How to take care of pharyngitis

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on March 02, 2025
00:00
00:00

Pharyngitis in usual care primarily involves identifying the causes of pharyngitis and preventing these triggers for gradual improvement and to avoid recurrent attacks. Common causes observed clinically include: First, congestion in the throat caused by changes in weather, smog, and smoke irritation. Second, symptoms in the throat caused by repeated acute inflammatory irritations, such as acute pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, acute rhinitis, and sinusitis. Recurrent irritation by purulent secretions can lead to congestion and edema of the mucous membrane in the throat area. Third, long-term intake of spicy food leading to disturbances and disorders in the digestive system, commonly seen in stomach cancer, gastritis, gastric ulcers, and duodenal ulcers. Repeated irritation by acidic reflux and gases can also cause symptoms in the throat area. Therefore, in treatment, patients should first eliminate these triggers for gradual improvement and healing.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
49sec home-news-image

Chronic Pharyngitis Formation Mechanism

Chronic pharyngitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease, caused by many factors. It might be due to an untreated cold or acute pharyngitis. It can also be caused by long-term exposure to external irritants, improper diet, frequent consumption of spicy and stimulating food, or mucosal lesions in the throat area. For treatment, it is first advised to conduct a laryngoscopy to evaluate the specific condition of the pharyngitis. Generally, oral traditional Chinese medicine is considered, and it is recommended to combine this with nebulizer treatment. The treatment period is usually about one to two weeks. After medication treatment, regular follow-ups are necessary to observe the treatment effects. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
55sec home-news-image

How to completely cure chronic pharyngitis?

Chronic pharyngitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease, and it is still difficult to achieve a complete cure at present. There are various treatment methods, among which oral Chinese patent medicine and nebulization treatment are commonly used. It is also advised to regulate the diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol, and regularly re-examine the throat with a laryngoscope to observe changes in the condition. However, with the existing medical procedures and treatment plans, it is still hard to completely cure and can be recurrent. Overall, chronic pharyngitis does not pose a significant risk to overall health. It mainly causes discomfort in the throat area, but most cases can be controlled and alleviated with standardized treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

doctor image
home-news-image
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.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
49sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
1min 21sec home-news-image

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.