within five to seven days, Dr. Allan says.

There is no cure for a sore throat caused by a cold virus, but you can do things to make yourself feel more comfortable: Drinking warm liquids, gargling with warm salt water, sucking on ice chips, or taking an over-the-counter medicine can provide relief for your symptoms.

You also can speed your recovery by getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of fluids.

Symptoms of strep

Strep throat symptoms usually are more severe than a sore throat caused by a virus. They can include:

• Sudden sore throat.
• Red tonsils that have white spots on them.
• Pain when swallowing.
• Fever.
• Swollen neck glands.
• Loss of appetite.
• Headache.
• Abdominal pain.

Your doctor can spot a likely case of strep based on a defined set of characteristics, Dr. Allan says.

If your doctor suspects strep, a simple, painless and quick test can confirm the diagnosis. The doctor will dab the back of your throat with a cotton swab and the swab is then tested for the presence of the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes.

Viral illnesses can have the same symptoms as strep throat. So it’s important to get a throat swab to confirm the presence of the strep bacteria in the throat. This way, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics for treatment, which are appropriate for bacterial illnesses such as strep, but not for viral illnesses such as a cold.

Contagious

If you were exposed to someone who has had strep recently, that’s important information to share with your doctor, Dr. Allan says. Strep can be spread easily by sharing personal items with an infected person, close contact with an infected person, or even through the air by sneezing or coughing.

Dr. Allan warns that prescribing antibiotics for sore throats without a confirmed diagnosis of strep can create resistance to the drugs or unnecessary side effects. This is why obtaining a confirming test is so important.

“Most strep will self-resolve. However, there is the risk of rheumatic fever if it’s untreated, so I would not recommend forgoing testing and treatment,” Dr. Allan says. “If there is any concern of strep, then I would recommend getting tested.”

Dr. Allan says antibiotics treatment for strep takes about 10 days.

Sore Throat

Isn’t a sore throat the worst? It hurts to talk, eat, drink, breathe – live! It’s possible that you have a throat infection that would require antibiotics, but most sore throats are caused by a virus and just need to run their course. I feel your pain but I promise it will get better as the virus goes away and you get a little sore throat treatment.

Let’s cover the basics of the sore throat:

• Different types of sore throat
• Sore throat causes
• Symptoms of a sore throat
• Sore throat home remedies
• When to call the doctor or seek medical advice

Types of sore throat

There are three types of sore throat, which is classified by which part of the throat is inflamed and where you’re feeling the pain.

• Laryngitis is swelling of the larynx, which is your voice box or vocals cords. This is located in your throat – protected partly by the Adam’s apple.
• Tonsillitis is swelling or infection of the tonsils, the two pads of soft tissue in the back of your mouth.
• Pharyngitis is swelling of the pharynx, which is at the way back of your mouth and the start of your throat. Behind the tonsils but above the larynx and extends up to the back of the nose as well!

Sore throat causes

There are multiple things that could be causing your raw sore throat – the number one thing being a viral infection. Typically we’re talking about the cold or the flu here, but it could also include croup, mono, or COVID-19, to name a few. These do not need treatment and simply have to run their course.

Less often, a bacterial infection could be the culprit of your sore throat feeling. The most common is group A streptococcus, which is what causes strep throat. Be in touch with your doctor if you are concerned you may have a bacterial throat infection, because your doctor has to diagnose strep throat after doing a throat culture and it does require antibiotics.

In addition to viral vs bacterial, a sore throat could be caused by allergies, irritants such as chemicals or smoke, acid reflux, dry air – especially if you notice it first thing in the morning and you’re a mouth-breather (try a humidifier!) – or other things that we aren’t going to stress ourselves out with here. Knowledge is power but too much of it can make us worry, so focus on your current symptoms and just talk with your doctor if you think something beyond the common cold is going on.

Symptoms of a sore throat

Things you are likely feeling: scratchy throat, swollen throat, sore throat with or without a fever, sore throat and a cough. It is painful and hurts to swallow. Your voice may be hoarse, you might notice the lymph nodes on the sides of your neck/jaw are swollen, and your throat and tonsils are likely red or inflamed. You may even see white patches on the back of your throat. A lot of the accompanying symptoms are caused by the virus, including:

• Body aches
• Headaches
• Fever
• Cough
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Nausea and/or vomiting

How long does a sore throat last?

• Typically 4-5 days, which will feel like a lifetime, I know. While there’s no true way to cure a sore throat, there are ways to soothe a sore throat and make things a little more tolerable.
• Remember: you should always stay home from work/school until you’ve been without a fever for 24 hours without the help of medication. 

How to get rid of a sore throat?

• Drink fluids! Add warm drinks such as tea or broth, as well as increasing your water intake. Cold options can feel good too, such as popsicles or ice cream. (Apparently we should avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they can dehydrate you. Sorry to share the bad news, Mom and Dad.)
• Salt water gargle. Mix ¼ teaspoon of salt with 8 oz of warm water. Gargle and spit it out! This is great for soothing a sore throat for adults and kids 6 years and up.
• Cool-mist humidifiers can moisten the air and help prevent a dry throat, which never helps when it is sore. The warm-mist humidifiers increase the risk of a burn, either from the hot steam or from a water spill. It is not proven to be more effective than the cool-mist humidifiers because the heat dissipates too quickly to make a difference by the time we are breathing it in. So go with safety and choose the cool-mist option!
• Hard candy has been shown to soothe a sore throat and be just as effective as a cough drop. Choking hazard here so use your best judgement if offering to a kiddo.
• Rest! Let that body heal while you sleep it out.
• Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, can help with discomfort.

Age reminders:

• No medications for babes <3 months old. Call the doc!
• No ibuprofen for babes <6 months old.
• No aspirin <18 years old.

When to call your doctor if you have a sore throat?

• Sore throat for 5 days without improvement.
• Sore throat in kiddos <2 years old.
• Recent exposure to someone with strep throat.
• Blisters, pus, or petechiae (red dots) on the back of the throat.
• Fever, depending on age (0-3 months: >100.4 F; 3-24 months: >102 F; 2 years+: >104 F)
• Signs of dehydration: dry mouth, dry skin, decreased urination.
• Is something else going on? Ear pain? Neck pain? Sinus pain? Rash? Follow your gut and call.

Remember, we’ve got info to help you with ANY symptom! So use your Kinsa app to share more symptoms with me – that’s what I’m here for and nothing makes me happier than helping people feel better!

When to skip the phone call and head to the ER?

