The throat can hurt during various processes in the body. The defeat can be localized directly in the throat cavity or be caused by diseases of other organs and systems.
The most pronounced pain syndrome in the throat is caused by acute tonsillitis of various origins, both bacterial and viral.
With the development of chronic tonsillitis, accompanied by a systemic effect on the entire body, often the only method of treatment is tonsillectomy, that is, an operation to remove foci of chronic infection, tonsils.
However, the otolaryngologist is faced with the fact that, although the tonsils are no longer there, the patient continues to complain of severe sore throat.
Sore throat causes
The presence of a pain syndrome is associated with the fact that, in addition to tonsillitis of various origins, its development may be due to other pathological conditions:
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis;
- sinusitis.
The tonsils play an important role in protecting the body from pathogens. They are the first to meet the pathogen at the gate of the infection and resist it.
The otolaryngologist is aware that, having removed the organ responsible for the development of immunity, the incidence of ARVI, the inflammatory processes of the throat will increase. In such conditions, the effect of a viral or bacterial pathogen will be more effective. The body's resistance after removal of the tonsils will decrease.
However, tonsillectomy plays another important role - the negative effect of pathogenic microorganisms on the entire body decreases, and the likelihood of exacerbations of other chronic diseases decreases. This can have a beneficial effect on all existing concomitant diseases and immunity in general. In this regard, the question of the need to remove the tonsils is a balanced decision of the otolaryngologist.
ARVI
ARVI is the most common disease. In the absence of tonsils, the incidence of this infection remains high. One of the persistent symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections is a sore throat, which patients describe as tickling, pain when swallowing.
The duration of the course of the disease is within 5-7 days, after which all symptoms subside. Sore throat, which worried the patient throughout the treatment period, also regresses. The presence of pain in the throat with ARVI may be due to another mechanism.
Acute respiratory diseases are accompanied by a runny nose with profuse, mucous discharge, which has the ability to drain along the back of the pharynx. As a result, the mucous membrane becomes irritated, which is accompanied by the development of a sore throat. Such processes are most pronounced when the patient's body is in a horizontal position, interfere with night rest, forcing the patient to blow his nose and clear his throat even at night. Improving the patient's condition will lead to a decrease in sore throat.
Infectious diseases
Acute rhinitis can also characterize another pathology. This symptom is one of the first signs of childhood infections, measles, whooping cough, scarlet fever. A runny nose caused by exposure to allergens is also accompanied by profuse mucous, vitreous discharge.
Sexually transmitted diseases, syphilis and gonorrhea can also be characterized by acute rhinitis. Most often, this specific rhinitis develops in newborns. Infection occurs from the mother during childbirth. In all these cases, the development of a runny nose may cause mucus flow and throat irritation.
With the obligatory lesion of the throat, AIDS proceeds. The presence of symptoms in this case is not due to the process itself, but to its complication. Reduced immunity leads to the fact that the attachment of a secondary infection, bacterial or fungal, is noted.
The development of stomatitis or pharyngitis is characteristic of 90% of patients with AIDS.
Inflammatory diseases
The presence of this symptom is also characteristic of sinusitis. The inflammatory process in the paranasal sinuses is accompanied by the appearance of pathological secretions in the nasal passages. By its nature, it is mucopurulent, viscous. A typical symptom is runoff down the back of the throat, causing irritation. In addition, the nasal congestion in these cases causes patients to sleep with their mouths open. In such conditions, the mucous membrane of the throat becomes dry and painful.
If this symptom persists for more than 5-7 days, it may signal complications of acute respiratory viral infections, pharyngitis, laryngitis. These diseases can also develop as an independent process, caused not by disease-causing agents, but by other unfavorable factors. The most dangerous in this case are smoke, exposure to chemical compounds in the air, nicotine, as well as traumatic damage to the mucous membrane as a result of instrumental examinations.
Pharyngitis can be caused by hypothermia. It is the inflammatory process in the pharynx that most often causes the symptom when the tonsils are removed, and the throat hurts, it hurts to swallow. The disease manifests itself not only by the development of a sore throat, but also by a strong dry cough, which is characterized by a paroxysmal course, worries patients even during sleep.
Patients often describe painful sensations in the throat as scratching, perspiration. Despite the fact that there are no tonsils, the pain syndrome is significantly pronounced and is constantly present throughout the day. Pain is aggravated when swallowing liquid.
A similar symptomatology develops with laryngitis. A feature of this process is its development not only when exposed to pathogenic microorganisms, hypothermia, but also with excessive and prolonged overstrain of the larynx during loud singing or recitation. In addition to sore throat and severe dry cough, exacerbation of the disease is accompanied by a change in the timbre of the voice, the appearance of its hoarseness. This symptom persists even in remission.
Especially common is the hypertrophic nature of inflammation of the larynx. The picture with pharyngoscopy looks very typical.
The growth of the epithelium on the vocal cords indicates the development of just this form of laryngitis.
Long-term pain in the throat can be characterized by such serious diseases as tuberculosis and oncological process that affect the upper respiratory tract.
Depending on the location of the lesion, additional symptoms are most often dry cough, malaise, subfebrile condition.
With tuberculous lesion, an obligatory symptom is an increase in regional lymph nodes.
Trauma
Errors in diet, eating too hot or spicy food can also lead to a constant sore throat. Mechanical injury resulting from inaccurate use of medical instruments, burns, accidental or deliberate exposure to aggressive liquids, vinegar, acid leads to damage to the oral mucosa and pharynx. As a result, catarrhal inflammation develops, and in severe cases, necrotic ulcerative inflammation, which is accompanied by the development of pain syndrome.
Pathology of other organs
There are also diseases that are not pathology of the ENT organs or infectious diseases, but which are also accompanied by a sore throat. The development of this symptom is possible with
- diseases of the oral cavity;
- endocrine pathology;
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and neuralgia.
In all cases of diagnosis of this pathology, it is necessary to collect and study additional signs and nature of pain. With osteochondrosis, an increase in pain is noted when moving.
Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is characterized by an acute onset of pain, accompanied by dry mouth and severe hypersalivation 2-3 minutes after the attack.
For hypothyroidism, the most common complaint is the feeling of a lump when swallowing. An important role is played by additional signs indicating the hypofunction of the thyroid gland. In diabetes mellitus, a sore throat is the result of dry mucous membranes. The leading symptom is constant thirst. Since pain in the throat can be caused not only by the development of acute tonsillitis, then to clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary to collect the entire complex of accompanying symptoms.
