Catarrhal Pharyngitis - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Catarrhal pharyngitis

Catarrhal pharyngitis is an inflammation of the lining of the throat, accompanied by increased production of viscous thick mucus, sore throat and discomfort. Catarrhal pharyngitis can be acute or chronic. The disease is widespread in all age groups and has different origins. So, it is the catarrhal form of acute pharyngitis, which develops against the background of a viral infection, and is the most common form of acute sore throat. Due to the fact that catarrhal pharyngitis most often proceeds quite easily, it is also called simple pharyngitis.

Content:

• Causes of catarrhal pharyngitis
• Symptoms of catarrhal pharyngitis
• Diagnostics of the catarrhal pharyngitis
• Treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis

Causes of catarrhal pharyngitis

The causes of catarrhal pharyngitis are varied, almost any irritation of the throat mucosa can lead to the development of inflammation.

The following disease provocateurs are distinguished:

• Viral lesion of the throat mucosa. It has been established that about 70% of all catarrhal pharyngitis develops against the background of viral infection. Rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, adenovirus, influenza virus, etc. are dangerous in this respect.
• Bacterial infection of the throat mucosa. The disease can be provoked by streptococci, staphylococci, haemophilus influenzae, etc. Most often, several colonies of pathogenic microorganisms are sown in patients with a bacterial form of catarrhal pharyngitis.
• Fungal infection of the throat mucosa. The danger is represented by fungi of the genus Candida and filamentous fungi. Fungal lesion of the back of the throat develops most often with irrational therapy with antibacterial drugs, which causes a persistent dysbiotic change in the normal microflora of the mucous membrane.

• The patient's age is also important in terms of determining the cause of the development of inflammation. It has been established that in the elderly, the composition of the microflora of the mucous membrane of the throat changes towards an increase in such microorganisms as Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative enterobacteria. Therefore, senile catarrhal pharyngitis is separately isolated.
• Allergens can provoke the development of persistent sore throat.
• Catarrhal pharyngitis can be traumatic in origin and result from mechanical injury when a foreign object enters the throat. Surgical intervention can also cause the development of the disease. Thermal and chemical damage to the throat mucosa is no less dangerous.
• Immune defense disorders, hypothermia, severe chronic diseases are factors that provoke the development of the disease.
• Smoking and drinking alcohol negatively affects the condition of the throat.
• The air inhaled by a person matters. So, the risk of developing the disease increases when living in ecologically unfavorable areas, when working in hazardous industries.

• Diseases of the digestive system are often the cause of the development of catarrhal pharyngitis, since there is a prolonged irritation of the mucous membrane of the throat with acidic gastric contents. In this regard, such pathologies as gastroesophageal reflux, gastritis, gastric ulcer, hiatal hernia are dangerous.
• The presence of a chronic focus of infection in the body often provokes the development of pharyngitis. It can be sinusitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, otitis media, etc. Dental caries is no less dangerous.

Symptoms of catarrhal pharyngitis

The symptoms of catarrhal pharyngitis do not bother the patient too much, but it is impossible not to notice them:

• The main complaint of patients is discomfort in the throat. It manifests itself in perspiration, itching, burning.
• You may experience pain when swallowing food and liquids. The pain is usually symmetrical.
• Body temperature with catarrhal pharyngitis remains within the normal range, but can reach subfebrile values. Fever develops more often with bacterial streptococcal pharyngitis.
• The palatine tonsils, palatine arches, the back wall of the pharynx swells, turns red.
• Plaque can be visualized on the tonsils and on the back of the throat.
• There is a foreign body sensation in the throat. This is due to the fact that viscous mucus is constantly produced by the inflamed glands.
• The patient tries to eliminate this mucus from the throat with a cough.
• Hoarseness of voice is possible.

Often, catarrhal pharyngitis is combined with rhinitis, sometimes conjunctivitis symptoms join.

Diagnostics of the catarrhal pharyngitis

Diagnosis of catarrhal pharyngitis is reduced primarily to distinguishing between the viral and bacterial nature of the disease. Based only on the clinical course of inflammation, it is quite problematic to do this. Therefore, in addition to the standard pharyngoscopy, a smear is taken from the palatine tonsils and the back of the throat for bacteriological culture research. The preliminary result can be obtained a day after taking the smear, and the final result - after 2-3 days.

Treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis

Treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis is carried out on an outpatient basis and does not require hospitalization. It is built on the basis of the cause that led to the development of inflammation.

Antibiotic therapy is prescribed only if the bacterial causative agent of pharyngitis is identified. As statistics show, 20-30% of children need antibiotics and no more than 15% of adults. The drug of choice is penicillin (Phenoxymethylpenicillin), since it is to it that the most common causative agent of bacterial pharyngitis, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, is sensitive. If the drug is ineffective, then it is possible to prescribe 2-3 generation cephalosporins (Cefixime, Ceftibuten), or macrolides (Erythromycin, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin).

If a mycotic infection is suspected, the patient is prescribed Fluconazole orally for up to 2 weeks. If therapy is ineffective, then the drug is replaced with Itraconazole or Ketoconazole.

Often, symptomatic treatment is sufficient to treat catarrhal pharyngitis. The patient is prescribed a gentle diet, the use of foot baths with hot water, steam inhalation. It is important to stop smoking during treatment.

Gargling with sea water (Aqua Maris) or isotonic solution (200 ml) with the addition of 5 drops of iodine of 5% concentration is useful. This allows not only to wash off viruses and bacteria from the back of the throat and tonsils, but also makes it possible to relieve inflammation and swelling from them.

Also, decoctions of herbs (chamomile, sage) are used to rinse the throat. Local antiseptics include iodine preparations (Lugol, Jox) and propolis (Proposol), Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Ingalipt, Biclotymol, Fusafungin, Gramicidin C, Tantum Verde, etc.

With an increase in body temperature, the patient is prescribed drugs from the NSAID group.

Timely treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis leads to a complete recovery of the patient with the normalization of the functioning of the mucous membrane of the throat.

The author of the article: Lazarev Oleg Vladimirovich | ENT

Education: In 2009, he received a diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" at the Petrozavodsk State University. After completing an internship at the Murmansk Regional Clinical Hospital, he received a diploma in Otorhinolaryngology (2010)