• Trouble breathing
• Drooling or difficulty swallowing
• Fever >105 F

Since most sore throats are caused by a virus it remains vital that you always wash your hands, tell those around you to wash their hands, and disinfect the daylights out of your environment. Keep this misery to one person in the household and just hang in there. 24-48 hours should be the worst of it, then hopefully you’ll be on the mend through the rest of the week. I’ll join you with a bowl of ice cream for solidarity’s sake.

Is It Strep or a Sore Throat? Compare Your Symptoms

Sore throats can be a common complaint in winter. As colder weather drives us inside and around more people, the common cold can more easily develop, and with it, a sore, scratchy throat.

How can you know if your sore throat needs medical attention?

“It is not uncommon to confuse a cold-related sore throat with the more serious strep throat, but there are differences,” said Family Nurse Practitioner Rosemary Schairer, of Samaritan Internal Medicine – Corvallis. “A sore throat is usually caused by a virus and will typically go away on its own as cold symptoms lessen, while strep throat is a bacterial infection that must be treated by antibiotics.”

A viral sore throat is typically accompanied by other cold-like symptoms, such as cough, sneeze, runny nose and a hoarse or raspy voice.

“A strep infection can make it feel very painful to swallow, and often comes with fever of 101-degrees or higher,” said Schairer. “Strep throat is far more common in children than adults.”

Group A streptococcus is the name of the bacteria which can cause several different types of infection, including strep throat, which is contagious. Someone can catch the infection by breathing in or touching infected droplets from a cough or sneeze, or by ingesting the droplets through shared eating utensils.

“Strep will often cause red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white splotches, and/or tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth, which you may be able to see by shining a flashlight inside the mouth,” she said. “But everyone is different, and a person can have strep without these symptoms.”

If the sore throat causes trouble swallowing, lasts longer than 48 hours, or comes with a fever or rash, see your doctor.

“Strep will not go away on its own, and if not treated with antibiotics, can develop into something more serious, especially in children, so don’t delay getting medical attention,” said Schairer.

Testing for Strep

While at-home tests for strep are available, Schairer does not recommend them.

“At-home tests can often give a false negative which would delay the start of treatment. Since strep, if untreated, can lead to far more serious illness such as rheumatic fever or scarlet fever, I recommend going to the doctor to know for sure,” she said.

Testing can be done and analyzed right in your doctor’s office. If the test shows positive, antibiotics can be started right away. If it shows negative, your doctor may recommend a more extensive throat culture done at a laboratory, which would take a few days to learn the results.

“After starting antibiotics, our patients typically notice a decrease in symptoms within a day or two,” Schairer noted.

Please be aware that some symptoms of strep throat are similar to that of COVID-19, which is still active in our communities. If you are concerned that you may have the coronavirus, contact your health care provider to get COVID-19 testing and follow-up care as soon as possible.

Symptoms: Viral Sore Throat vs. Strep Throat

While these are common symptoms, everyone is different. You may have only one or two symptoms, but if you have any questions, contact your doctor for testing. Strep occurs more often in children than adults and can have serious consequences if not treated. 

Viral sore throat will go away on its own, while strep requires antibiotics. If your sore throat causes trouble swallowing, last longer than 48 hours and/or comes with a fever or rash, see your doctor.

Soothing the Pain

Whether cold-related or strep, a sore throat can be very uncomfortable. While waiting for your throat to heal, Schairer recommends trying these tips to relieve the pain:

• Gargle with warm salt water. Dissolve a half-teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, swish it around your mouth and lean your head back to gargle with it. When done, make sure to spit out the water rather than swallow it.
• Drink warm liquids. Try a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of honey, or a mild tea. Avoid citrusy liquids like orange juice, which can make the pain worse.
• Try an over-the-counter remedy. Some over-the-counter medications may temporarily relieve symptoms like cough or congestion. Throat sprays and lozenges may also help. Do not give throat lozenges to young children as they could cause choking.
• Ice cream may help. Sometimes cold helps sooth throat pain, so if you want an excuse to eat ice cream, this could be a good one. Sucking on ice chips may also bring relief.
• Get plenty of rest. Sleep is how the body rejuvenates and heals, so get plenty of it. It can also be a good time to watch movies, read a book, or just take it easy.

Prevention

Because both colds and strep are contagious, meaning that they can spread to others, or you can get re-infected a second time, it is a good idea to try and prevent them.

“Washing our hands frequently and thoroughly makes a big difference in limiting the spread of all types of viruses and infections,” Schairer explained. “It’s also important to cover our coughs and sneezes so that droplets don’t travel to others. And avoid using another person’s glass or eating utensils.”

Eating a well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise and good quality sleep, can also help keep the body’s immune system strong and able to fight off infections.

If you or your child has a sore throat that doesn’t seem to be getting better, contact your child’s pediatrician or go to your nearest urgent care clinic for medical attention.

Get ideas for what to eat when you’re feeling sick – comfort counts!
Compare the symptoms of the cold, the flu and COVID-19.

Sore Throats – ENTSC

What Causes a Sore Throat?

Sore throat is a symptom of many medical disorders. Infections cause the majority of sore throats and are contagious. Infections are caused either by viruses such as the flu, the common cold, mononucleosis, or by bacteria such as strep, mycoplasma, or hemophilus.

While bacteria respond to antibiotic treatment, viruses do not.

Viruses: Most viral sore throats accompany flu or colds along with a stuffy, runny nose, sneezing, and generalized aches and pains. These viruses are highly contagious and spread quickly, especially in winter. The body builds antibodies that destroy the virus, a process that takes about a week.

Sore throats accompany other viral infections such as measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, and croup. Canker sores and fever blisters in the throat also can be very painful.

One viral infection takes much longer than a week to be cured: infectious mononucleosis, or “mono.” This virus lodges in the lymph system, causing massive enlargement of the tonsils, with white patches on their surface and swollen glands in the neck, armpits, and groin. It creates a severely sore throat and, sometimes, serious breathing difficulties. It can affect the liver, leading to jaundice— yellow skin and eyes. It also causes extreme fatigue that can last six weeks or more.

“Mono,” a severe illness in teenagers but less severe in children, can he transmitted by saliva. So it has been nicknamed the “kissing disease,” but it can also be transmitted from mouth-to-hand to hand-to-mouth or by sharing of towels and eating utensils.

Bacteria: Strep throat is an infection caused by a particular strain of streptococcus bacteria. This infection can also damage the heart valves (rheumatic fever) and kidneys (nephritis), cause scarlet fever, tonsillitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, and ear infections.

