Chronic pharyngitis in adults

Chronic pharyngitis can be provoked by smoking, dust, alcohol, chemical agents, ingress of hot steam or liquid. Other causes of chronic pharyngitis include allergies, a foreign body in the throat, a burn with alkali or acid. Factors in the development of the disease can also be untreated caries, chronic tonsillitis or adenoids in children.

By stages, pharyngitis is divided into catarrhal, hypertrophic and atrophic.

• catarrhal pharyngitis – the initial stage of the disease usually develops against the background of constant inhalation of tobacco smoke, harmful chemical impurities, dust or hot steam. Catarrhal pharyngitis is manifested in the form of perspiration or dryness in the throat.
• Hypertrophic pharyngitis – characterized by the presence of small nodules or granules on the mucous membrane of the pharynx. The throat is usually ticklish, mucus is secreted, the patient is tormented by a dry cough.
• Atrophic pharyngitis – this is the most severe form of the disease, as a result of which the mucous membrane of the pharynx becomes very thin. Dried mucus forms crusts, which the patient tries to cough up. The patient suffers from a dry cough day and night.

Diagnosis of chronic pharyngitis

If you suspect pharyngitis, you should not diagnose yourself. It is better to consult an otorhinolaryngologist, who, with the help of special examinations, will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

The doctor will ask questions about whether you have recently been in contact with sick people, what medications you are taking, and whether you have any bad habits. Then he will perform a visual examination of the pharynx, pharyngoscopy, take a swab from the throat.

During a visual examination with a flashlight, the doctor will examine the throat, ears and nasal passages. Check cervical and submandibular lymph nodes. In the presence of a chronic infection, they can be increased.

During pharyngoscopy, the doctor examines the pharynx and oral cavity using a special mirror. A more modern examination method – endoscopic, allows the doctor to get a more detailed image that is displayed on the screen. The procedure is practically painless. After special anesthesia, the doctor inserts the probe into the throat, and the patient can follow what is happening on the monitor screen. The image is stored on a computer and can be given to the patient on an electronic medium.

A swab from the throat allows the doctor to determine the type of bacteria that inhabit the inflamed pharyngeal mucosa. Your doctor will run a clean swab over the back of your throat. Then the swab is sent to the laboratory for analysis. If bacteria are found on it, the result is considered positive. Based on which strains of bacteria have been obtained, the doctor will select the appropriate antibiotic. But if the test is negative, pharyngitis may be caused by a viral infection.

Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis in adults

Local symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are pain, burning, sensation of a foreign body in the throat. They may be joined by a dry persistent cough.

Common symptoms of chronic pharyngitis include:

• Temperature increase;
• General weakness;
• Headache;
• Pain in the muscles and joints.

Treatment of chronic pharyngitis in adults

Treatment of chronic pharyngitis depends on the cause that caused it. If the cause of chronic pharyngitis is a viral infection, symptomatic drugs ibuprofen, paracetamol are prescribed. They relieve general symptoms, lower the temperature and reduce the local inflammatory reaction.

For local treatment, antibacterial spray solutions are used, such as miramistin, chlorhexidine, etc. Gargling with a solution of salt or soda helps. To do this, dilute half a teaspoon in a glass of cooled boiled water.

Chronic pharyngitis can be caused by irritants such as dust, tobacco smoke, chemicals. In this case, it is important to quickly eliminate harmful factors, stop smoking, change jobs, etc.

In the event that chronic pharyngitis is caused by non-infectious causes, such as thermal or chemical burns, it is urgent to seek medical help.

What antibiotics can be used for chronic pharyngitis?

Antibiotics for chronic pharyngitis should be used only if the disease is caused by a bacterial infection. The most effective in this case are penicillin antibiotics – amoxicillin, penicillin, as well as macrolides – azithromycin, clindamycin, erythromycin.

Folk remedies

You can add folk remedies to traditional methods of treatment. This will help alleviate the symptoms and quickly cope with the disease.

It is important to drink more fluids and gargle. The liquid moisturizes the mucous membrane of the pharynx, promotes the discharge of mucus. At the same time, drinking and rinsing should not be very hot or cold.

You can gargle with decoctions of chamomile, oak bark, sage. These medicinal plants have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Humidify the air in your home with the help of special humidifiers. If this is not possible, a pot of water at night by the bed, or a wet towel on the radiator, can help.

Prevention at home

Prevention of chronic pharyngitis is the timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the ear, throat, nose, and oral cavity. It is especially important to limit the impact of harmful substances on the mucous membrane of the throat. Quit smoking or is not in a smoking area. If you are forced to be exposed to harmful substances, wear a special protective mask.

If you are allergic to plants, house dust, animal hair, limit contact with allergens as much as possible.

Popular questions and answers

Answered questions about chronic pharyngitis Otorhinolaryngologist Alexander Kovalev.