Pharyngitis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

One of the most common types of throat is pharyngitis. Pharyngitis can cause discomfort in the throat, making it difficult to swallow food. Look at the following article to find out the causes of pharyngitis along with the appropriate symptoms and care.

What is pharyngitis?

Pharyngitis is a throat inflammation where the back of the throat (pharynx) is inflamed. Farynx which is inflamed will make patients feel sick or hot every time he swallows.

In Indonesia, the term pharyngitis is often referred to as internal heat. This condition is one of the common symptoms of various diseases such as flu, fever, and so on attacking his throat. This disease can attack anyone regardless of age and gender, including children, adults, to the elderly. But in general, this disease will often attack children aged 5-15 years.

Causes of pharyngitis

The most common cause of sore throat is a virus and bacteria. In adults, around 10% of pharyngitis are caused by a streptococcal bacterial infection. Not only that, this disease can also be caused by viral infections, such as influenza, rhinovirus, and epstein-bart. In fact, influenza or mononucleosis viruses are the most common causes of sore throat.

Pharyngitis caused by bacteria and viruses can easily be transmitted to others. This disease is transmitted through droplets or fluids released from the respiratory tract when coughing, sneezing, and so on.

Here are some possible causes that can be distinguished from bacteria or viruses.

Viruses that cause pharyngitis:

- Mononucleosis (gland fever)

- Measles

- Chicken pox

- Causes of Croup, such as Parainfluenza RSV, Measles, Adenovirus, and Influenza

Meanwhile, bacteria that cause pharyngitis are:

- Streptococcus pyogenes.

- Group A Streptococcus.

- Gonorrhea

- Chlamydia.

- Corynebacterium.

Not only bacteria and viruses, pharyngitis can also be caused by the following things.

- Allergy

- Air

- Irritants (Chemicals)

- Tense muscles in the throat organs

- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux)

- HIV infection.

- Tumor

Someone who often suffer from colds and flu can be at higher risk. This is especially true for people with health care work, allergies, and constant sinus infections. Exposure to cigarette smoke can also increase risk, so smokers have a higher risk of suffering from the condition of the throat.

Symptoms of pharyngitis

Someone who has pharyngitis will feel an uncomfortable sensation in the throat, especially when eating or swallowing. Common symptoms that often appear and experienced are as follows.

- Sore throat

- Sneeze

- Cough

- Fever

- Headache

- Joint pain and muscle

- Leather rash

- Swelling of lymph nodes in the neck

In addition, there are several symptoms caused by gland fever:

- Lymph nodes that are enlarged in the neck and armpit

- Swollen tonsils.

- Headache

- Lost appetite

- Limpa's swelling

- Liver inflammation

If the above symptoms are accompanied by fever, pharyngitis can be a more serious condition, namely:

- Peritonsiler Abses

- Epiglottitis

- Mononucleosis infectious

Immediately consult a doctor if symptoms do not improve within a week, despite taking medication.

Treatment

How to treat pharyngitis can be adjusted to the cause, namely from bacteria or viruses.

The pharyngitis caused by a virus will generally be removed itself in a week. For a week, you can do the following:

- Operated with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt per 8 ounces of water)

- Take pain relievers for the counters (OTC) and fever removers such as acetaminophen (tylenol) or ibuprofen (advil).

- Take residence to relieve itching, sore throat.

- Consume more fluids to prevent dehydration.

- Eat food containing warm sauce.

- Enough rest.

Meanwhile, pharyngitis caused by bacteria requires more assistance by medical personnel as follows:

- Antibiotic care

- Antifungal care.

- Antibiotic therapy

Pharyngitis caused by Streptococcus and is not treated properly can cause kidney problems and rheumatic fever that can cause heart valve disorders.

Alternative treatments can sometimes be used as options for more natural options. Some of the most commonly used herbal medicines include:

- Honeysuckle.

- Licorice.

- Marshmallow root.

- Sage

- Slippery elm.

Always adjust the medicine for your condition. It is better to consult a doctor before using a drug to avoid other health interactions or complications.