Because of these possible complications, a strep throat should be treated with an antibiotic. Strep is not always easy to detect by examination, and a throat culture may be needed. These tests, when positive, persuade the physician to prescribe antibiotics. However, strep tests might not detect other bacteria that also can cause severe sore throats that deserve antibiotic treatment. For example, severe and chronic cases of tonsillitis or tonsillar abscess may be culture negative. Similarly, negative cultures are seen with diphtheria, and infections from oral sexual contacts will escape detection by strep culture tests.

Tonsillitis is an infection of the lumpy tissues on each side of the back of the throat. In the first two to three years of childhood, these tissues “catch” infections, sampling the child’s environment to help develop his immunities (antibodies). Healthy tonsils do not remain infected. Frequent sore throats from tonsillitis suggest the infection is not fully eliminated between episodes. A medical study has shown that children who suffer from frequent episodes of tonsillitis (such as three- to four- times each year for several years) were healthier after their tonsils were surgically removed.

Infections in the nose and sinuses also can cause sore throats, because mucus from the nose drains down into the throat and carries the infection with it.

The most dangerous throat infection is epiglottitis, caused by bacteria that infect a portion of the larynx (voice box) and cause swelling that closes the airway. This infection is an emergency condition that requires prompt medical attention. Suspect it when swallowing is extremely painful (causing drooling), when speech is muffled, and when breathing becomes difficult. A strep test may miss this infection.

Allergy: The same pollens and molds that irritate the nose when they are inhaled also may irritate the throat. Cat and dog danders and house dust are common causes of sore throats for people with allergies to them.

Irritation: During the cold winter months, dry heat may create a recurring, mild sore throat with a parched feeling, especially in the mornings. This often responds to humidification of bedroom air and increased liquid intake. Patients with a chronic stuffy nose, causing mouth breathing, also suffer with a dry throat. They need examination and treatment of the nose.

Pollutants and chemicals in the air can irritate the nose and throat, but the most common air pollutant is tobacco smoke. Other irritants include smokeless tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and spicy foods.

A person who strains his or her voice (yelling at a sports event, for example) gets a sore throat not only from muscle strain but also from the rough treatment of his or her throat membranes.

Reflux: An occasional cause of morning sore throat is regurgitation of stomach acids up into the back of the throat. To avoid reflux, tilt your bedframe so that the head is elevated four- to six-inches higher than the foot of the bed. You might find antacids helpful. You should also avoid eating within three hours of bedtime, and eliminate caffeine and alcohol. If these tips fail, see your doctor.

Tumors: Tumors of the throat, tongue, and larynx (voice box) are usually (but not always) associated with long-time use of tobacco and alcohol. Sore throat and difficulty swallowing, sometimes with pain radiating to the ear, may be symptoms of such a tumor. More often the sore throat is so mild or so chronic that it is hardly noticed. Other important symptoms include hoarseness, a lump in the neck, unexplained weight loss, and/or spitting up blood in the saliva or phlegm.

When Should I See a Doctor?

Whenever a sore throat is severe, persists longer than the usual five- to seven- day duration of a cold or flu, and is not associated with an avoidable allergy or irritation, you should seek medical attention. The following signs and symptoms should alert you to see your physician:

• Severe and prolonged sore throat
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty opening the mouth
• Joint pain
• Earache
• Rash
• Fever (over 101°)
• Blood in saliva or phlegm
• Frequently recurring sore throat
• Lump in neck
• Hoarseness lasting over two weeks

When Should I Take Antibiotics?

Antibiotics are drugs that kill or impair bacteria. Penicillin or erythromycin (well-known antibiotics) are prescribed when the physician suspects streptococcal or another bacterial infection that responds to them. However, a number of bacterial throat infections require other antibiotics instead. Antibiotics do not cure viral infections, but viruses do lower the patient’s resistance to bacterial infections. When such a combined infection occurs, antibiotics may be recommended. When an antibiotic is prescribed, it should be taken as the physician directs for the full course (usually 10 days). Otherwise the infection will probably be suppressed rather than eliminated, and it can return. Some children will experience recurrent infection despite antibiotic treatment. When some of these are strep infections or are severe, your child may require a tonsillectomy.

Should Other Family Members be Treated or Cultured?

When a strep test is positive, many experts recommend treatment or culturing of other family members. Practice good sanitary habits; avoid close physical contact; and sharing of napkins, towels, and utensils with the infected person. Handwashing makes good sense.

What If My Throat Culture Is Negative?

A strep culture tests only for the presence of streptococcal infections. Many other infections, both bacterial and viral, will yield negative cultures and sometimes so does a streptococcal infection. Therefore, when your culture is negative, your physician will base his/her decision for treatment on the severity of your symptoms and the appearance of your throat on examination.

How Can I Treat My Sore Throat?

A mild sore throat associated with cold or flu symptoms can be made more comfortable with the following remedies:

• Increase your liquid intake.
• Warm tea with honey is a favorite home remedy.
• Use a steamer or humidifier in your bedroom.
• Gargle with warm salt water several times daily: ¼ tsp. salt to ½ cup water.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol Sore Throat®, Tempra®) or ibuprofen (Motrin IB®, Advil®).

Is my sore throat a sign of COVID-19? | Saddleback Family and Urgent Care

When you’re clutching at your throat because it feels raw, scratchy and painful, and it hurts just to swallow, all you want is to feel better. Along with “why me?,” you’re likely asking yourself, is this part of a cold?; strep throat?; or worse–a sign of coronavirus? Below, we walk you through some possible causes for sore throat, and the specific symptoms to watch for. During the pandemic, it’s important to pay attention to your health and to know when to seek care.

Common Causes of Sore Throat

1. Cold and Flu: The common cold and seasonal influenza share many symptoms, including that dreaded sore throat. If you’re suffering from a cold or the flu, you may also experience fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, cough, runny nose, sneezing, and congestion. Colds are usually milder than flu, and are more likely to include a runny or stuffy nose. Protect yourself with an annual flu vaccine, and know we are here to provide care if you do become ill.

 

2. COVID-19: Like the common cold and flu, COVID-19 is a viral, respiratory illness that can indeed cause sore throat. However, sore throat doesn’t seem to be a particularly common symptom of the novel coronavirus. One study, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), found that out of more than 55,000 confirmed cases, only 13.9 percent of people reported a sore throat. Get a COVID-19 test if you’ve been around someone who tested positive, or are exhibiting other COVID-19 symptoms, such as cough, difficulty breathing, and/or fever, along with chills, muscle pain, headache, and any new loss of taste or smell.

