Is chronic pharyngitis easy to cure?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Chronic pharyngitis currently primarily focuses on controlling and alleviating symptoms. Based on existing treatment methods and medical solutions, it cannot be completely cured. Treatment mainly involves oral medications, and can also include nebulization and dietary adjustments. Patients should avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming spicy irritants. Additionally, regular laryngoscopic examinations are necessary to check for other potential abnormalities in the throat. However, overall, the condition cannot be completely cured, but it is generally not very severe and does not significantly impact overall health and safety. Nevertheless, it is important to have regular follow-up visits to check for any other changes in the condition.

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Does chronic pharyngitis cause bad breath?

Chronic pharyngitis is a common and frequent disease in otolaryngology. The main symptoms of chronic pharyngitis include dry throat, itchy throat, foreign body sensation in the throat, and sore throat. Some patients may also experience bad breath, which is mainly caused by the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth. In treating chronic pharyngitis, the primary approach is to address the cause. For example, if the patient frequently smokes, drinks alcohol, or consumes spicy, stimulating foods and cold drinks, it is necessary to avoid such habits. Additionally, rinsing the mouth with saline can help maintain oral hygiene. Furthermore, regular exercise is recommended to enhance the patient's physical condition to resist chronic pharyngitis and reduce its occurrence.

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Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis flare-ups

The symptoms of chronic pharyngitis mainly include the following points. The first is a foreign body sensation in the throat. This sensation in the throat is a subjective feeling of the patient, often most noticeable when swallowing saliva, that is, when the throat is otherwise empty. However, there is no significant obstruction when eating or drinking, which is a typical clinical feature and characteristic of chronic pharyngitis caused by a foreign body sensation in the throat. The second symptom is pain in the throat. When chronic pharyngitis is triggered by certain adverse stimuli, there can be a sensation of pain in the throat, as well as nausea. Many people with chronic pharyngitis experience nausea and vomiting, especially in the morning when brushing their teeth or upon waking, which stimulates movement in the throat.

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Causes of Chronic Pharyngitis Flare-ups

Chronic pharyngitis has many causes, and common clinical causes include the following: First, it is caused by repeated inflammatory stimulation, commonly seen with acute pharyngitis and acute tonsillitis; second, it is due to long-term spicy diet stimulation, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and acid reflux stimulation. The acid liquid and vapors from reflux can irritate the mucosa of the throat, causing congestion, edema, and proliferation of lymphatic follicles in the mucosal lining. This leads to symptoms such as dry throat, sore throat, itchy throat, a foreign body sensation in the throat, a sensation of obstruction, and a burning sensation. Therefore, in treatment, patients first need to exercise, avoid colds, avoid inflammatory invasions, and at the same time, they need a light diet, to quit smoking and drinking, avoid spicy and irritating foods, regulate gastrointestinal function, and avoid acid reflux to gradually improve and prevent recurrent episodes.

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Chronic pharyngitis is classified into several types.

Chronic pharyngitis, based on pathological conditions, is divided into three types. The first type is chronic simple pharyngitis, which is also the most common type we usually refer to. It mainly involves chronic congestion of the pharyngeal mucosa and hyperplasia of lymphatic follicles on the posterior pharyngeal wall. The second type is chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis, which can be observed during examination as congested and thickened pharyngeal mucosa with proliferating lymphatic tissue, appearing rather thick. The third type is atrophic and dry pharyngitis, which is relatively rare in clinical cases and often accompanies atrophic rhinitis. A primary symptom is dryness in the throat because the pathological changes mainly involve a decrease in the secretory function of the glandular tissues in the pharynx, resulting in reduced secretions and the mucosa becoming atrophic and thin. Based on the different causes of the condition, it can also be divided into several types. One type is simple pharyngitis, also referred to as chronic simple pharyngitis, related to smoking, drinking, air pollution, and excessive talking. Another type is reflux pharyngitis, which is now also a disease with a relatively high incidence rate, mainly caused by gastroesophageal reflux leading to chronic inflammation of the stomach and damage to the mucous membrane of the pharynx and throat, known as reflux pharyngitis. Additionally, some cases are secondary to rhinitis and sinusitis, due to the long-term discomfort in the throat caused by the backflow of nasal discharge, leading to chronic inflammatory responses; this is also a type of secondary pharyngitis.

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How to alleviate chronic pharyngitis

Chronic pharyngitis is a manifestation of excessive internal heat. Therefore, we should avoid eating spicy and stimulating foods, drink more water, gargle with light saltwater, and can hold it in the mouth for five to six minutes before spitting it out. Pay attention to oral hygiene, avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and staying up late. Consuming bitter melon, mustard greens, white radish, or drinking teas made from kuding tea, chrysanthemum, and banlangen can help alleviate chronic pharyngitis. If these measures do not improve symptoms, under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist, taking some heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese patent medicines orally can also achieve relief and treatment.