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Acute pharyngitis
What are the symptoms of acute pharyngitis?
Acute pharyngitis is caused by the invasion of bacteria or viruses due to weakened immunity and resistance in the body, leading to systemic symptoms and symptoms in the throat area. Patients may experience sudden high fever, with body temperature above 38.5°C, dizziness, headache, dryness and pain in the throat, as well as a sensation of obstruction and foreign body in the throat. Examination may reveal significant congestion and swelling in the throat, with yellow secretions adhering to the soft palate and pharyngeal wall. For treatment, patients initially need a complete blood count test; if there is an increase in white blood cells, oral antibiotics such as cefixime and amoxicillin are needed. If lymphocytes are elevated, oral administration of ribavirin granules is required, which has good effects. Nebulization can also be used concurrently to alleviate local congestion and swelling, and recovery can generally begin within about a week. Note: Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Does acute pharyngitis cause coughing?
Acute pharyngitis is a common otolaryngological disease, with its main symptoms including sore throat, fever, dry throat, itchy throat, and primarily coughing. The main cause of acute pharyngitis is the infection of bacteria or viruses, which leads to the proliferation and congestion of the pharyngeal mucosa, along with the proliferation of lymphatic follicles, causing the patient to feel a foreign body sensation in the throat and triggering irritative coughing. In daily life, it is necessary to avoid spicy and stimulating food as well as cold drinks. Additionally, drinking honeysuckle tea and monk fruit-infused water can significantly alleviate the symptoms of acute pharyngitis.
Is acute pharyngitis serious?
Acute pharyngitis is a relatively common ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) disease. Whether it is severe or not depends on the extent of the inflammatory response. Generally, most patients are not too severe, mainly because it is caused by an acute bacterial or viral infection. In clinical practice, bacterial infections are more common. The main symptom is sudden throat pain. If the inflammatory response is more severe, it can cause more serious pharyngitis, which may affect swallowing and breathing, and cause edema in the mucous membrane of the throat. If it is particularly severe, fever may also occur. It is necessary to visit the ENT department to check the specific extent of infection and inflammation in the throat, conduct a routine blood test, and make a more accurate comprehensive assessment.
How to treat acute pharyngitis symptoms?
The treatment of acute pharyngitis symptoms primarily involves topical medication, systemic medication, and general measures. First, topical treatments mainly include traditional Chinese medicine lozenges, or medications delivered by nebulization, or various mouthwashes, etc. These topical medications mainly provide quick relief from symptoms such as dry throat, sore throat, and throat heat. As for systemic medications, these generally involve the use of antibiotics or antiviral drugs. Doctors will choose different treatments based on their assessment of the condition and what factors they believe have caused the acute pharyngitis. General measures include bed rest, drinking plenty of water, consuming easily digestible food, and avoiding spicy, irritating foods as well as environments with tobacco and alcohol.
What should I do about a dry cough from acute pharyngitis?
Acute pharyngitis is a common disease in the field of otolaryngology, with many patients experiencing symptoms such as dry cough, foreign body sensation in the throat, sore throat, coughing, and phlegm. Upon the onset of these symptoms, it is first recommended to use appropriate oral or intravenous antibiotics for anti-inflammatory symptomatic treatment to alleviate congestion and edema of the pharyngeal mucosa. Additionally, honeysuckle, wild chrysanthemum, Sterculia lychnophora (fat sea), or drinking water infused with pomelo and ginseng can be very effective in treating dry cough caused by pharyngitis. In daily life, it is also important to avoid smoking and alcohol, spicy and irritating foods, and cold drinks to keep the pharyngitis under control.
How long does acute pharyngitis take to heal by itself?
The recovery time for acute pharyngitis is generally about a week. Some patients can recover on their own, which typically takes about a week. However, some patients cannot recover on their own, especially those with severe acute inflammatory responses and prominent clinical symptoms, particularly when accompanied by significant acute bacterial or viral infections. In such cases, medication treatment is likely necessary. Relying solely on one's natural immunity might be relatively ineffective; therefore, considering timely targeted medication treatment is necessary. Additionally, the use of nebulization and traditional Chinese oral medications, regular blood tests, and laryngoscope examinations to monitor recovery are recommended. It is also advised to maintain a light diet and avoid smoking and drinking. (Note: Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor based on the specific circumstances.)
Do you need injections for acute pharyngitis?
Acute pharyngitis does not necessarily require injections. The decision to administer injections should consider the condition and the patient's own state comprehensively. Generally, for most patients with mild inflammatory responses and not particularly obvious symptoms, the first consideration is still drug treatment. Currently, the main treatments are oral antibiotics and traditional Chinese medicine. It is also recommended to complement treatment with nebulization. Attention should also be paid to diet; smoking and drinking alcohol should be avoided, as should spicy and irritating foods. It is preferable to stick to soft, liquid or semi-liquid diets, with lighter foods being better. If the inflammatory response is particularly severe and conservative treatment with oral medications is ineffective, then injections or intravenous therapies may be considered.
The difference between acute pharyngitis and chronic pharyngitis
Acute pharyngitis and chronic pharyngitis have fundamental differences, primarily in the nature of the diseases. Acute pharyngitis is acute, while chronic pharyngitis is chronic. Due to the different nature of the diseases, the clinical symptoms of acute and chronic pharyngitis also differ. Acute pharyngitis typically presents clinically with throat pain, whereas chronic pharyngitis usually manifests as dryness, itchiness in the throat, or a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, among other discomforts. Additionally, their treatments are different. For acute pharyngitis, antibiotics may be used if there is purulent sputum or a bacterial infection. In contrast, chronic pharyngitis generally does not involve the use of antibiotics; instead, treatment mainly consists of taking Chinese patent medicines that clear heat and detoxify the body. Thus, the differences between them are quite distinct. (Please consult a professional physician before using any medication; do not self-medicate.)
Can acute pharyngitis heal by itself?
Acute pharyngitis may recover on its own, but there are individual differences. This mainly relates to the degree of the acute inflammatory response, the severity of the condition itself, and the patient's own resistance. If the inflammatory response is mild, the subjective symptoms are not obvious, and the patient's own resistance is strong, it is indeed possible for recovery to occur on its own. The recovery time is approximately 3 days to a week. If the inflammatory response is particularly severe, the patient's resistance is poor, and the subjective symptoms are quite noticeable, it is recommended to seek timely treatment. A routine blood test should be conducted to assess the specific degree and type of inflammation. Treatment should primarily involve oral medication, supplemented by nebulization. Some patients may also consider traditional Chinese medicine treatments. Regular follow-ups are necessary, and the treatment period is approximately one week.
Causes of Acute Pharyngitis
The causes of acute pharyngitis are various. Clinically, the most common cause is acute bacterial infection, followed by acute viral infections. It may also be related to poor resistance of the body or induced by a cold. Therefore, it is essential to first identify the specific pathogenic causes and conduct routine blood tests to examine the degree of redness and swelling in the throat. In terms of treatment, oral medication is generally preferred. Additionally, the use of traditional Chinese medicine and nebulization therapy can be considered for their supplementary therapeutic effects. After identifying the causes, timely treatment is necessary, along with regular follow-ups to monitor the recovery process.