 

3. Strep throat: Strep throat is a bacterial infection of the throat and tonsils, caused by streptococcal bacteria. Look for red, swollen tonsils and throat; white spots or streaks on the tongue or back of your throat; and swollen lymph nodes in your neck. Strep throat can also make it difficult to swallow and cause headache, fever and chills. An in-clinic strep test or throat culture can determine if group A strep is the cause of your sore throat. If so, our providers can prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.

 

4. Allergies: When your immune system overreacts to a foreign substance (e.g. a food, drug, chemical, animal dander, or pollen), it can trigger an allergic response. Severe reactions are possible, but for common allergies, you’ll likely experience itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose, cough, congestion and headache. A post-nasal drip can lead to an allergy-induced sore throat.

When you need care and advice for sore throat symptoms, our urgent care is here for you.

Could My Sore Throat Be COVID-19? – San Diego – Sharp Health News

Oct. 13, 2020

Over the past several months, any twinge of sore throat, fever or headache may have sent you flying to your computer to do an online search for symptoms of COVID-19. However, COVID-19 isn’t the only cause of throat irritation. In fact, there are several reasons why your throat might hurt and not all of them are contagious, nor worthy of concern.

A sore throat is usually marked by:

• Pain or feelings of dryness, scratchiness or rawness in the throat
• Difficulty talking and swallowing
• Sore and swollen glands in the neck
• Redness or patches of pus in the throat and on the tonsils

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that most sore throats are caused by a virus. Illnesses caused by a virus cannot be treated with antibiotics, but there are a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can help bring relief in most cases. The other common causes are also easily treated.

Some causes of a sore throat can be remedied by simply avoiding the culprit. This includes avoiding smoking or secondhand smoke; dry, indoor air; overuse of your voice; or eating hot and spicy foods.

Here are five common causes of a sore throat:

1. COVID-19
Let’s get the worst-case scenario out of the way. Yes, one of the possible symptoms of COVID-19 is a sore throat. However, research shows only 5% to 14% of people with COVID-19 experienced pain or irritation in the throat. More common symptoms include fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache and sudden loss of taste or smell.

2. Flu
Symptoms of the flu can be mild or severe, much like COVID-19. Along with a sore throat, they can include a fever, headache, muscle aches, cough and fatigue — all of which can last up to a week. An annual flu vaccine is the best source of prevention.

3. Common cold
Like COVID-19 and the flu, the common cold is caused by a virus, and a sore throat can accompany the runny nose, sneezing, cough and congestion you might also experience. Colds usually last just a few days. However, talk to your doctor if your cough becomes more severe, or if you have sinus pain for more than a week, a fever or other worsening symptoms.

4. Strep throat
While COVID-19, the flu and a cold are all caused by a virus, strep throat is an infection caused by streptococcal bacteria. Look for red, swollen tonsils and throat; pus in the back of the throat and on the tongue; swollen lymph nodes in your neck; trouble swallowing; headache; and fever or chills. An in-office test is needed to confirm a strep throat diagnosis.

5. Allergies
When your immune system reacts to certain foreign substances — including food, drugs, chemicals, animals or airborne pollen — it can trigger an allergic response. While some reactions can be serious or life-threatening, common seasonal allergy symptoms usually include itchy, watery and puffy eyes; sneezing, runny nose and congestion; coughing; headache; and (you guessed it) sore throat.

Treatment
Mild cases of the common cold, flu and COVID-19 are primarily treated with OTC medications, lots of fluids and rest. Strep can be treated with the same, plus antibiotics. An OTC antihistamine or decongestant may help relieve seasonal allergy symptoms; however, your doctor may also recommend prescription medications, such as steroids.

Flu and COVID-19 can only be confirmed by an in-office test and additional medical care may be required. However, not everyone will need to be tested for flu or COVID-19, and not all who are sick with one — or both, in rare instances — of the illnesses will require medical care, but all should stay home to avoid spreading illness.

Call your doctor if you have been exposed to COVID-19 or if you experience severe symptoms. Emergency care is needed if you have severe shortness of breath; bluish discoloration around your mouth or in your extremities; profound weakness or an inability to walk; or an altered mental state or confusion.

You should also talk to your doctor if you have a sore throat for more than one week or if it is accompanied by hoarseness, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, blood in your saliva or a lump in your neck. While throat cancer is rare, early detection and treatment can be life-saving.

90,000 Hello. For several years now I have been struggling with the disease. Constant fatigue, constantly sore throat (ENT vi …

90,000 Why sore throat – causes and treatment

Causes of sore throat

Painful sensations can be different: from local inconveniences to problems with swallowing. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish sore throats that are associated with:

• colds;
• hit by a foreign body;
• allergic reactions;
• diseases of the thyroid gland;
• oncology.

It is not worthwhile to engage in self-diagnosis and treatment: if discomfort appears and persists for several days, consult a doctor. He will conduct all the necessary examinations and prescribe the correct treatment for the disease, depending on its type.

Factors affecting the appearance of sore throat

1. Infections affecting the throat and leading to inflammation in the larynx are among the most common causes of discomfort. Symptoms develop rapidly and include painful swallowing, fever, weakness, general fatigue, red palate, plaque on the tonsils, and enlarged lymph nodes. With this type of disease, the doctor takes a culture, identifying the infection that caused the disease, and prescribing a course of treatment appropriate for the diagnosis.
2. Diseases caused by viral infections are characterized by progressive development. They cause an increase in lymph nodes, the disease is accompanied by discomfort in the joints, difficulty in swallowing, decreased activity. The attending physician prescribes medications to fight viruses.
3. Spicy food, acrid fumes, chemical vapors, dry air, allergic reactions can irritate the mucous membranes. The main symptoms are perspiration, itching, and dry cough.The absence of temperature is characteristic. First aid consists of removing the allergen and gargling.

Pharyngitis

Viruses, bacteria that cause inflammation can enter the back of the pharynx. In addition to the main symptoms listed above, there is a reddening of the back wall of the larynx.

Tonsillitis

Fungal bacteria can cause tonsillitis, also called tonsillitis. They are directly related to the human immune system; the main symptomatology is severe sore throat.General weakness, decreased activity, headache and high fever are also noted.

Mycosis

This disease is caused by a decrease in immunity, a lack of vitamins, antibiotic treatment or taking hormonal drugs.

Tumors

In some cases, severe sore throat may be associated with the active growth of the swelling. The characteristic symptoms are a foreign body sensation in the throat and hoarseness.

Other reasons

In addition to those already mentioned, the causes of sore throat can be other diseases, for example, problems of the digestive tract, HIV, suppuration of the lymph nodes and pharyngeal tissue, acute leukemia.Unpleasant sensations can be caused by trauma, exposure to low temperatures and decreased immunity.

