Pharyngitis is an inflammation of the back of the throat (pharynx), usually caused by viral or bacterial infections. This is a common illness that often causes a sore throat.
Symptoms of Pharyngitis:
- Sore throat (pain or tickling sensation in the throat)
- Difficulty swallowing
- The back of the throat may be red or swollen
- Fever (more common in bacterial infections)
- Swollen tonsils or white spots on the tonsils (especially in bacterial infections)
- Cough (usually more common with viral infections)
- Runny nose, sneezing or nasal congestion (especially in viral infections)
- Headache
- Body aches
- Bad breath
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
How Do You Know If You Have Pharyngitis?
If you have a sore throat, difficulty swallowing or any of the above symptoms, you may think you may have pharyngitis. However, because pharyngitis can be caused by many different types of infection, a medical evaluation is needed to find out which type of infection is causing it.
Viral pharyngitis is more common and is often accompanied by cold-like symptoms (e.g. runny nose, cough, sneezing).
Bacterial pharyngitis (especially streptococcal pharyngitis, i.e. a throat infection) can lead to more severe symptoms, such as severe sore throat without coughing, fever and white patches on the tonsils.
When should you consult a doctor?
It may be a good idea to consult a doctor if you have the following conditions:
- High fever (above 38.3°C or 101°F)
- If your sore throat persists or worsens for more than a few days.
- If you have difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- If you experience severe or persistent pain.
- If you see white spots on your tonsils or in your throat.
- If there are swollen lymph nodes or a rash.
Your doctor can determine whether the infection is bacterial by performing a rapid strep test or throat culture.
What Should You Do When You Have Pharyngitis?
Treatment depends on whether the infection is viral or bacterial:
Viral pharyngitis: Usually heals spontaneously. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms:
- Drink plenty of water
- Relieve the pain by using throat lozenges or sprays.
- Gargle with warm salt water.
Use over-the-counter painkillers (paracetamol or ibuprofen) to reduce pain and fever.
Take care to rest.
Avoid irritants such as cigarette smoke.
Bacterial pharyngitis (e.g. strep throat): It should be treated with antibiotics. It is very important to complete the antibiotic treatment prescribed by your doctor because it ensures that the infection is completely cured and prevents complications.
Which Doctor Should You Go to?
If you have a sore throat and think you have pharyngitis, you can first talk to your general practitioner or family doctor. If symptoms persist or complications develop, he or she may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
How Do You Know If You Need Surgical Intervention?
Surgical intervention is usually not necessary for pharyngitis. However, surgical intervention may be necessary in some cases:
In the case of chronic or recurrent pharyngitis, there may be cases that do not respond to treatment (this may be related to chronic tonsillitis).
Tonsillectomy may be considered for people who have frequent or severe tonsillitis or pharyngitis (usually if you have more than 7 infections a year or if the infections lead to serious complications).
Abscesses or complications from untreated bacterial infections (for example, peritonsillar abscess) may require surgical intervention.
In general, surgical intervention is considered after other treatment methods have been tried and the condition significantly affects quality of life.
If you are unsure, it is best to consult a health professional who can assess your symptoms and refer you to appropriate treatment.