Pharyngitis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Pharyngitis

Objectives

  1. Causes
  2. Symptoms
  3. Diagnosis
  4. Treatment
  5. Prevention
  6. Vision

What is pharyngitis?

Pharyngitis is an inflammation of the pharynx, which is behind the throat. It is often referred to as a "sore throat." Pharyngitis can also cause sore throat and difficulty swallowing.

According to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), a sore throat caused by pharyngitis is one of the most common reasons for a doctor's visit. Most cases of pharyngitis occur during the colder months of the year. And it is one of the most common reasons why people stay home and do not go to work. To effectively treat a sore throat, it is important to identify the cause. Pharyngitis can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

Causes of pharyngitis

There are many germs and viruses that can cause pharyngitis. Includes:

  1. measles
  2. adenovirus, which is one of the causes of the common cold
  3. cluster
  4. croup, which is a childhood disease characterized by a barking cough
  5. whooping cough
  6. group A streptococcus

Bacteria are the most common cause of sore throat. Pharyngitis is usually caused by a viral infection such as a common cold, flu or mononucleosis. Infections do not respond to antibiotics, and treatment is only necessary to help relieve symptoms.

Usually, pharyngitis is caused by a bacterial infection. Bacterial infections require antibiotics. The most common bacterial infection in the throat is strep throat, caused by group A streptococcus. Common causes of bacterial pharyngitis include gonorrhea, chlamydia, and corynebacterium.

Frequent exposure to colds and flu can increase your risk of pharyngitis. This is especially true for people who have jobs in health care, allergies, and common sinuses. Exposure to secondhand smoke can also increase your risk.

What are the symptoms of pharyngitis?

The incubation period is usually two to five days. The symptoms associated with pharyngitis vary depending on the underlying condition.

In addition to a sore throat, dry, or strenuous, cold or flu can cause:

  1. sneezing
  2. running nose
  3. head
  4. cough
  5. fatigue
  6. Physical pain
  7. Cold
  8. flu (low-grade flu with high fever)

In addition to sore throat, symptoms of mononucleosis include:

  1. the lymph nodes are swollen
  2. severe fatigue
  3. fever
  4. muscle pain
  5. common illness
  6. loss of appetite
  7. rash

Throat pharyngitis, another type of pharyngitis, can also cause:

  1. difficulty swallowing
  2. red throat with white or gray dots
  3. the lymph nodes are swollen
  4. fever
  5. Cold
  6. loss of appetite
  7. nausea
  8. an unusual taste in the mouth
  9. common illness

The duration of the infection will depend on your condition. If you have a viral infection, you will be infected until your fever is gone. If you have a strep throat, you may be infected from the beginning until you spend 24 hours on antibiotics.

The common cold usually lasts less than ten days. Symptoms, including the common cold, may increase in about three to five days. If pharyngitis is associated with a cold virus, you can expect your symptoms to last for a while.


How is pharyngitis diagnosed?

Physical examination

If you experience symptoms of pharyngitis week and kek w know what we keep ke keep working on your doctor will check your throat. They will look for any white or gray patches, swelling and redness. Your doctor may also look at your ears and nose. To check for swollen lymph nodes, they will feel the sides of your neck.

Throat culture

If your doctor suspects that you have a strep throat, they may have a throat infection. This involves using a cotton swab to take a sample of secretions from your throat. Most doctors are able to perform a quick strep test in the office. This test will tell your doctor within a few minutes if the test contains streptococcus. In some cases, the swab is sent to the board for further testing and the results are not available for at least 24 hours.

Blood test

If your doctor suspects another cause of your pharyngitis, they may order blood pressure. A small sample of blood is drawn from your arm or hand and sent to a testing site. This test can determine if you have mononucleosis. A complete blood count (CBC) test can be done to find out if you have any other type of infection.

Home care and medication

Home care

If the virus causes your pharyngitis, home care can help reduce symptoms. Home care includes:

  1. drink plenty of fluids to prevent thirst
  2. eating warm broth
  3. grind with warm salt water (1 teaspoon salt per 8 ounces of water)
  4. using a humidifier
  5. relax until you feel better


To relieve pain and fever, consider taking medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). Throat tissues can also help soothe a sore, itchy throat.

Some medicines are sometimes used to treat pharyngitis. However, you should consult your doctor before using them to avoid drug or other health problems. Some of the most widely used remedies include:

  1. honeysuckle
  2. licorice
  3. marshmallow root
  4. wise
  5. a smooth elm

Treatment

In some cases, treatment is necessary for pharyngitis. This is especially so when it is caused by a bacterial infection. In such cases, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTrusted Source (CDC), amoxicillin and penicillin are the most common treatments given to strep throat. It is important that you take the entire course of antibiotics to prevent the infection from returning or spreading. The full course of these antimicrobials usually takes 7 to 10 days.

Prevention of Pharyngitis

Maintaining good hygiene can prevent many cases of pharyngitis.

Prevention of pharyngitis:

  1. avoid sharing food, beverages and food containers
  2. avoid sick people
  3. wash your hands often, especially before eating and after coughing or sneezing
  4. use alcohol

What foods and drinks should you have?

Soft and easy to swallow food is usually safe to eat if you have a sore throat. A soft texture will help reduce the amount of irritation in your throat. Warm foods and drinks can also help reduce your throat.

  1. drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
  2. eating warm broth
  3. gargling with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt per 8 ounces of water)
  4. using a humidifier
  5. resting until you feel better

Some foods you may want to eat are:

  1. warm, cooked pasta, including macaroni and cheese
  2. warm oatmeal, cooked grains, or grits
  3. gelatin dessert
  4. plain yogurts or yogurts with pure fruit
  5. cooked vegetables
  6. fruit or fruit smoothies
  7. mashed potatoes
  8. broth and cream based soup
  9. milk
  10. its non acidic, such as grape juice or apple juice
  11. cracked or boiled eggs
  12. popsicles

Eating and drinking these things will allow you to stay healthy without irritating your already sore throat.

What foods and drinks should you avoid?

You should avoid foods that might irritate your throat or that would be difficult to swallow. These foods may include:

  1. cracked bread
  2. spicy spices and sauces
  3. soda
  4. coffee
  5. alcohol
  6. simple dry foods, such as potato chips, pretzels, or popcorn
  7. fresh, raw vegetables
  8. nutritious fruits, such as oranges, lemons, lime, tomatoes, and ripe

For some people, milk can increase or decrease mucus production. This may cause you to have more frequent coughs, which can increase your sore throat.

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