As you can see, there are many reasons why the throat hurts. For correct treatment and prevention of complications, you should not treat yourself, but consult a doctor, pass the prescribed tests and receive adequate treatment.

Sore throat: treatment

Traditionally, we treat the throat with popular and affordable remedies that relieve symptoms. But this treatment is not complete, because it does not eliminate the cause of severe sore throat.In addition, the elimination of symptoms can lead to complications.

The main general recommendations for the treatment of sore throat are:

• – Exclusion of excessively hot, cold, spicy, rough food;
• cessation of smoking;
• l Reducing the load on the vocal cords;
• ventilation of premises;
• l air humidification;
• l drinking a lot of liquid;

90,101 l rinses;

• l lozenges.

These measures improve the effectiveness of the therapy prescribed by the doctor. If you feel unpleasant sensations, you should contact an otolaryngologist (ENT) and tell the doctor about your observations of the condition of the throat.

ORVI

One of the common causes of sore throat is acute respiratory illness that cannot be treated with antibiotics. The effectiveness of therapy is provided by antiviral drugs and immunomodulators. Dry and sore throat, hoarseness, cough can be eliminated by gargling the throat – this significantly reduces irritation of the mucous membrane.Lollipops with sage and eucalyptus extracts will help alleviate the condition. We also recommend taking medications to maintain immunity and drinking plenty of warm water.

Angina

Many have had it in childhood and know that angina is accompanied by high fever, severe sore throat. Antibiotics are the main means of fighting this disease. If sore throat is not treated, complications may appear that require more serious treatment.

For angina, bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids, soft food and antibiotics prescribed by a doctor are recommended.Gargling with natural remedies such as sage, chamomile, linden can reduce discomfort in the throat.

Pharyngitis

Distinctive features of this disease are redness of the throat, a feeling of a coma, even the discharge of pus. Avoiding hot, spicy, hard and irritating foods is recommended first. You can relieve symptoms by drinking plenty of vitamins. Following the recommendations of specialists and adherence to prescriptions allow avoiding severe complications and chronic forms of the disease.

Laryngitis

The main danger of this disease is the possibility of edema when the patient is located horizontally. Quite often, the main symptoms of laryngitis are a scratching sore throat, as well as a change in the types of cough. First, there is a dry type of cough, then sputum comes out. Inhalation is the most effective treatment for laryngitis. It is also recommended to reduce the load on the vocal cords, including by humidifying the air in the room where the sick person is.Do not ignore the efficient climate control technology that is available to everyone today. Look for humidifiers of different sizes, including simple models and solutions with ionization function.

Tonsillitis

The temperature is reduced with the help of appropriate drugs, and rinsing with a solution of soda and salt is a good option to get rid of severe pain in the throat. In this case, one teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of soda is enough for one glass of water.The water should not be too cold, take liquid at a comfortable room temperature.

Tumors

Tumor formations are insidious, because they can develop for a long time and do not manifest themselves in any way until the moment when medicine is powerless. Unpleasant sensations appear only when the tumor reaches an impressive size. Symptoms are quite extensive: from ear congestion, mucus from the nose to hearing loss and toothache without identifying the cause. It is impossible to cope with the tumor on your own – seek help from doctors and follow their recommendations.

Benign tumors in the throat are polyps, cysts, angiomas, lipomas, fibromas. Malignant – sarcomas, chondrosarcomas, etc. Determine the quality of the tumor can only be a specialist, for this you need to undergo an initial examination and pass tests, including biopsy and ultrasound.

Prevention

Many throat conditions can be prevented if recommended guidelines are followed. It is impossible to completely protect yourself from a sore throat, but you can reduce the risk of diseases.

Pay attention to these recommendations:

1. Due to smoking, the mucous membranes of the throat become weak and are easily exposed to infectious and bacterial effects.Quit smoking – the likelihood of throat diseases will decrease several times in a couple of months.
2. Strong immunity fights various factors of throat diseases, so you should fill your diet with vitamins and the right food. Try to eat foods that boost your immune system.
3. Dry indoor air dries up the throat surface. In the winter season, due to heating, the dryness of the air becomes higher, therefore, it can tickle and dry out in the city. Ventilate and humidify the air often to avoid sore throat.
4. Many bacteria and infections enter our bodies through the mouth and, consequently, dirty hands. Wash your hands several times a day with regular soap, treating each palm with soap and water for 20-30 seconds.
5. Trivial but effective advice – don’t freeze. Clothes that are not suitable for the weather do not protect the body and create quite extreme situations for it. Do not forget about good shoes, a hat, a hood, a scarf. Take care of yourself in winter frosts and unstable off-season.

Traditional methods

If you do not like medications and the type of disease allows you not to take them, you can use proven folk remedies to reduce a sore throat.

1. Propolis is a natural substance that contains almost all trace elements. It is characterized by anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. It can be put in your mouth overnight.
2. Garlic is a natural antibiotic that can kill bacteria.Chew a clove of garlic for half an hour.
3. Ginger.

Also look at non-prescription drugs like lysobact. They contain a complex of beneficial bacteria that restore normal microflora in the mouth. As a result, the body itself begins to actively fight bacteria and viruses.

What to do if your throat hurts?

If the pain persists, and even more so, it is worth consulting a doctor. Calling an ambulance immediately is important in such cases:

90 100 90 101 l Difficulty breathing;

Doctors in polyclinics and hospitals should be consulted when a high temperature persists, it is difficult to swallow food, lymph nodes hurt, ear pains, etc. Pregnant women should take special care of their health. After examining and diagnosing the disease, the doctor will prescribe a competent treatment.

Specialist Comment

In a fairly large number of cases, a foreign body becomes the cause of sore throat. These can be both foreign objects not related to food, and small bones of fish, berries, pieces of solid food.In this case, you should try to get rid of the foreign body. After that, discomfort can only be associated with the fact that the throat was damaged by this piece.

If there is no foreign body, it is most likely a sore throat due to infections, bacteria or a tumor. The first task of the doctor is to correctly determine the type of disease and prescribe the appropriate treatment. It is worth remembering that some sore throats are associated with serious diseases, the neglected condition of which can lead to serious consequences.

Make an appointment with a specialist, choosing the time of the visit convenient for you. We will receive you at the appointed hour without queues, conduct an examination, do analyzes, and provide a detailed consultation. Your doctor will prescribe a treatment regimen and monitor the dynamics of recovery. To register, use the online form or call the number indicated in the header of the site. Be healthy!

