Generality
The reddened throat is a symptom that manifests itself in various diseases and disorders.
More specifically, the reddened throat is the consequence of inflammatory processes that generally develop at the pharynx. The reddened throat hardly presents itself as the only symptom, but it is frequently accompanied by a more or less intense symptomatology, which varies depending on the disorder or disease that led to inflammation.
The causes of reddened throat can be multiple, they can have different origin and nature and different gravity. Although the reddened throat can be treated symptomatically, it is necessary to cure the triggering cause to permanently eliminate the symptom.
Causes
What are the causes of the reddened throat?
The reddened throat is a symptom of an inflammation that generally develops on the pharynx; in other words, the reddened throat is one of the typical symptoms of pharyngitis.
The causes that lead to the appearance of pharyngitis - therefore to the appearance of inflammation and reddened throat - can be different, from the simplest and least serious, up to the most severe pathologies.
Among the disorders and diseases that can lead to redness of the throat, we recall:
- Cooling diseases ;
- Infectious diseases (eg bacterial pharyngitis, viral pharyngitis, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, flu, etc.) caused by:
- Bacteria (such as, for example, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, etc.);
- Viruses (such as influenza viruses, mononucleosis virus, etc.);
- Mushrooms.
- Allergies (eg allergy to pollen, mold, animal hair, dust mites, etc.);
- Excessive dryness of the home and / or work environment;
- Inhalation of irritating substances for long periods of time (eg cigarette smoke, smog, fumes or vapors of toxic and irritating substances at the workplace, etc.);
- Excessive strain of the pharynx muscles (a situation that can occur, for example, when we talk a lot, when we sing or when we shout);
- Gastroesophageal reflux (due to rising gastric acids, the throat may become inflamed and become red).
Unfortunately, in some cases, the reddened throat and its inflammation can be triggered by very serious basic pathologies, such as, for example, AIDS, throat tumors or other oral cavity tumors.
Associated symptoms
What symptoms are manifested in conjunction with the reddened throat?
As repeatedly stated, the reddened throat is a condition that manifests itself as a consequence of pharyngeal inflammation. In the presence of inflammatory processes, in addition to redness, there are other symptoms, such as pain or burning (sore throat) and swelling . Furthermore, it is also possible to experience dryness, itching of the throat and perception of a foreign body sensation.
Because of the pain that often accompanies the condition of reddened and inflamed throat, patients may have difficulty swallowing food and drink. Sometimes, the pain can be so intense that it causes discomfort even during the simple swallowing of the saliva.
In addition to the symptoms described above and typical of the inflammatory processes that affect the pharynx, the reddened throat can be associated with numerous other symptoms that vary depending on the disorder or disease that caused the symptom in question. Among these, we recall:
- Runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, headache and throat phlegm (these are symptoms that can occur in colds and flu illnesses);
- Reflux cough (particular type of cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux);
- Allergic cough (type of cough that occurs in patients suffering from various types of allergies);
- Fever (it is a symptom common to many diseases, such as flu, colds and AIDS);
- Plates in the throat (the formation of plaques in the throat is generally an indication of the presence of an ongoing infection);
- Hoarseness (this is another symptom common to many ailments and diseases, such as colds, gastroesophageal reflux and throat tumors);
- Swollen tonsils (typical symptom of tonsillitis);
- Headache (this symptom is also common to many of the disorders and diseases that can cause redness and inflammation of the throat).
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a reddened throat is usually very simple, as a medical examination is sufficient. On the other hand, it may be more difficult to identify the cause that caused the throat to turn red.
To carry out a correct diagnosis, therefore, the doctor will have to resort to the anamnesis and - if this should not be sufficient - he can avail himself of the aid of laboratory analysis and / or instrumental examinations . Among these, we find: blood tests, allergy tests, pharyngeal swab (useful when the red throat is suspected to be caused by infectious diseases), gastroscopy (useful in case of suspected gastroesophageal reflux), CT and MRI ( useful, for example, in case of suspected throat cancer).
Care and Treatment
Treatments and treatments against the reddened throat
Of course, since it is a symptom, the treatment of the reddened throat is closely related to the treatment of the disorder or disease that led to its appearance.
However, against the reddened and inflamed throat it is possible to resort to symptomatic therapies using drugs with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving action, such as for example NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). To counter the inflammation of the throat, these drugs are generally formulated in the form of a spray for the oral mucosa to be nebulized directly on the throat, in the form of mouthwashes with which to make rinses and gargles or in the form of tablets that must be dissolved slowly in the mouth. A classic example of this type of active ingredients is flurbiprofen (Benactiv Gola® Spray, Mouthwash and Pastiglie).
Alternatively, it is also possible to use the administration of NSAIDs orally. In this case, the active ingredients most commonly used are ketoprofen (Oki®), ibuprofen (Antalfebal®) and morniflumate (Morniflu®).
Paracetamol (Tachipirina®) is an antipyretic used mainly to combat fever, but it also has a mild analgesic activity that could be useful to counteract the pain that often accompanies the reddened throat condition. However, the anti-inflammatory activity is almost nil, therefore, this active principle is limited to treating the pain and not the inflammation that caused it.
Antibiotics are useful only if the reddened throat is caused by infectious diseases of bacterial origin; otherwise, the use of such drugs would not only be useless and improper, but could favor the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance. In the event that the reddened throat is the symptom of viral or fungal infections, the doctor may consider prescribing antiviral or antifungal drugs. In this regard, we point out that - to ensure the therapeutic efficacy of drug treatment - it is very important to determine exactly which microorganism is responsible for the infection.
In the presence of allergies, the doctor may prescribe the administration of antihistamines and / or corticosteroid drugs; while in the case of gastroesophageal reflux it is possible to use gastroprotectors.
As regards the treatment of serious pathologies such as AIDS and throat cancer, see the reading of the dedicated articles on this site.
Useful Tips
Useful Tips to Relieve Associated Symptoms of Reddened Throat
To alleviate the typical symptoms of inflammation and irritation of the pharynx - such as pain, burning, itching and dryness - which are typically associated with the condition of a reddened throat, some simple precautions can be taken. In detail, it can be useful:
- Avoid smoking, both active and passive;
- Maintain the right degree of humidity in home environments and, if possible, also in working environments;
- Avoid consuming hot or very hot foods or drinks, as they could further worsen the inflammation, pain and redness of the throat;
- Prefer the consumption of fresh or lukewarm foods;
- Avoid polluted places, places where you can inhale irritating substances, dusty places and very dry places;
- If the reddened throat is caused by gastroesophageal reflux, avoid lying down immediately after meals and, preferably, sleeping with the head slightly raised above the rest of the body. This can be useful to counteract the rise of gastric fluids to the throat.
Finally, to alleviate the symptoms associated with the reddened throat, many people resort to taking a teaspoon of honey, or taking a cup of warm milk sweetened with honey. This bee product, in fact, is endowed with emollient properties able to give relief, albeit temporary, from pain, burning, itching and irritation that occur in the presence of a red, inflamed throat.
