Complete treatment for pharyngitis requires time, while patients often stop medication once symptoms improve, causing the pharyngitis to become chronic. If not diagnosed and treated in time, the disease can lead to serious complications, including nasopharyngeal cancer.
1. What is chronic pharyngitis?
Chronic pharyngitis is a state of inflammation in the throat lasting longer than a week. Chronic inflammation results from repeated acute pharyngitis or failure to respond to treatment. The disease manifests in four forms: simple congestion, exudative, hypertrophic, and atrophic.
Typical forms of chronic pharyngitis include chronic adenoiditis and chronic tonsillitis. The condition can also be caused by several factors, such as bacterial and viral infections, dust, air pollution, chronic sinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux.
2. How is chronic pharyngitis manifested?
Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are prolonged and recurrent. Typical symptoms include:
- Sore throat: Persistent pain for weeks, accompanied by burning, itching, dry sensations, and a feeling of something stuck in the throat, often worse in the morning with possible mucus buildup.
- Painful swallowing: Discomfort when swallowing.
- Cough: Persistent cough with phlegm.
- Hoarse voice: Changes in voice or loss of voice.
- Burning sensation behind the sternum: Common in patients with gastroesophageal reflux.
Because chronic pharyngitis has developed, systemic symptoms such as fever over 38°C, fatigue, and headaches usually do not present. The absence of these symptoms may lead patients to erroneously assume their condition has improved while it has actually become chronic.
3. Can chronic pharyngitis be cured?
Chronic pharyngitis can only be completely treated by identifying and eliminating the underlying causes. Similar to other diseases, pharyngitis treatment has two main approaches:
3.1 Treating the cause:
- If the patient suffers from chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, or tonsillitis leading to chronic pharyngitis, they will be treated with antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor.
- For pharyngitis due to gastroesophageal reflux, proton pump inhibitors are recommended.
- Patients with a history of long-term smoking or alcohol use contributing to recurrent pharyngitis should be guided to eliminate these risk factors.
3.2 Treating symptoms:
- If symptoms such as fever, headaches, or excessive mucus production occur, analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed.
- For persistent cough, medication to reduce coughing may be recommended.
- For bad breath, gargling with antiseptic solutions containing liquid iodine or saline is advised.
- For excessive nasal mucus, saline nasal irrigation is recommended
Additionally, to boost the body's immune system, patients should adopt a healthy lifestyle, maintain a diet rich in green vegetables, fruits, vitamin C, and vitamin A, and keep their living environment clean to prevent bacterial growth.
4. Does untreated chronic pharyngitis progress to cancer?
If a patient is complacent about their illness, it can worsen and lead to complications. Severe cases, if left untreated, may increase the risk of developing cancer. However, this depends on the individual's overall health. The disease can also cause the formation of granulomas and inflammation around the tonsils. In patients with conditions like rhinitis, sinusitis, and GERD, severe infections can lead to pneumonia or bronchitis. Without timely treatment, cell damage can occur, leading to uncontrolled cell growth and potentially cancer.
5. How to prevent recurrent pharyngitis?
To prevent recurrent pharyngitis, patients need to completely treat the underlying cause of the disease, especially by following the doctor's instructions and recommendations. In addition to taking medication daily, patients should adhere to the following advice:
- Maintain oral hygiene by brushing and rinsing after meals.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol.
- Steer clear of excessively hot or cold foods.
- Keep warm, especially around the neck, during winter.
- Practice deep breathing exercises.
To detect and diagnose nasopharyngeal cancer early for timely treatment, Vinmec International General Hospital offers a comprehensive screening package for nasopharynx, oropharynx, and larynx, providing necessary services to detect early-stage nasopharyngeal cancer and other abnormalities in these areas.
The following groups at risk for nasopharyngeal cancer should undergo early cancer screening:
- Individuals with a family history of nasopharyngeal cancer,
- Heavy smokers and drinkers
- People with persistent abnormal symptoms such as nosebleeds, headaches, tinnitus, nasal congestion, and neck lumps.
- Individuals are advised to undergo regular check-ups to screen for nasopharyngeal cancer
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