90,000 Constantly sore throat, causes and treatment

Functional diagnostics and ultrasound

Dudin
Mikhail Mikhailovich

Ultrasound diagnostics doctor

Karpochev
Maxim Viktorovich

Leading doctor of ultrasound diagnostics

Baranova
Yulia Viktorovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, doctor of ultrasound diagnostics

Frolovskaya
Lyudmila Viktorovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound doctor

Bazarnova
Evgeniya Vasilievna

Ultrasound doctor

Basakov
Kirill Sergeevich

Surgeon-mammologist, ultrasound doctor, radiologist

Murtazalieva
Aina Abdulaevna

Mammologist-oncologist, radiologist, ultrasound doctor

Fedorov
Sergei Gennadievich

Urologist-andrologist, ultrasound doctor

Radiology

Kivasev
Stanislav Alexandrovich

Radiologist, Deputy Director for Radiation Diagnostics

Nechaev
Valentin Alexandrovich

Radiologist

Basarboliev
Alexey Viktorovich

Radiologist

Tikhonova
Valeria Sergeevna

Radiologist

Mukhin
Andrey Andreevich

Radiologist

Krysanova
Alexandra Vladimirovna

Radiologist

Vasilieva
Yulia Nikolaevna

Radiologist

Schultz
Evgeniy Igorevich

Radiologist

Zvezdina
Daria Maksimovna

Radiologist

Andrianova
Vera Nikolaevna

Radiologist

Gonchar
Anna Pavlovna

Radiologist

Therapy

Gorbacheva
Elena Vladimirovna

Cardiologist, therapist

Kardanova
Olga Dmitrievna

Cardiologist, therapist (leading specialist)

Shashkova
Tatiana Valerievna

Therapist, cardiologist, physiciandiagnostics

Komissarenko
Irina Arsenievna

Gastroenterologist, therapist, cardiologist

Kuskunova
Evgeniya Alexandrovna

Therapist

Mikheikina
Irina Vasilievna

Therapist

Physiotherapy

Motherland
Elena Vyacheslavovna

Physiotherapist

Khan
Innokenty Evgenievich

Exercise therapy doctor

Cardiology

Gorbacheva
Elena Vladimirovna

Cardiologist, therapist

Kardanova
Olga Dmitrievna

Cardiologist, therapist (leading specialist)

Shashkova
Tatiana Valerievna

Therapist, cardiologist, physiciandiagnostics

Komissarenko
Irina Arsenievna

Gastroenterologist, therapist, cardiologist

Vetrova
Zarema Davletovna

Cardiologist, doctor of functional diagnostics

Andreev
Dmitry Alexandrovich

Cardiologist

Sapozhnikova
Olga Alekseevna

Cardiologist

Audiology and hearing aid

Paukova
Marina Vladimirovna

Audiologist-otorhinolaryngologist

Koltysheva
Ekaterina Borisovna

Functional diagnostics doctor

Levina
Yulia Viktorovna

Audiologist-otorhinolaryngologist

Neurology and manual therapy

Zamergrad
Maxim Valerievich

Neurologist, Consultant at the Vertigo and Balance Center

Nebozhin
Alexander Ivanovich

Chiropractor, neurologist

Ivanova
Tatiana Andreevna

Neurologist

Ekusheva
Evgeniya Viktorovna

Neurologist-algologist

Tolsteneva
Alexandra Igorevna

Neurologist, pediatric neurologist

Novikov
Sergey Alexandrovich

Neurologist, head of the Algology Center

Laboratory services

Dermatology and Trichology

Telesheva
Irina Vadimovna

Dermatologist, trichologist, cosmetologist

Zakharova
Natalia Viktorovna

Dermatologist, trichologist, cosmetologist

Massage

Ermush
Stanislav Gennadievich

Masseur

Endocrinology

Bakhteeva
Irina Vladimirovna

Endocrinologist

Allergology-Immunology

Kazulina
Irina Evgenievna

Allergist-immunologist

Hospital

Gnelitsa
Nikolay Viktorovich

Anesthesiologist-resuscitator

Dobrolyubov
Evgeniy Evgenievich

Anesthesiologist-resuscitator

Tsyba
Nikolay Alexandrovich

Anesthesiologist-resuscitator

Antonenko
Dmitry Valerievich

Anesthesiologist-resuscitator

Sagalovich
Mikhail Abramovich

Anesthesiologist-resuscitator

Phlebology

Dankov
Dmitry Vasilievich

Phlebologist, surgeon

Cosmetology

Telesheva
Irina Vadimovna

Dermatologist, trichologist, cosmetologist

Zakharova
Natalia Viktorovna

Dermatologist, trichologist, cosmetologist

Hepatology

Komissarenko
Irina Arsenievna

Gastroenterologist, therapist, cardiologist

Mukhamedzhanova
Elvira Ravilovna

Gastroenterologist

Gynecology

Dushkina
Irina Aleksandrovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist

Gorsky
Sergei Leonidovich

Leading surgeon-gynecologist

Egorova
Elena Anatolyevna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist

Afanasiev
Maxim Stanislavovich

Obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecological oncologist

Baranova
Yulia Viktorovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, doctor of ultrasound diagnostics

Frolovskaya
Lyudmila Viktorovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound doctor

Proctology

Mormyshev
Vyacheslav Nikolaevich

Proctologist

Petruk
Maxim Nikolaevich

Proctologist

Pediatrics

Varenkova
Olga Vladimirovna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Poddo
Galina Nikolaevna

Psychotherapist (leading specialist)

Nebozhin
Alexander Ivanovich

Chiropractor, neurologist

Markina
Elena Alexandrovna

Nephrologist, Head of the Nephrology Center

Strok
Irina Viktorovna

Pediatrician, neonatologist

Telesheva
Irina Vadimovna

Dermatologist, trichologist, cosmetologist

Boluchevsky
Dmitry Nikolaevich

Urologist-andrologist, pediatric urologist-andrologist

Frolovskaya
Lyudmila Viktorovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound doctor

Malysheva
Olga Dmitrievna

Operating otorhinolaryngologist

Shaforostova
Ekaterina Vasilievna

Dentist-orthodontist

Tolsteneva
Alexandra Igorevna

Neurologist, pediatric neurologist

Margieva
Diana Anatolievna

Pediatric urologist-andrologist, surgeon

Tsibikov
Ilya Vladimirovich

Orthopedic traumatologist

Krivorotko
Mikhail Sergeevich

Orthopedic traumatologist

Kibizova
Laura Georgievna

Ophthalmologist

Shcherbakova
Elena Mikhailovna

Children’s ophthalmologist

Endoscopy

Mardachev
Oleg Alexandrovich

Endoscopist

Khaidurova
Tatiana Konstantinovna

Endoscopist

Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics

ENT (otorhinolaryngology)

