Swelling of the mucous throat occurs with mechanical damage, burns, infectious diseases, neoplasms, inflammatory and purulent lesions of the ENT organs, and allergic reactions. Manifested by discomfort, sensation of a foreign body, difficulty in swallowing, pain when swallowing and turning the head, swelling, hyperemia of the mucosa. When the larynx is affected, voice changes, dry cough, and difficulty breathing are noted. For diagnosis, data from a survey, physical and endoscopic examination, radiography, and laboratory techniques are used. Until the diagnosis is clarified, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
Why does the mucous throat swell
Mechanical damage
Swelling of the mucous throat due to injury is observed when damaged by solid objects, pieces of food, fish bones. Small foreign bodies can get stuck between the rollers, arches, tonsils in the posterior parts of the oropharynx. The patient complains of severe local pain, itching, sensation of a foreign object. On examination, edema, hyperemia of the affected area are revealed. With deeply located foreign bodies, there are no obvious visual changes. If the object is located in the laryngopharynx, suffocation is possible.
Thermal burns of the pharyngeal mucosa are usually superficial. They develop when taking too hot food, inhaling hot steam during inhalation. There is a burning sensation, aggravated by swallowing. Chemical damage to the throat varies in severity, accompanied by sharp pain, the formation of white or gray scabs. In addition, edema is observed after operations in the area of the oropharynx, laryngopharynx.
Infectious diseases
Acute infections are one of the most common causes of swelling of the throat mucosa. The symptom is detected in the following pathologies:
- SARS and flu. Puffiness is insignificant, appears at the initial stages of the disease, is combined with moderate hyperemia, weakness, fatigue, fever, muscle pain.
- Measles. The symptom is more pronounced in children, supplemented by hyperemia, granularity of the pharynx. Occurs simultaneously with fever. After 3-5 days, the condition improves, a rash on the body is determined.
- typhus and typhoid fever. Not only the pharynx swells, but also the neck, the lower part of the face. Point hemorrhages in mucous are possible. Significant hyperthermia, severe intoxication, rash are observed. Severe condition.
- Scarlet fever. The throat is edematous, bright red (“flaming pharynx”), the formation of areas of necrotic, fibrinous or mucopurulent plaque is possible. The cervical lymph nodes are enlarged, a small punctate rash is found on the body.
- Diphtheria. Against the background of edema of the pharyngeal mucosa, a typical plaque forms on the tonsils. In severe cases, raids spread to the oropharynx, combined with swelling of the subcutaneous tissue over enlarged cervical lymph nodes. In the toxic form, the swelling of the throat is so pronounced that it interferes with breathing.
Puffiness and other signs of an inflammatory lesion of the throat mucosa, resembling local symptoms in acute respiratory viral infections, can be determined at the initial stage of hepatitis A, secondary syphilis, and tuberculosis. There are also signs of intoxication, skin rashes, muscle and joint pain, and other symptoms.
Inflammatory ENT pathologies
Mucosal edema is accompanied by the most common acute and chronic inflammatory diseases of the pharynx and larynx:
- Tonsillitis. Puffiness, hyperemia of the tonsils, posterior pharyngeal wall, soft and hard palate is determined. Local superficial films, loose plaque or purulent foci are formed on the tonsils, resembling a picture of the "starry sky". Body temperature is elevated. Chronic tonsillitis is manifested by repeated exacerbations, which occur with poorer symptoms than acute tonsillitis.
- Pharyngitis. In the acute form of the disease, edema spreads throughout the pharynx, in chronic it covers its upper, middle or lower section. Redness appears. The general condition suffers slightly or remains satisfactory.
- Laryngitis. The mucosal edema is localized in the lower parts of the throat, it is not visually determined. Tickling, scratching, tickling, burning, dry convulsive cough, hoarseness of voice are noted. After a few days, the cough becomes wet. In chronic laryngitis, the symptoms are smoothed out, the disease proceeds in waves.
Swelling of the throat mucosa
Purulent complications of ENT diseases
In contrast to uncomplicated otolaryngological pathologies, which are characterized by diffuse symmetrical damage to the structures of the throat, with purulent complications, symptoms are more often expressed on one side. On examination, a local focus is determined, the prevalence of edema depends on the severity of the process. Puffiness of the throat is accompanied by the following pathological conditions:
- Peritonsillar abscess. There is a sharp unilateral pain when swallowing, in 10% of cases a bilateral lesion is detected. The edema grows rapidly, the pain becomes tearing, radiating to the ear. Due to swelling, accumulation of pus, the tonsil and uvula may deviate to the side.
- Abdominal abscess. Symptoms are localized. Along with swelling, sore throat, when the abscess is located in the upper parts of the pharynx, nasal breathing is disturbed. Abscesses of the middle and lower sections are accompanied by hoarseness, coarsening of the voice, difficulty breathing, and sometimes suffocation.
- Intratonsilic abscess . It is more often observed in adults suffering from chronic tonsillitis, severe somatic diseases. One tonsil becomes sharply painful, enlarges, takes on a spherical appearance. With cold abscesses on the background of leukemia, intense pain is absent.
- Abscess of the root of the tongue. Edema of the mucous membrane of the pharynx occurs a second time, is a reaction to the presence of an abscess in nearby tissues. Sharp pain prevails, hyperemia in the root zone, an increase in the tongue.
- Abscess of the epiglottis. Severe pain in the lower part of the throat, sensation of a foreign body, difficulty in breathing, nasal voice predominates. The zone of maximum edema is located in the larynx.
