Throat Plates

Generality

The plaques in the throat are a clinical manifestation of infectious or other processes involving the mucous lining of the terminal part of the mouth.

Yellowish-white in color, their most common sites are: the back of the throat, the tonsils, the soft palate and the uvula.

Very often, the plaques in the throat are associated with a series of typical disorders, such as: difficulty swallowing, sore throat, swollen and reddened tonsils, velvet, fever, swelling of the lymph nodes of the neck, etc.

The treatment of plaques in the throat depends on the triggering causes.

As a rule, adequate therapy guarantees a positive prognosis.

What are the plates in the throat?

The plaques in the throat are a typical clinical sign of processes - in most cases, infectious or, more rarely, of another nature - affecting the mucous lining of the terminal part of the mouth.

In general, the throat plaques have a yellowish-white color and may reside in the back of the throat, on the tonsils, on the soft palate or on the uvula.

Causes

Very often, the plaques in the throat are the result of those bacterial, viral or fungal infections that cause tonsillitis (inflammation of the palatine tonsils), pharyngitis (the common "sore throat"), pharyngotonsillitis, colds, flu and parainfluenza syndromes.

More rarely, they can also derive from neoplastic conditions: in these situations, the most characteristic example is throat cancer .

BACTERIAL CAUSES

Among the most common bacterial causes of plaque in the throat are:

Bacteria of the beta-hemolytic Streptococcus type of group A and
Staphylococcus aureus type bacteria.

Although less frequently, they can also cause the appearance of plaques in the throat:

The diphtheria bacterium, known as Corynebacterium diphtheriae .
The bacterium of syphilis, whose scientific name is Treponema pallidum .
Chlamydia bacterium, also known as Chlamydia trachomatis .
The bacterium of gonorrhea, known as Neisseria gonorrhoeae .

VIRAL CAUSES

Among the viruses, those that represent a possible cause of plaques in the throat are:

The Rhinovirus . It is the viral agent responsible for most cases of colds (between 30 and 80%). However, it can also be responsible for tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
The Adenovirus . This viral agent can induce colds, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, pharyngitis and / or pneumonia.
The Coronavirus . It is one of the main viral agents that cause colds (10-15%).
The well-known SARS virus belongs to the class of Coronaviruses.
The respiratory syncytial virus . It is a virus that causes infections, sometimes lethal, in the respiratory tract.
Representing the main causative factor of bronchiolitis and childhood pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus can cause colds, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and pharyngitis.
Influenza viruses . They are classically responsible for colds, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and gastrointestinal disorders.
Parainfluenza viruses . They are viral agents that cause symptoms very similar to influenza viruses.
The Epstein-Barr virus . Belonging to the herpes virus family, this viral agent is known to be the main cause of infectious mononucleosis and to cause certain types of lymphoma and epithelial tumors.
The AIDS virus (or HIV ). It is a virus that reduces the immune defenses of the infected organism. From this it follows a particular ease to the development of numerous associated infections and tumors.

MUSHROOM CAUSES

Among the fungi that cause plaque in the throat, it is worth mentioning Candida albicans, which is the fungal agent responsible for candida and, at the oral level, for thrush.

PLATES IN THROAT AND THROAT

Sometimes, the throat plaques may be associated with malignant tumors located in the throat.

There are several types of throat cancer: nasopharyngeal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, glottic cancer, supraglottic cancer, subglottic cancer and tonsillar cancer.

Epidemiology

Throat plates may appear in subjects of any age.

However, it should be noted that they have a particular fondness for children.

In adulthood, the most affected subjects are generally people with a certain degree of immunodepression (in other words, their immune defenses have a reduced efficiency).

RISK FACTORS

These are risk factors for plaque in the throat:

The very young age ;
Coming into contact with individuals with plaques in the throat and suffering from an infectious and easily spreading infectious disease;
Presence of immunodepression . Different circumstances can lead to immunosuppression: for example, chemotherapy-based therapies, the intake of immunosuppressive drugs or very advanced age.

To learn more: Throat Plates - Causes and Symptoms

Symptoms

To the plaques in the throat, other symptoms and signs are often associated, including: difficulty and pain in swallowing, local redness of the pharyngeal mucosa and surrounding areas, swollen or reddened tonsils, velvet, fever, swollen lymph nodes of the neck, cough, halitosis, hoarseness, ear pain, sialorrhea, etc.

PLATES IN TROUSERS AND TONSILLARY CALCULATIONS

Sometimes, the presence of plaques in the throat is linked to a condition known as tonsil stones or tonsillolites (in the singular it is tonsillolito ).

Probably of bacterial origin, the tonsil stones are deposits of predominantly calcific material, which are located in the tonsillar crypts of the palatine tonsils (most cases) and lingual tonsils.

In addition to calcium, other possible minerals constituting the tonsilloliti are: magnesium and phosphorus.

Generally, tonsil stones are the cause of symptoms only when they become medium-large. In such situations, the typical manifestations consist of: halitosis, difficulty in swallowing, sore throat with formation of plaques, bad taste in the mouth, swollen tonsils and pain in the ears.

Diagnosis

The plates in the throat are easily identifiable through a simple objective examination, as they are normally visible formations to the naked eye.

The use of more in-depth diagnostic tests occurs when the doctor suspects the existence of particular causes at the origin of the plaques in the throat.

In these situations, the in-depth examinations serve more than anything else to establish what are the triggering factors.

EXAMINATIONS FOR CAUSES SEARCH

There are numerous diagnostic tests to establish the causes of plaque in the throat.

Their choice depends on what the doctor suspects in relation to the patient's symptoms, age and medical history (anamnesis).

Going into more detail, among the diagnostic tests for finding the causes of throat plaques, are:

Complete blood count and ESR
Serum creatinine measurement for renal function
Pharyngeal swab, followed by culture test and possible antibiogram
laryngoscopy
Tissue biopsy

Treatment

The treatment of plaques in the throat varies depending on the triggering factors:

If the plaques in the throat have a viral origin, the planned therapy consists of: absolute rest, awaiting spontaneous healing from the infection, and resorting to some symptomatic remedies against the accompanying manifestations (paracetamol against fever, anti-inflammatory against the throat pain etc).
Conditions, such as AIDS, from which the human being does not heal, except in rare cases, represent an exception to these therapeutic indications.
If the plaques in the throat have a bacterial nature, the therapy envisaged consists of: antibiotic treatment (ie based on antibiotic drugs), rest and use of symptomatic remedies.
If the plaques in the throat originate from a fungal infection, the treatment envisaged consists of: treatments based on antifungals (fluconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, etc.), rest and use of symptomatic remedies.
If the plaques in the throat result from the presence of a throat tumor, the therapy adopted may include: radiation therapy combined with a chemotherapy-based treatment (chemotherapy), or surgical removal of the tumor mass associated with one or both of the previous two treatments (radiotherapy adjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy).

* NB: both in the case of plaques in the throat of bacterial origin, and in the case of plaques in the throat of fungal origin, the symptomatic remedies are the same indicated in the case of plaques in the throat of a viral nature.

Prevention

In general, to prevent the onset of plaques in the throat of infectious origin, it is good practice to temporarily avoid close contact with people with some kind of infection capable of causing tonsillitis, pharyngitis, pharyngotonsillitis, flu, colds etc.