My throat is dry and itchy, I always feel a foreign body sensation, and I keep coughing. What's going on? This situation is most likely due to chronic pharyngitis. What is chronic pharyngitis? Chronic pharyngitis refers to chronic inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, submucosa, and lymphoid tissue. It can be divided into local pharyngitis symptoms and diffuse pharyngitis symptoms. Generally speaking, chronic pharyngitis has a high incidence rate and is easy to recur in winter. It is more common in otorhinolaryngology diseases. People who smoke, use voice excessively, the elderly and children are all vulnerable groups.
What are the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis? Generally seen in adults, the disease course is relatively long, the symptoms are stubborn, and it is easy to recur. Chronic pharyngitis is mainly characterized by local symptoms, and the symptoms are diverse, including discomfort, foreign body sensation, itching, burning sensation, dryness or irritation in the throat, and slight pain. There are mainly: ① Itchy throat, always feeling itchy in the throat and involuntarily wanting to cough, so if it is not itchy, it will not cough, so itchy cough is its first characteristic. ② Chronic pharyngitis often results in redness, congestion, and mucosal inflammation of the throat, and sometimes lumps may appear. Everyone can open their mouth and check on their own. If the above symptoms occur, please seek medical attention promptly to prevent the condition from worsening and endangering the body. ③ Stimulating cough, such as encountering hot or cold, or stimulating food, or speaking, as long as the throat feels stimulated, it will trigger coughing. ④ I feel uncomfortable or have foreign objects in my throat, and I usually have difficulty with activities such as coughing and spitting. ⑤ Paroxysmal cough, patients usually experience a sudden cough before going to bed at night or in the morning, especially when brushing their teeth, which can cause a sensation of irritation in the throat and even nausea and vomiting.
What are the main factors that induce chronic pharyngitis?
① Chronic infectious factors: bacterial infection: pathogenic bacteria led by Group A streptococcus play a dominant role in the occurrence and development of pharyngitis, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae may be one of the causes of chronic pharyngitis; Microbial imbalance: Microbial dysbiosis in the throat plays an important role in the occurrence and development of pharyngitis; Nasal chronic pharyngitis postnasal drip syndrome: Secretions produced by nasal cavity, sinusitis, and nasopharyngeal inflammation can cause postnasal drip syndrome, and the stimulation of the pharyngeal mucosa by these secretions can lead to chronic pharyngitis. Acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis recur and persist without recovery. Bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and other lower respiratory diseases, especially cough variant asthma.
② Non infectious factors: obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS, commonly known as snoring). Studies have shown that about 86% of OSAHS patients also suffer from chronic pharyngitis. Due to long-term mouth breathing at night, the pharyngeal mucosa becomes excessively dry, manifested as dry throat, sore throat, and foreign body sensation. Occupational factors: chronic pharyngitis has a high incidence rate in some occupations, such as teachers, presenters, singers, salesmen, etc. Throat reflux: gastric contents reflux to the throat, causing physical or chemical irritation to its mucosal area; Allergic diseases: Some chronic pharyngitis is related to allergic reactions, manifested as itching, swelling, and dry cough in the throat. Stimulating factors: dust, haze, oil fumes, and the impact of spicy food on the throat. Other unhealthy habits such as snoring, smoking, and drinking alcohol.
What are the prevention suggestions for chronic pharyngitis?
① Avoid using your voice excessively. ② Drink plenty of warm water regularly to moisturize the throat, dilute allergens in the respiratory tract, and reduce allergic reactions in the respiratory tract. ③ Changing lifestyle: Quitting smoking is the top priority, as the vast majority of long-term smokers suffer from chronic pharyngitis. In addition, people with chronic pharyngitis are advised not to drink alcohol. ④ Improving living environment: Do not come into contact with anything with irritating gases in daily life, keep the kitchen ventilated, and reduce the stimulation of oil fumes. Indoor dryness in winter can be maintained by using a humidifier to keep the air moist. ⑤ Daily rinsing with diluted salt water: beneficial for improving the pharyngeal environment and preventing bacterial infections. ⑥ Reasonable diet: Eat more light and easily digestible foods, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, and avoid spicy, stimulating, greasy, and overly salty foods. ⑦ Strengthening physical exercise: Appropriate physical exercise can enhance physical fitness, especially for patients with chronic pharyngitis. ⑧ Maintaining a positive mindset: Mental peace and emotional stability are important for patients with chronic pharyngitis. ⑨ Regular check ups: Patients with chronic pharyngitis should undergo regular check ups to detect and treat early.
Chronic pharyngitis, which is easily triggered by catching a cold and excessive fatigue, is a very common disease. Although it does not pose a threat to human life, if not treated in a timely manner, it can also cause great harm to the body. So, everyone must pay attention to this disease in their daily lives, actively prevent it, and seek timely treatment.