What are the symptoms of pharyngitis?

Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 07, 2024
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There are many symptoms of pharyngitis, and the specific symptoms can vary from person to person. The most common ones include the following. The first is a foreign body sensation, which is a sensation of a foreign object in the throat, feeling like there is always something that cannot be coughed up or swallowed, which is very typical. Another one is the empty swallow syndrome, meaning that some people feel like there is something that cannot be swallowed when swallowing saliva without food. Empty swallowing refers to just swallowing saliva in this way, feeling more and more like there’s something stuck as one swallows, which is similar to the foreign body sensation and is also a manifestation of the swallowing action. The third symptom is a dry and itchy throat. Some people also experience symptoms such as feeling nauseous and wanting to gag when brushing their teeth in the morning. Therefore, the symptoms of pharyngitis do not manifest exactly the same in everyone; some people may experience several symptoms, while others may have one predominant symptom.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
1min 9sec home-news-image

Does pharyngitis spread?

Pharyngitis refers to the acute and chronic inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, submucosal tissue, and local lymphatic tissue. Clinically, it mainly presents as a sore throat or a foreign body sensation in the throat, among other discomforts. Acute pharyngitis should be noted for its certain contagiousness, primarily due to viral infections, bacterial infections, or a combination of both, thus it is contagious. Appropriate precautions such as isolation measures, like wearing masks, should be considered. As for chronic pharyngitis, it is not contagious, so special isolation measures are not necessary. Regarding pharyngitis accompanying other diseases, such as reflux pharyngitis which may also involve Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach, some literature reports suggest that Helicobacter pylori can be contagious during chronic pharyngitis, but this has not been fully confirmed and is only based on some reports. In summary, acute pharyngitis is confirmed to be contagious, while chronic pharyngitis is currently not contagious.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Symptoms of pharyngitis and cough

Pharyngitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease with various clinical symptoms. Common symptoms include cough, phlegm, sore throat, and a foreign body sensation in the throat. A small number of patients may experience fever, swallowing obstruction, and difficulty breathing. Therefore, it is necessary to visit the otolaryngology department after the onset of symptoms. Routine blood tests and laryngoscopy can be performed to help determine the specific cause and severity of the condition. Targeted treatment can then be administered, generally considering oral medications and possibly complemented with nebulization therapy. Regular follow-ups are necessary during the treatment process to monitor the recovery of the condition.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
1min 8sec home-news-image

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.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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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.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can pharyngitis cause coughing?

Pharyngitis refers to the inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx. There are many clinical causes of pharyngitis, such as allergic pharyngitis, reflux pharyngitis, and infectious pharyngitis. Regardless of the type, pharyngitis can lead to clinical symptoms such as coughing and throat clearing actions, especially intense dry coughs in allergic pharyngitis, which tend to last a long time. For infectious pharyngitis, the coughing duration is short and the coughs are less intense. Therefore, it is certain that pharyngitis can cause coughing. Clinically, different types of medication are used to treat coughs caused by different types of pharyngitis. For coughs caused by allergies, anti-allergy treatments are required, and for coughs caused by reflux pharyngitis, medications that suppress stomach acid are needed.