Do not underestimate acute pharyngitis

The article was professionally consulted with MSc.BS Nguyen Huy Nhat - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Acute pharyngitis is a common disease that occurs all year round. Especially when the weather changes seasons, acute pharyngitis easily appears. However, acute pharyngitis seems to be simple, but it is easy to have dangerous complications if not treated promptly.

Acute pharyngitis is an inflammation of the lining of the throat, which occurs suddenly, usually caused by viruses (influenza, measles, adenovirus...), bacteria (pneumococcal, staphylococci, streptococci, Hemophilus influenzae). ..). The most dangerous is acute pharyngitis caused by group A streptococcus (S.pyogenes). This is the culprit causing a series of complications from pharyngitis to acute arthritis (progressive rheumatic fever), acute glomerulonephritis ... In addition, some cases of acute pharyngitis can be caused by fungi (Candida) .
In addition to the above causes, to mention the risk factors such as changing weather, too cold, too humid, a lot of dust, industrial dust, tobacco smoke, pipe tobacco, coal stove smoke, firewood, straw and possibly also due to the effects of alcohol.

Acute pharyngitis usually starts suddenly, the patient often has a high fever from 39-40 degrees Celsius, typically a feeling of pain when swallowing, sore throat. At first, the patient may only feel a dry heat in the throat, gradually developing a burning sensation, which increases with swallowing, coughing and even talking. Some patients also experience ear pain and sharp pain when swallowing.
The accompanying symptoms of acute pharyngitis are sniffling, nasal congestion and runny nose with mucus, voice may be slightly hoarse, dry cough, 2 tonsils are enlarged, the surface of the tonsils has clear mucus, sometimes appears There is a white paste like porridge on the surface, some have swollen cervical lymph nodes.
In case of acute pharyngitis caused by influenza virus, the symptoms tend to be quite severe, including: headache, sore throat, bleeding in the back of the throat. Acute pharyngitis caused by APC virus (Adeno Pharyngo Conjunctival) is accompanied by nasal discharge, red throat mucosa, conjunctivitis and obvious neck lymphadenopathy. However, the current cases of acute viral pharyngitis often face many difficulties when determining the type of virus causing the disease.

The condition of acute pharyngitis due to the changing seasons usually takes place within 3-4 days, if the resistance is good and good care is taken, the disease will gradually recede, the symptoms will disappear very quickly. But when the resistance is weak (especially in children and the elderly), the disease will progress more complicatedly, it can progress more seriously and can cause complications such as: ear infection, rhinitis, bronchiolitis, inflammation of the lungs. into chronic pharyngitis, progressive rheumatic heart disease, acute glomerulonephritis... especially if the causative agent is group A streptococcus (S. pyogenes).

The most effective treatment principle is based on the cause of the disease, in case the type of bacteria is identified and the results of the antibiogram are available, it is advisable to choose the appropriate antibiotic treatment for the age, medical condition and the patient's condition. characteristics of antibiotics. The use of drugs for treatment in acute cases needs to follow the doctor's prescription, do not automatically buy medicine to treat yourself and your family because if the cause is a virus, you will not need to use antibiotics to treat illness. treatment. Doctors often prescribe additional medications to treat symptoms to reduce patient discomfort.

Note the need to rehydrate and electrolytes because the patient has a high fever. The best solution for rehydration and electrolytes is to drink oresol solution (ORS) and mix it exactly as directed on the package. Normally use ORS as follows, infants need to use 50ml/time with about 2-3 times/day, children from 2-6 years old should use 100ml/time with 2-3 times/day, children from 6-12 Use 150ml/time with 2-3 times/day. For adults use ORS on demand.
Food for people with acute sore throat should use soft, puree, easy to swallow and need to eat more vegetables and fruits. Resting, keeping the body warm, especially the neck, chest, and soles of the feet is something to pay attention to when you are sick. Patients should shower with warm water in an airtight room. After bathing, they should dry thoroughly and then put on clean clothes. It is necessary to clean the throat and teeth after eating, before going to bed and after waking up. Gargling with salt water daily can both help treat and prevent disease effectively.

To prevent acute pharyngitis and dangerous complications, we need to clean our teeth, throat, and nose regularly and daily. Need to brush teeth after eating and before, after waking up, how to form a habit, especially for children. It is advisable to bathe with warm water in the days of changing seasons, especially for people with recurrent sore throats. Do not sit in front of a fan or in an air-conditioned room suddenly after taking a shower.
When detecting acute pharyngitis with severe symptoms (high fever, severe sore throat) should go to the doctor immediately, preferably an ENT specialist or a general clinic to quickly identify the disease and treat it immediately. From the early days, the disease should not be allowed to last for many days, should not be self-diagnosed, not used according to old prescriptions or purchased for self-treatment because there is a risk of some unnecessary complications occurring.

Inter-specialty department (compartment department of specialty: Eye - Ear, Nose Throat - Maxillofacial) - Vinmec Times City International Hospital specializes in examination and treatment of common ENT diseases, regional tumors head, face and neck, congenital malformations of the ear, nose and throat area by the most optimal internal - surgical methods for patients, both children and adults. In particular, the Department of Otolaryngology specializes in treating common diseases such as: acute pharyngitis, tinnitus, non-allergic rhinitis, throat cancer, eardrum perforation, otitis media, tonsillitis, V.A. Acute osteomyelitis, vocal cord polyp, laryngeal cancer... Coming to Vinmec Times City, patients will receive a direct, dedicated and professional examination from a team of qualified and experienced medical staff. Experience:
Master, Doctor Tran Huu Tuan: Many years of experience in the treatment of diseases of the Ear - Nose - Throat and has 3 years of working and training as a Master of Medicine, Master of Internal Medicine. reside in the French Republic. Currently, the doctor is the Head of the Interspecialty Department of the Outpatient System of Vinmec Times City International General Hospital. Doctor CKII Nguyen Ngoc Lan: With more than 25 years of experience in ear, nose and throat specialist. Before working at Vinmec, Dr. Lan used to work at the National Children's Hospital. Dr. Phung Thi Phuong Loan: With over 40 years of experience in examining and treating pediatric ear - nose - throat and respiratory diseases. Master, Doctor Nguyen Vinh Toan: With 15 years of experience in the Ear - Nose - Throat industry, he attended courses on surgery at the National Hospital of Otolaryngology, Thailand and Singapore.