How long does acute pharyngitis take to heal?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on November 04, 2024
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Acute pharyngitis generally heals within seven to ten days. Acute pharyngitis is caused by a viral infection due to lowered immunity and resistance. Patients may experience sudden high fever, severe sore throat, and symptoms such as dry throat, itchy throat, sensation of a foreign body in the throat, and a feeling of obstruction. Examination may reveal swelling and congestion of the soft palate and uvula, and yellow secretions on the posterior pharyngeal wall. In terms of treatment, acute pharyngitis is a viral infection and generally does not require oral antibiotic treatment. Patients can use nebulized inhalation which is effective in reducing congestion and edema of the throat. A bland diet, abstaining from smoking and alcohol, avoiding spicy and irritating foods, drinking more water, and resting more can generally lead to gradual improvement within a week. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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Is acute pharyngitis contagious?

Acute pharyngitis can be contagious. Generally, it can spread through the respiratory or digestive systems. If the patient shows symptoms of fever and throat pain, isolation is required. Typically, isolation lasts for 3-5 days. Acute pharyngitis is caused by a viral or bacterial infection, leading to symptoms in the throat as well as systemic symptoms. The patient may experience sudden high fever, with body temperature above 38°C, and severe throat pain. Other symptoms include dry throat, sore throat, itchy throat, sensation of a foreign body in the throat, and a feeling of obstruction. During an examination with an electronic laryngoscope, the mucous membranes in the throat may be found to be congested and significantly swollen, with pus-like secretions present on the posterior pharyngeal wall. For treatment, an examination using an electronic laryngoscope and a routine blood test are first required. If there is an increase in white blood cells, symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment and oral antibiotics are needed. If lymphocytes are elevated, symptomatic antiviral treatment is required, and recovery can generally occur within about a week. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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What medicine is used for acute pharyngitis?

Acute pharyngitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease, with numerous clinical symptoms. The more common ones include sore throat and the sensation of a foreign body in the throat; some patients may also develop a fever. In terms of treatment, it is first necessary to conduct some indirect laryngoscopy and routine blood tests to determine the specific cause and severity of the condition. If it is caused by an acute bacterial infection, the use of antibiotics should be considered, commonly cephalosporins or penicillins. If it is due to a viral infection, antiviral medications should be considered, and glucocorticoid medications can also be used in nebulization treatment. During the treatment process, regular follow-up visits are required to observe the effects of the treatment. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Does acute pharyngitis recur easily?

Relatively easy. Acute pharyngitis is an acute inflammatory disease of the pharyngeal mucosa, and acute pharyngitis can also be part of an upper respiratory tract infection. Clinically, the main manifestations of acute pharyngitis are pain in the throat, and severe cases may exhibit symptoms like chills and fever. We can observe that the mucous membrane of the throat is highly congested, and there may even be purulent secretions. After treating acute pharyngitis clinically, it is relatively easy for it to recur. This is because our usual diet of spicy and irritating foods, or foods that are too cold or too hot, can adversely stimulate the mucous membrane of the throat. At the same time, if we are prone to catching colds, the cold itself will affect the mucous membrane of the pharynx, thus making acute pharyngitis clinically prone to recurrence.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Does acute pharyngitis have phlegm?

The symptoms of acute pharyngitis are numerous and can cause coughing and expectoration, as well as sore throat, foreign body sensation in the throat, fever, swallowing obstruction, and difficulty breathing. There is significant individual variation in specific symptoms. After the onset of the disease, it is necessary to visit an otolaryngology department, where routine blood tests and indirect laryngoscopy can be conducted to assess the severity of the condition. In terms of medication treatment, oral medications are commonly used at present, and can be combined with nebulizer therapy. During the treatment process, regular follow-ups are needed to observe the recovery of the condition. Most patients will gradually improve after timely medical treatment.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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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.