In patients with Ludwig's angina, inflammation is diffuse, begins in the submandibular space, passes to the bottom of the oral cavity. From there, the edema spreads to the pharynx, which is accompanied by a violation of swallowing. When the larynx is involved, the voice changes or disappears. Another type of diffuse purulent inflammation is phlegmonous laryngitis. Maximum swelling and soreness are noted in the larynx area, loss of speech, acute stenosis of the larynx are possible.
allergic reactions
Swelling of the mucous membrane of the throat is accompanied by many allergic reactions. The symptom appears suddenly, combined with a sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, lacrimation, skin itching. The most common cause is contact with pollen from plants, animals or house dust. This manifestation is especially pronounced with Quincke's edema, which is complemented by swelling of the face, other parts of the body, speech disorders, and wheezing stridor breathing.
Tumors
With benign tumors of the pharynx, the symptom appears in case of injury to the formations. Cancer of the pharynx is accompanied by swelling of the tissues during the disintegration of neoplasia and the development of inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Edema of the mucous membrane of the larynx and pharynx can occur during radiotherapy of the neck organs for oncological lesions of the larynx, pharynx, thyroid gland, and other anatomical formations in this zone.
Other reasons
Due to reactive inflammation against the background of reflux of gastric contents, swelling of the throat can be observed with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Especially often the symptom is found in cases of a long course of the disease with the development of laryngitis, GERD during pregnancy.
Puffiness, perspiration, hyperemia of the throat are typical for some acute poisonings with damage to the respiratory system, including berylliosis, toxic pulmonary edema. The symptom appears at the initial stage, then manifestations from the bronchopulmonary system, myalgia, hyperthermia join.
Diagnostics
Diagnostic measures are carried out by an otolaryngologist. If relevant indications are identified, the patient is referred for a consultation with an allergist, oncologist, gastroenterologist. The diagnostic plan includes the following activities:
- Interrogation, general inspection . The doctor specifies the time and circumstances of the onset of the symptom, finds out other complaints, and establishes the dynamics of the disease. During a physical examination, the specialist examines the throat, pays attention to specific signs: fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of other areas of the body.
- Express Diagnostics . Produced during the consultation, it allows to reduce the time for laboratory diagnostics, to identify common infections. A streptate test, a flu test, can be done. For allergies, allergy tests are performed.
- Endoscopy Research . Depending on the symptoms present, the otolaryngologist performs pharyngoscopy, direct or indirect laryngoscopy, and endoscopy of the larynx. In case of infectious pathologies and neoplasms, material is taken for subsequent laboratory tests.
- Laboratory tests . Along with a general blood test, confirming the presence of an inflammatory process in the body, most often with swelling of the throat mucosa, a microbiological examination of the smear is performed to determine the microflora and its sensitivity to antibiotics. Biopsy specimens with suspected tumor processes are studied during histological or cytological examination.
In some cases, x-rays of the nasopharynx, larynx or trachea, x-rays of the lungs are shown. With GERD, esophagoscopy and gastroscopy are performed. Appropriate tests are performed to identify specific infections.
Taking a swab from the mucous membrane of the throat
Treatment
Help before diagnosis
When edema appears, it is necessary to ensure a sufficient supply of fresh air, comfortable humidity and temperature in the room, refuse to take too cold, too hot food and drinks that irritate the throat mucosa. With swelling of an infectious and inflammatory genesis, you can gargle with herbal decoctions, use local remedies. In case of allergic reactions, antiallergic drugs should be used.
An increase in body temperature, signs of intoxication are the reason for contacting a therapist or an otolaryngologist. Self-administration of antibiotic therapy is prohibited due to the ineffectiveness of this type of treatment without taking into account the characteristics of the pathology, the possible development of side effects and adverse consequences.
Conservative therapy
The treatment regimen may include pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. For diseases with swelling of the throat, apply:
- Local preparations . Sprays, lozenges, lozenges, and other local dosage forms with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects are effective symptomatic agents for viral and bacterial infections, help reduce swelling and discomfort in the throat.
- Antiallergic medicines . To quickly eliminate swelling of the throat, other symptoms of allergies, antihistamines, mast cell membrane stabilizers are used.
- Antibiotics . Antibiotic therapy is indicated only for the bacterial nature of the disease, it is ineffective for viral infections. First, a broad-spectrum agent is prescribed, then the treatment regimen is corrected, taking into account the antibiotic sensitivity of pathogens, established by the results of the smear culture.
- Physiotherapy . In case of throat diseases, inhalations, UVI, UHF, laser therapy, ultraphonophoresis, drug electrophoresis, and other methods are prescribed.
- Intubation. Necessary for the development of severe swelling of the throat, the threat of asphyxia.
Surgery
Taking into account the characteristics of the pathology, the following surgical interventions are carried out:
- Mechanical damage : removal of foreign bodies, plastic surgery after severe burns of the throat.
- Airway obstruction : tracheostomy.
- Tonsillitis : tonsillectomy, tonsillotomy, lacunotomy, cryodestruction of palatine tonsils.
- Pharyngitis : radio wave shading, laser coagulation of pharyngeal granules.
- Purulent complications : opening of paratonsillar, pharyngeal, parapharyngeal abscess, abscess of the epiglottis or root of the tongue.
- Volumetric processes : removal of papillomas of the pharynx or larynx, removal of neoplasms of the larynx, laryngectomy, hemilaryngectomy, laryngopharyngectomy.
After radical operations for malignant tumors, a voice prosthesis is installed to restore the voice function. Some patients undergo reconstructive intervention - laryngoplasty.