Pharyngitis

Pharyngitis General Information

Pharyngitis is the generic medical term given to the affection commonly known as “sore throat”. It is an inflammation of the pharynx, most of the time accompanied by pain, and it is generally caused by a viral infection. Although viruses are responsible for about 90% of the cases, it has been noted that the remaining 10% are caused by bacteria, with a rare occurrence of inflammation caused by fungi (such as the thrush caused by candidiasis) and irritation from chemical substances or pollutant agents. In some cases, the inflammation can be accompanied by tonsillitis and laryngitis (infections of the tonsils, respectively larynx).

Pharyngitis is a very common affection in children throughout the world, being encountered mostly in patients within 4 to 7 years of age; children in this age group are generally more prone to suffer from upper respiratory tract infections, and studies have shown that on average a child in this age group suffers from 5 such affections each year. It is unlikely that children of 3 years of age or less will get this affection, however it is not impossible. After the age of 7, the incidence rate of the affection begins to gradually decline, until it becomes an uncommon affection in adult patients. When you have reason to suspect that you may be suffering from this infection, it is highly advised that you consult with your personal health care specialist, as he or she may be able to assist you by placing a diagnosis and proving you with a treatment to follow in order to restore your health.

Pharyngitis Symptoms

There are several symptoms associated with Pharyngitis. Some of them may be encountered in most, if not all cases; however some may be rare and even unique to a case. As with all medical conditions, different organisms have a different way of responding to certain stimuli, so it is best that if you experience any uncommon and bothering symptoms you should consult with your personal health care specialist as soon as possible. An early assessment of the situation and causes, as well as an early treatment will lead to a faster recovery time and may help you avoid future complications.

Among the most common symptoms related to Pharyngitis, patients have been known to experience difficulty and even pain when speaking or swallowing, while presenting a sore, red appearance of the throat. The lymph glands in the neck of the patient may be swollen, and while head and earache are rather common in such cases, fever is not likely to accompany this. In the cases where the patient does have fever, it should be low grade and generally marks a virus-induced Pharyngitis. Also, in some cases where the infection is caused by a virus, the patient may also have a running nose.

This is not a complete list of the symptoms that may be associated with this affection; for further information regarding the possible signs and symptoms of the disease you should ask a qualified health care specialist, such as a doctor or a nurse as they will be able to provide you with more details on the subject.

Pharyngitis Treatment

Typically, once the Pharyngitis diagnosis is clear the consulting physician will prescribe a treatment that is composed of three elements – the symptomatic treatment, which is aimed at relieving pain and reducing symptoms -, remedial therapy which consists of treating the cause of the disease, reducing the infective agents’ spread and also assisting the body in speeding up the healing process, while the preventive measures are taken in order to block the further evolution of the infection and its spreading into the body.

As a general rule, bacterial infections such as those caused by streptococci respond best to remedial therapy, while viral infections are often resistant to treatment. However, such infections will recede spontaneously within a few days from the infection, making the symptomatic therapies the treatment of choice in cases of Pharyngitis. As part of the symptomatic therapies for Pharyngitis, analgesics and especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are largely used to help relieve the pain caused by the infection. Drugs under the form of throat sprays, such as Cepacol or Chloraseptic may also be prescribed, as well as cough medicine (throat Lozenges) for short term relief of the pain. Apart from the medication treatment, the specialized health care professional may also prescribe certain foods or drinks such as yoghurt, warm tea or soup, in order to assist the medication in relieving the symptomatic pain. At the same time, the patient should avoid eating or drinking highly acidic foods or drinks, as these may cause intense pain in the affected area, albeit for limited periods of time. Gargling mouthwash or a warm saline solution has shown that may also temporarily reduce pain; also, undocumented studies claim that mixtures of water and cayenne pepper can also provide pain relief when gargled. Hard candy and especially peppermint-flavored candy may be beneficial in the same way, by temporarily alleviating the pain at the infection spot.

Remedial therapies often serve as preventive measures as well, especially in people that regularly come in contact with patients affected by Pharyngitis, such as medical personnel, nurses, doctors and pharmacists. These therapies are recommended in the early stages of the infection, with best results when they are applied within one or two days from the date the infection started. This may help prevent the infection from spreading in the body, through the mouth and throat, effectively preventing more severe symptoms. However, this early in the evolution of the infection it may be too soon to place the correct diagnosis, and the preventive measures will have no effect on other illnesses which may present similar symptoms, such as the cold or the flu.

Generally, Pharyngitis remedial therapies include administration of antibiotic drugs, especially in cases where the infection is caused by bacteria, as in viral infections antibiotics have limited to no effect in curing the condition. In some cases antibiotics may also be prescribed in order to prevent severe complications from occurring, such as bacterial pneumonia, but this may prove hazardous as the bacteria may develop a resistance to the treatment thus making the resulting infection much more difficult to treat. Antiviral drugs are also available; however their action is limited in this type of infection. They may be prescribed though in cases where the patient has a compromised immune system. Lemons and their juice are often recommended as the citric juice has a strong beneficial effect in bacterial infections of the throat.