Boklin
Andrey Kuzmich

Otorhinolaryngologist

Varenkova
Olga Vladimirovna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Markovskaya
Natalia Gennadievna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Kharina
Daria Vsevolodovna

Otorhinolaryngologist, phoniatrist

Miroshnichenko
Andrey Petrovich

Operating otorhinolaryngologist,

Korshunova
Natalia Alexandrovna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Malysheva
Olga Dmitrievna

Operating otorhinolaryngologist

Jafarova
Maryam Zauvna

Operating otorhinolaryngologist

Gastroenterology

Komissarenko
Irina Arsenievna

Gastroenterologist, therapist, cardiologist

Mukhamedzhanova
Elvira Ravilovna

Gastroenterologist

Urology-Andrology

Dolzhenok
Andrey Nikolaevich

Urologist-andrologist

Boluchevsky
Dmitry Nikolaevich

Urologist-andrologist, pediatric urologist-andrologist

Margieva
Diana Anatolievna

Pediatric urologist-andrologist, surgeon

Shamov
Denis Alekseevich

Urologist – andrologist

Fedorov
Sergei Gennadievich

Urologist-andrologist, ultrasound doctor

Dentistry. Therapy

Orlova
Elizaveta Sergeevna

Dentist therapist, pediatric dentist

Babkina
Ekaterina Sergeevna

Dentist therapist

Sizova
Elizaveta Igorevna

Dentist therapist

Surgery

Trofimova
Olga Viktorovna

Surgeon

Tumanov
Andrey Borisovich

Surgeon

Cypress
Vladislav Borisovich

Surgeon

Terekhin
Alexey Alekseevich

Surgeon

Psychotherapy

Poddo
Galina Nikolaevna

Psychotherapist (leading specialist)

Ophthalmology

Mironkova
Elena Alexandrovna

Ophthalmologist

Parshunina
Olga Alekseevna

Ophthalmologist, retinologist. laser surgeon

Vereshchagin
Lev Vladislavovich

Ophthalmologist

Kibizova
Laura Georgievna

Ophthalmologist

Shcherbakova
Elena Mikhailovna

Children’s ophthalmologist

Center of dizziness and imbalance

Paukova
Marina Vladimirovna

Audiologist-otorhinolaryngologist

Zamergrad
Maxim Valerievich

Neurologist, Consultant at the Vertigo and Balance Center

Koltysheva
Ekaterina Borisovna

Functional diagnostics doctor

Melnikov
Oleg Anatolyevich

Otoneurologist, Head of the Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders

Ivanova
Tatiana Andreevna

Neurologist

Traumatology and Orthopedics

Stepanov
Andrey Borisovich

Traumatologist-orthopedist

Gerasimov
Denis Olegovich

Traumatologist-orthopedic surgeon, leading specialist

Tsibikov
Ilya Vladimirovich

Orthopedic traumatologist

Krivorotko
Mikhail Sergeevich

Orthopedic traumatologist

Nikolaev
Anton Valerievich

Traumatologist-orthopedist

Zagorodny
Nikolay Vasilievich

Traumatologist-orthopedist

Schneider
Lev Sergeevich

Traumatologist-orthopedist

MRI Ingenia 3. 0T

Kivasev
Stanislav Alexandrovich

Radiologist, Deputy Director for Radiation Diagnostics

Nechaev
Valentin Alexandrovich

Radiologist

Basarboliev
Alexey Viktorovich

Radiologist

Tikhonova
Valeria Sergeevna

Radiologist

Mukhin
Andrey Andreevich

Radiologist

Krysanova
Alexandra Vladimirovna

Radiologist

Vasilieva
Yulia Nikolaevna

Radiologist

Schultz
Evgeniy Igorevich

Radiologist

Zvezdina
Daria Maksimovna

Radiologist

Computed tomography

Kivasev
Stanislav Alexandrovich

Radiologist, Deputy Director for Radiation Diagnostics

Nechaev
Valentin Alexandrovich

Radiologist

Basarboliev
Alexey Viktorovich

Radiologist

Tikhonova
Valeria Sergeevna

Radiologist

Mukhin
Andrey Andreevich

Radiologist

Krysanova
Alexandra Vladimirovna

Radiologist

Vasilieva
Yulia Nikolaevna

Radiologist

Schultz
Evgeniy Igorevich

Radiologist

Zvezdina
Daria Maksimovna

Radiologist

Mammography

Kivasev
Stanislav Alexandrovich

Radiologist, Deputy Director for Radiation Diagnostics

Krysanova
Alexandra Vladimirovna

Radiologist

Basakov
Kirill Sergeevich

Surgeon-mammologist, ultrasound doctor, radiologist

Murtazalieva
Aina Abdulaevna

Mammologist-oncologist, radiologist, ultrasound doctor

Densitometry

Kivasev
Stanislav Alexandrovich

Radiologist, Deputy Director for Radiation Diagnostics

Nechaev
Valentin Alexandrovich

Radiologist

Basarboliev
Alexey Viktorovich

Radiologist

Tikhonova
Valeria Sergeevna

Radiologist

Mukhin
Andrey Andreevich

Radiologist

Zvezdina
Daria Maksimovna

Radiologist

Nephrology

Markina
Elena Alexandrovna

Nephrologist, Head of the Nephrology Center

Nephrology Center

Pediatric dentistry

Orlova
Elizaveta Sergeevna

Dentist therapist, pediatric dentist

Dentistry. Surgery

Kulish
Alexander Alexandrovich

Dentist-surgeon, implantologist

Dentistry.Orthopedics

Bogoslovsky
Vladimir Alexandrovich

Dentist-orthopedist

Zakharchenko
Alexander Valerievich

Dentist-orthopedist

COVID-19 Diagnostics

Mammology

Basakov
Kirill Sergeevich

Surgeon-mammologist, ultrasound doctor, radiologist

Murtazalieva
Aina Abdulaevna

Mammologist-oncologist, radiologist, ultrasound doctor

Zapirov
Gadzhimurad Magomedovich

Mammologist-surgeon, oncologist, radiologist

Online doctor consultation from 1490 ₽

Paukova
Marina Vladimirovna

Audiologist-otorhinolaryngologist

Varenkova
Olga Vladimirovna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Kardanova
Olga Dmitrievna

Cardiologist, therapist (leading specialist)

Markovskaya
Natalia Gennadievna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Shashkova
Tatiana Valerievna

