Throat inflammation, including tonsillitis and pharyngitis, also known as tonsillitis, is the condition of infection in these areas due to viruses or bacteria. Beta hemolytic streptococci (streptococcus pyogenes) cause an average of 20% of cases of sore throat, mostly caused by viruses. Complications can also be seen in some cases in throat inflammation caused by this group of bacteria, also known as beta. Infection spreads from person to person through contact, secretions and saliva.
Throat inflammation, also known as acute tonsillopharyngitis, is commonly seen in children, but is also commonly seen in adults. Symptoms of throat inflammation vary from patient to patient, depending on the cause of the infection. However, the symptoms commonly seen in patients are as follows:
Pain, tenderness and swelling in the throat
Fire
Cough
difficulty swallowing
Runny nose and nasal congestion
Postnasal drip
Earache
Nausea and vomiting
Joint and muscle pain and pain in various parts of the body
shedding on the skin
Fatigue and weakness
Stomach ache
Headache
Muting or changing the voice
Redness, tearing and burning sensation in the eyes
Sore throat is one of the most common symptoms of throat infection. In some cases, the pain only manifests itself while swallowing, while in some cases it is severe and chronic. Symptoms accompanying a sore throat are usually sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, and fever. Swelling is generally associated with swelling of the lymph nodes or tonsils. The narrowing of the throat due to this swelling causes difficulty in swallowing and damage to the vocal cords. For this reason, the voices of patients who have a throat infection may change and may sound hoarse than normal.
Cough is also one of the common symptoms. The destruction and irritation caused by the infection in the throat creates a desire to cough in patients. Symptoms associated with cough are mostly post-nasal drip, nasal discharge and nasal congestion.
Although it is also seen in viral infections, high fever and chills are often seen in throat inflammation caused by beta group bacteria. Fever is above 38°C in most patients.
The weakening of the immune system and the presence of viruses or bacteria in the throat cause patients to feel tired and sluggish. This feeling of weakness is accompanied by joint and muscle pain.
Although not all of these symptoms are seen in every patient, in some cases all symptoms are severe. In this way, severe inflammation of the throat is almost always caused by bacteria, and patients are treated with antibiotics.
How Is Throat Inflammation Treated?
For the treatment of throat inflammation, the underlying cause of the infection or the disease must be correctly diagnosed. The reason for this is the application of different treatment methods in throat inflammation caused by viruses or bacteria.
In some cases, viral sore throat can go away on its own. The recovery period can be shortened by methods such as resting, increasing fluid consumption, and consuming herbal teas that can be applied at home. However, anti-viral drugs and painkillers are also used under the control of a doctor, especially in viral throat infections accompanied by sore throat. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. On the contrary, antibiotics can prolong the treatment process as they cause weakening of the immune system.
Bacterial throat infection is usually treated with antibiotics or penicillin.
What Causes Throat Inflammation?
Throat infection is mostly caused by viruses and bacteria. In particular, the most common cause of inflammation of the tonsils, also known as tonsillitis, is beta hemolytic streptococci. The task of the tonsils, which produce white blood cells (leukocytes) that protect the body from diseases, is to keep bacteria and viruses away. Due to the weakening of the immune system, bacteria and viruses, especially beta group bacteria, can multiply in the tonsils.
Pharyngitis, also known as pharyngitis, is mostly caused by viruses; Pharyngitis caused by bacteria is rarely encountered. Inflammation of the pharynx, which is divided into acute and chronic, causes different symptoms. However, sore throat is common in both types.
acute pharyngitis; It manifests itself with symptoms such as difficulty in swallowing and speaking, swelling in the throat, hoarseness, reddening of the tonsils. In chronic pharyngitis, in addition to these symptoms, symptoms such as headache, cough and fever are also seen. Chronic pharyngitis, which is one of the causes of constant throat inflammation; It is associated with factors such as frequently having upper respiratory tract infections, consuming alcohol and cigarettes, being in environments with low humidity and talking loudly all the time.
Causes of low inflammation include bacteria and viruses, as well as immunological diseases that lower the immune system, and rheumatic diseases.
What Is Good For Throat Inflammation?
Those who have frequent sore throats can contribute to the treatment process with natural methods at home as well as medical treatment. Especially since antibiotics are not used in viral infections, the applications that patients will do at home can speed up their recovery. The methods that individuals with viral throat inflammation can apply to minimize their discomfort are as follows:
Gargle with salt water
To rest
drinking plenty of fluids during the day
Avoiding very hot or cold drinks and foods
Being in high humidity environments
Avoiding cigarettes and tobacco products
Throat Inflammation in Children
Throat inflammation is common, especially in children aged 5-15 years. For this reason, parents often ask, “How is throat inflammation in children?” conducts research.
Tonsillopharyngitis (inflammation of the tonsils and pharynx), seen in childhood, is caused by viruses at a rate of about 70%. In primary school children, viral throat infection may recur several times. Around the age of 12-15, the probability of recurrence of the infection increases. One of the important reasons for this is the spread of viruses by contact in a crowded school environment. The most common symptom associated with tonsillopharyngitis in children is sore throat.
Since the cause of throat infection in children is usually viruses, medical treatment is often not needed. In these cases, the children’s immune systems are allowed to fight the virus. Paracetamol group pain relievers can be used to reduce the discomfort caused by symptoms such as sore throat.
In cases where the cause of throat infection is beta group bacteria, antibiotic treatment should be applied for an average of 10 days. In cases that affect the upper respiratory tract and cause shortness of breath, surgical removal of the tonsils may be recommended.
Throat inflammation in babies under the age of 2-3 is very rare. In cases where it occurs, this infection causes babies to feel uncomfortable and restless. Throat inflammation, which manifests itself with symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, is often caused by viruses. Viral infection can be cured by methods such as steam shower and frequent feeding with breast milk. In bacterial inflammation, as in children and adults, antibiotic treatment is absolutely necessary.
How Many Days Does Throat Inflammation Last?
Inflammation, which manifests itself with symptoms such as burning, swelling and pain in the throat, causes patients to feel uncomfortable.
Viral throat inflammation passes on average in 7-10 days. The acceleration of this process depends on the patients resting, consuming plenty of fluids and other methods they can apply at home.
In bacterial throat infection, it is necessary to use antibiotics, which changes the length of the process. The duration of the drug treatment for throat inflammation, which is applied under the control of a doctor, also differs according to the severity of the symptoms. In chronic throat infections, the use of medication may not be sufficient. In this case, surgical methods are used and the duration of treatment is extended with the operation.