How to alleviate chronic pharyngitis

Written by Yao Jun
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Updated on September 10, 2024
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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.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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How to treat chronic pharyngitis

Chronic pharyngitis is a common and frequently occurring disease in otolaryngology, with many patients experiencing symptoms of chronic pharyngitis. The condition can be caused by long-term smoking, drinking, or consuming spicy and stimulating foods, chilled foods, and cold drinks, leading to acute congestion and proliferation of the pharyngeal mucosa. Patients often experience a noticeable foreign body sensation in the throat, along with sore throat, dry throat, and itchiness. To manage chronic pharyngitis on a daily basis, it is crucial to maintain oral hygiene, be cautious with voice use, and reduce the intake of spicy, stimulating foods and cold drinks, while also avoiding smoking and drinking as much as possible.

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis

Chronic pharyngitis is caused by a variety of reasons, leading to congestion, edema, and lymph follicle proliferation in the mucous membrane and submucosal tissue of the throat. Common causes include repeated inflammatory stimulation, intake of spicy foods, and local symptoms caused by gastric acid reflux. Patients may experience dryness, pain, itching, foreign body sensation, obstruction feeling, burning sensation, irritating dry cough, and hoarseness in the throat. In severe cases, there may even be blood in the sputum. During examination, swelling of the uvula and significant proliferation of lymph follicles can be found in areas such as the lateral pharyngeal wall, posterior pharyngeal wall, and the base of the tongue. In terms of treatment, patients need to first identify the cause, adopt a light diet, quit smoking and alcohol, exercise, avoid colds, and maintain a regular diet with post-meal physical activity for gradual improvement and to prevent recurrence.

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
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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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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis outbreak

The symptoms of chronic pharyngitis can vary widely and there is significant individual variation. Some people have pronounced symptoms during an attack, while others may not exhibit particularly noticeable or typical symptoms. Clinically common symptoms include a sudden or recurrent sensation of a foreign body in the throat, burning, and itching. A small number of patients may also experience coughing, mainly dry cough, and possibly a sensation of throat obstruction. However, normal swallowing, eating, and drinking are not directly affected; the main issue is an abnormal sensation. Overall, it is a common condition that can be confirmed and assessed through a laryngoscopy exam. Treatment primarily involves oral medications and nebulization therapy. Regular follow-ups, a light diet, and avoiding spicy and irritating substances are recommended. Smoking and drinking alcohol should be avoided.

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
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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.