Inflammation of the pharynx can be both acute and chronic, which affects the symptoms of the disease and determines the treatment tactics. The main symptoms of chronic pharyngitis and the acute course of the disease are pain in the throat. An acute process is rarely an independent pathology. Most often, it is a manifestation of ARVI and other diseases characterized by damage to the respiratory tract, and is caused by the effects of viruses. In the development of chronic pharyngitis, great importance is attached to various disease-causing factors.
Provoking factors
The development of chronic pharyngitis is influenced by the following circumstances:
- hypothermia;
- negative impact of the environment, nicotine, chemical compounds, dust, gas;
- occupational hazards, such as hot air, increased content of cement, clay;
- inaccuracies in nutrition, in which the use of cold or hot foods and drinks occurs.
Concomitant diseases have a significant effect on reducing the body's defense reaction and the development of chronic pharyngitis:
- sinusitis, caries, chronic tonsillitis and other foci of chronic infection;
- endocrine pathology;
- chronic diseases of the digestive tract, especially reflux esophagitis;
- severe infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis;
- allergic conditions.
Characteristics of the disease
Acute pharyngitis is usually combined with laryngitis, tonsillitis, inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx. The chronic process has a clearer localization of the process. In this case, the lesion of the pharynx proceeds in isolation.
For the chronic course, periods of exacerbation and remission are typical.
The transformation of the acute course of the disease into a chronic form can be discussed if clinical signs are observed for more than three weeks. This development is not typical for children. Chronic pharyngitis affects patients after 30 years.
The main symptoms of chronic pharyngitis in adults:
- sore throat, worse when swallowing;
- discomfort, feeling of dryness, scratching and sore throat;
- coughing;
- a strong dry cough that bothers the patient throughout the day;
- increased body temperature.
The general condition of the patient is not significantly impaired. Efficiency and appetite are usually minimally affected. Malaise can be noted with the development of hyperthermia up to 37.5. Higher temperatures are not typical.
Often there is an increase in regional lymph nodes. Usually, the lesion affects the anterior cervical, mandibular groups. On palpation, they are enlarged, soft, easily displaceable, which distinguishes them with the development of metastatic lesions.
Objective signs
The most informative examination that can clarify the diagnosis is pharyngoscopy. The study is simple, affordable, painless, and contributes to a reliable diagnosis of the disease. In addition, such a visual examination allows you to determine the various forms of damage. Morphological changes are manifested in the form of catarrhal inflammation, atrophic or hypertrophic, which leads to some differences in clinical signs. Symptoms of the disease also depend on the stage of the disease, exacerbation or remission.
The catarrhal form of inflammation is characterized by hyperemia and swelling of the mucous membranes.
They can be bright pink or even crimson, and are characterized by the presence of crusts and mucus. Due to the development of puffiness, they seem varnish.
The remission stage is characterized by dryness of the mucous membrane. On examination, it looks pale, thickened. The posterior pharyngeal wall may have enlarged follicles resembling millet grains in size.
The main symptom in the catarrhal form is a feeling of discomfort in the throat, which forces the patient to swallow frequently. Choking and dry cough, caused by the accumulation of mucus on the back of the pharynx, are also troubling. There is a constant urge to clear your throat.
The hypertrophic form of pharyngitis is characterized by the proliferation of lymphoid tissue on the mucous membrane. This area can be local or cover the entire surface of the posterior pharyngeal wall. The main complaint is the sensation of a foreign body in the throat. Such an obstacle does not interfere with the passage of food, however, it leads to the fact that the patient develops a severe cough.
By the nature of the cough in chronic pharyngitis paroxysmal, hacking.
Cough tremors are so strong that they lead to the development of soreness of the muscles of the diaphragm. When the process spreads to the lower parts of the pharynx, patients are also worried about hoarseness.
Since the tuberosity of the mucous membrane is also characterized by cancer of the pharynx, it is important to clarify the nature of the lesion. Biopsy is a reliable diagnostic method. The examination consists in the removal of a dubious tissue site with further microscopic examination.
The atrophic form of pharyngitis is most typical for the elderly and characterizes age-related changes in the body. Often, this course is combined with similar changes in the nasal mucosa. However, the atrophic form of pharyngitis can also occur in certain ethnic groups, whose diet includes spicy and spicy dishes.
At the same time, a sharp thinning of the mucous membrane is typical. On the posterior wall of the pharynx, dry crusts are noted, areas of injected vessels are visible. Dry mucous membranes make the patient want to take a sip of water. With the development of the process, further thinning, the mucous membrane becomes painful, which causes additional discomfort. Swallowing food causes increased pain, especially when the throat is empty.
The general picture in chronic pharyngitis is characterized by the fact that the clinical symptoms are more pronounced than the existing objective changes in the mucous membrane. A feature of the disease is also the long-term presence of cough.
In addition to the pharyngoscopy, to clarify the diagnosis in severe cases, a bacteriological examination of scraping can be used, which allows you to identify the pathogen, to determine its sensitivity to antibiotics. In the absence of pathogenic bacteria, serological diagnostics can be carried out to identify the viral pathogen.
It is important to identify the signs and symptoms of chronic pharyngitis, since the disease can mask another, more severe pathology. Pulmonary tuberculosis, throat cancer, specific pharyngitis can also be characterized by similar symptoms. The treatment tactics in each case are significantly different. In this regard, in order to clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary to consult an otolaryngologist, conduct a pharyngoscopy.
