Does pharyngitis cause a fever?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on November 21, 2024
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Pharyngitis generally involves fever symptoms in acute cases. Acute pharyngitis results from a lowered immune and resistance response, leading to viral or bacterial infections that cause both local symptoms in the throat and systemic symptoms. Patients may experience high fever, with body temperatures above 38°C (100.4°F), and severe throat pain, primarily during swallowing, leading to refusal to eat due to intense throat pain. Additionally, patients may feel a blockage or foreign body sensation in the throat. Upon examination with an electronic laryngoscope, the mucous membrane in the throat area can be seen as congested and swollen, especially around the soft palate and uvula. Pus-filled secretions may also be present on the posterior pharyngeal wall. Regarding treatment, if the patient's temperature exceeds 38°C, antipyretic medications are required; if below 38°C, wiping the body with warm water can be used. Anti-inflammatory treatment should also be administered based on symptoms, and recovery can generally be expected within a week. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
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What are the symptoms of pharyngitis?

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 Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Coughing is generally caused by chronic pharyngitis or acute pharyngitis.

Coughing in clinical practice can be triggered by many factors and is quite complex. Conditions like chronic pharyngitis and acute pharyngitis can cause various degrees of cough symptoms. Therefore, clinically, it cannot be stated definitively whether a cough is caused by chronic pharyngitis or acute pharyngitis. The factors involved are not limited to these two; it could be due to physical and chemical irritants, or other inflammatory lesions in the respiratory system, all of which can cause varying degrees of coughing in patients. It is also common for many patients to have both chronic pharyngitis or acute pharyngitis along with conditions like acute bronchitis or chronic bronchitis. Thus, a singular cough cannot be pinned down to either chronic or acute pharyngitis without considering the related medical history, clinical manifestations, and some auxiliary examinations to make a proper diagnosis.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Chronic pharyngitis?

Chronic pharyngitis is a relatively common otolaryngology disease with many clinical symptoms. The most common symptoms are a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, throat pain, and possibly accompanied by swallowing obstruction and difficulty breathing. A laryngoscopy can be conducted to assess the extent of the inflammation. Most patients can consider oral medication, primarily traditional Chinese medicine, combined with nebulization. In terms of diet, it is recommended to eat lightly and avoid spicy and irritating foods, smoking, and drinking alcohol. Furthermore, regular follow-ups are necessary to observe changes in the condition. Currently, it is still difficult to completely cure, and the main focus is on controlling and alleviating symptoms. (The use of medication should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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The differences between chronic pharyngitis and acute pharyngitis

There is a fundamental difference between the two; chronic pharyngitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, while acute pharyngitis is an acute inflammatory disease. Furthermore, the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are not very prominent in clinical settings, presenting only as a foreign body sensation or other discomforts. In contrast, the symptoms of acute pharyngitis are quite significant, such as sore throat, and may even include systemic symptoms like chills and fever. Thirdly, during examination of chronic pharyngitis, one can observe congestion of the pharyngeal mucosa, which is a type of chronic congestion. However, the congestion in acute inflammation is acute and very pronounced. There are also significant differences in treatment. For chronic inflammation, the clinical approach mainly involves administering heat-clearing and detoxifying traditional Chinese medicines, and sometimes no medication is used at all; just focus on hydrating locally without the need for any special medication. In contrast, acute pharyngitis requires medication to manage the acute inflammatory symptoms. In summary, there are fundamental differences between chronic and acute pharyngitis, whether it is in symptoms, treatment, or the pathological state of the mucosa.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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How to treat pharyngitis in children?

Pediatric pharyngitis can generally be caused by viral or bacterial infections. In cases where a viral infection is suspected, antiviral medications can be taken orally, and some traditional Chinese medicines that reduce throat swelling, clear heat, and detoxify can also be used; there are many varieties. If a bacterial infection is suspected, antibiotics such as cefuroxime and cefaclor should be used. It is also important to monitor body temperature and provide timely fever reduction treatment if fever is present. Medication must be administered under the guidance of a doctor.