Sore throat when swallowing

Most of us are familiar with the common symptom of sore throat when swallowing. Most often, such symptoms accompany us during a cold, but they can also be associated with other diseases. Less often, severe pain in the throat when swallowing can be signs of allergic reactions, thyroid diseases, oncological diseases of the larynx, pharynx.

Most often, sore throats are symptoms of a viral, bacterial or fungal infection, causing the following inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx, larynx:

• pharyngitis;
• laryngitis;
• tonsillitis (or tonsillitis).

It is also worth noting that a sore throat can occur due to other reasons: dry air or prolonged tension of the vocal cords, other causes that are not pathological and do not imply the development of the disease.

Causes of sore throat

The main causes of sore throat are inflammation and irritation, swelling caused by infectious or non-infectious factors. In addition to pain, other symptoms are possible that help determine the factor that provokes discomfort.

To understand the cause of pain, the doctor always needs to carefully collect an anamnesis from the patient.

Sore throat when swallowing with fever

Sore throat against the background of temperature and general malaise is typical for infectious processes. Aggressive viruses, bacteria or fungal agents damage the mucosa, the immune system immediately reacts, forming a focus of inflammation.

Viral infections usually provoke pharyngitis and laryngitis. With infectious mononucleosis, the sore throat is severe, accompanied by an increase in lymph nodes, high fever, and an increase in tonsils.

With adenovirus, a sore throat is accompanied by a runny nose, redness of the eyes and tearing, fever, barking cough.

Herpangina is a viral infection in which a sore throat with fever is accompanied by the formation of blisters on the walls of the pharynx.

With bacterial lesions, acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis) develops. In addition to sore throat, high fever, intoxication, nausea, enlarged tonsils with purulent deposits or plugs are typical. There may be muscle and joint pain.

Fungal lesions are characterized by sore throat, low temperature, white patches on the tonsils and pharynx. Such infections are typical for individuals with reduced immune defenses.

Sore throat when swallowing on one side

If there is a sore throat with fever, localized on one side, this is often a sign of the formation of a retropharyngeal abscess.

Clearly localized pain on one side may be the result of foreign objects or food injuries (bones, sharp edges of solid food).

Sometimes prolonged pain in one side that does not go away can be a sign of a tumor process.

It should be noted that when there is a sore throat and there is an increase in body temperature, it is not necessary to self-medicate, it is necessary to consult a doctor, since different causes of pain and temperature have different methods of treatment.

Sore throat when swallowing without fever

Painful sensations without temperature are typical for exposure to various external factors, allergens, drugs.

Perspiration, burning and sore throat is possible with severe dryness, high air temperature, its strong dust or pollution. Also, a sore throat in the morning is possible due to mouth breathing, heavy snoring and drying of the mucous membranes. In such cases, it is necessary to exclude diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Upon contact with allergens, a sore throat is possible against the background of a runny nose, conjunctivitis, and a skin rash. Usually perspiration and pain are accompanied by a cough. Similar symptoms are also possible after taking allergenic food, some medications.

With periodic reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus and pharynx (reflux), a sore throat is possible. It is especially intense in the morning, as reflux is more common at night. Accompanied by heartburn, perspiration, burning sensation in the throat.

A sore throat is possible with a deficiency of certain substances – a lack of vitamin B2 or vitamin B12, a deficiency of ascorbic acid.

A sore throat is possible as one of the manifestations of chronic pathologies – diabetes, liver damage, kidney failure, endocrine diseases.

There are many reasons for a sore throat. With prolonged anxiety, it is better to consult a specialist.

How to treat a sore throat

Approaches to the treatment of sore throat when swallowing, regardless of the disease that caused this symptom, are similar and are aimed at eliminating the infection and alleviating symptoms. For sore throat when swallowing, it is recommended:

• exclude hot, very cold, spicy food – such food irritates the throat;
• quit smoking;
• be silent if possible, in order not to strain the vocal cords;
• well ventilate and humidify the air in the room where the patient is located;
• consume more fluid;
• when the temperature rises above 38 ° C, it is recommended to take antipyretic drugs – paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen;

• depending on the type of infection that caused the disease, the doctor prescribes antibiotics (penicillins, macrolides or cephalosporins) or antivirals;
• local therapy is aimed at relieving irritation and swelling of the throat. It is recommended to rinse every 1,5-2 hours, irrigate the throat with special sprays (OKI-solution, Miramistin, Tantum-Verde, Oralcept, Theraflu Lar), lozenges (Strepsils, Septolete, Pharyngosept) relieve inflammation and have an analgesic effect.

First of all, of course, in the treatment it is necessary to remove the pain syndrome – for this, symptomatic drugs and protective measures are used, but in order to eliminate the cause of the pain, it is necessary to understand its genesis and already act on it (if it is an infection, then taking antibiotics or antiviral drugs, if these are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then affect the stomach, etc.)

Methods for the prevention of throat diseases

Prevention of diseases that can cause sore throat, including when swallowing, includes:

• quitting alcohol and smoking;
• avoidance of hypothermia;
• strengthening general immunity;
• compliance with the rules of personal and general hygiene;
• treatment of other diseases that can provoke sore throat (sinusitis, caries, otitis media).

With timely treatment and compliance with all the doctor’s recommendations, the prognosis of sore throat when swallowing is favorable.

Popular questions and answers

We spoke with general practitioner Valeria Trapeznikova about when to see a doctor for a sore throat, what warning signs require an ambulance to be called immediately, and how to quickly get rid of the pain.