Therapist, cardiologist, physiciandiagnostics

Poddo
Galina Nikolaevna

Psychotherapist (leading specialist)

Komissarenko
Irina Arsenievna

Gastroenterologist, therapist, cardiologist

Ivanova
Tatiana Andreevna

Neurologist

Markina
Elena Alexandrovna

Nephrologist, Head of the Nephrology Center

Bakhteeva
Irina Vladimirovna

Endocrinologist

Strok
Irina Viktorovna

Pediatrician, neonatologist

Korshunova
Natalia Alexandrovna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Petruk
Maxim Nikolaevich

Proctologist

Malysheva
Olga Dmitrievna

Operating otorhinolaryngologist

Tumanov
Andrey Borisovich

Surgeon

Tolsteneva
Alexandra Igorevna

Neurologist, pediatric neurologist

Deposit system

Home help service

Slashcheva
Olga Mikhailovna

therapist

Korshunova
Natalia Alexandrovna

Otorhinolaryngologist

Medical certificates

Dentistry. Implantology

Kulish
Alexander Alexandrovich

Dentist-surgeon, implantologist

MRI open type

Kivasev
Stanislav Alexandrovich

Radiologist, Deputy Director for Radiation Diagnostics

Nechaev
Valentin Alexandrovich

Radiologist

Basarboliev
Alexey Viktorovich

Radiologist

Tikhonova
Valeria Sergeevna

Radiologist

Mukhin
Andrey Andreevich

Radiologist

Krysanova
Alexandra Vladimirovna

Radiologist

Vasilieva
Yulia Nikolaevna

Radiologist

Schultz
Evgeniy Igorevich

Radiologist

Zvezdina
Daria Maksimovna

Radiologist

Mammology Center

Dentistry. Orthodontics

Shaforostova
Ekaterina Vasilievna

Dentist-orthodontist

Rheumatology

Ushakova
Maria Anatolievna

Rheumatologist

Starovoitova
Maya Nikolaevna

Rheumatologist

COVID-19 vaccination

Algology Center

90,000 Sore throat causes and treatment. Throat hurts, what to do?

Diagnoses-labels are often pasted on the move during a cursory examination of the pharynx – tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis for adults, “large (loose, weak, sick) tonsils” for children. Why does the throat hurt so often?

The pharynx (and not the throat, that is the anatomical name) is the intersection of the respiratory and digestive tracts. This is that narrow and unique place where information-protective, barrier systems collide with aggressive components contained in the air we breathe, and in the food we eat, and in the water we drink.

That is why nature has located here one of the significant accumulations of lymphoid tissue, organized in the form of tonsils. There are six of them – the pharyngeal, known as “adenoids”, a pair of tubes located in the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tubes, a pair of palatine, the most famous, which are usually called “glands”, and the lingual at the root of the tongue.

This ring of tonsils, described by Valdeyer and Pirogov, is not closed by accident. It contains subtle mechanisms of interaction within the tonsil system, providing an analysis of incoming substances, bacteria and viruses, accumulates the memory of them, forms the mechanisms of specific and nonspecific defense.

The main mechanism of adaptation to the environment that ensures the survival of any organism containing lymphatic tissue is inflammation. In the case of the pharynx, inflammation of the lymphatic and lymphoid tissue of the tonsils. Therefore, to the question: “What do healthy, normal tonsils look like?” the difficult answer looks very simple: normal tonsils of a healthy person (including a child) always (100%) have the main signs of chronic inflammation.

Inflammation of the tonsils as an adaptive reaction begins at 3-4 months of fetal development and ends 2-3 days after the death of a person. Therefore, the frequent “oohs and sighs” about “red tonsils”, “inflamed tonsils”, “large tonsils” are nothing more than an emotional statement of what they saw.

Pathology

One should speak about pathology only when the tonsils cease to cope with their inflammatory function, that is, the inflammation becomes decompensated. It was this that served as the basis for the isolation of compensated and decompensated forms of chronic tonsillitis, proposed by Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences I.B. Soldatov in 1975 (the classification of tonsillitis developed by him was approved at the VII All-Union Congress of Otorhinolaryngologists).

The immune system tries to compensate for the weakening of function by increasing the volume of lymphadenoid tissue, increasing it in the form of granules or rolls on the back of the pharynx. Most often, it is these formations, and not the tonsils, that give painful sensations. In such cases, they talk about the development of chronic pharyngitis.

Removing the adenoids, and even more so the tonsils of the palate in our “vanity”, we not only rupture the lymphadenoid pharyngeal ring, but also significantly reduce the mass of the periphery of the immune system.It is not for nothing that popular rumor says: if you remove the tonsils, you will be tormented by your throat all your life.

The growth of additional lymphadenoid tissue is often accompanied by a feeling of a lump or foreign body in the pharynx. In the West, where post-syndrome diagnostics is accepted, there is even a separate concept – “lump in the throat syndrome”. Such patients begin to suspect they have a tumor, and it can be extremely difficult to dissuade them. Unfortunately, malignant tumors of the pharynx are so dangerous that in the early stages they do not give any painful sensations.

Treatment

Treatment of throat diseases only in rare cases should be radical. Traditional tonsillectomy should be viewed more historically.

The only functional surgical intervention currently proposed by S.V. Korenchenko intratonsillar laser destruction. This operation is patented and is performed only in the Clinic of Dr. Korenchenko.

Other methods of physical influence on the tonsils, including the widespread CO2 laser, destroy the epithelium of the tonsils and block one of the most important defense mechanisms – “lymphoepithelial symbiosis”.These technologies are well used to destroy granules and rolls of the posterior pharyngeal wall.

Methods

In conservative treatment, preference should be given to various methods of immunocorrection. The range of immunomodulatory drugs on the pharmaceutical market is quite wide, the choice of a drug in each case should be left to a specialist. Such popular physical therapy, including laser, has not justified itself in the proper measure in the treatment of chronic tonsillitis and pharyngitis, and there is no need to pin special hopes on it.

In conclusion, a few words about a healthy lifestyle. Many patients are interested in various methods of hardening. There is no doubt that hardening reduces the frequency of colds and alleviates the course of inflammatory diseases of the throat.

It is only necessary to observe the measure and not raise the “healthy lifestyle” into dogma and absolute, as it happened, for example, with the followers of the deeply respected P.K. Ivanov, which turned into a real sect.

90,000 Throat diseases in children

02 November 2020

Pediatricians in their daily practice often encounter acute inflammatory diseases of the throat in children.Recently, experts note that the number of children suffering from episodes of acute pharyngitis and sore throats is increasing – up to several times a year.

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.