Nasopharyngeal pain
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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It happens that periodically in some organs there are violations or malfunctions. There is also pain in the nasopharynx. This phenomenon is very unpleasant, however, it indicates that a disease has appeared in the ENT area.
The nasopharynx is a sieve through which many diseases pass. Most pathogenic microbes die without reaching their destination, and do not give any reaction. However, some of them, filtered by the organs of the nasopharynx, linger and develop into any disease.
The pain in the nasopharynx, especially in the early stages, is removed quickly, and the bacteria and viruses that cause diseases, do not have time to harm the mucous membrane. The main thing is to correctly identify the causative agent of this very pain in the nasopharynx and undergo the most effective treatment.
[Causes of nasopharyngeal pain
The most common cause of sore throat is ordinary inflammation. The organs of hearing, the nasal cavity, as well as the oral cavity or the larynx can become inflamed. The first thing that can cause pain in the nasopharynx is sore throat. It causes tickling, redness, and an increase in overall body temperature. Similar symptoms are observed in all types of angina. But with a purulent, a characteristic symptom appears - pustules form on the glands.
Acute respiratory viral infections and influenza also have symptoms similar to angina. Only in this case, the body temperature can rise to 40 degrees, there is a fever, headaches and runny nose appear.
Nasopharyngeal pain can also be caused by chronic nasal diseases, such as rhinitis and sinusitis. In such a case, the frontal part, where the maxillary sinuses are located, also begins to disturb. The increased pressure in them, characterized by abrupt changes in the position of the head, as well as discharge from the nasal cavity, characterize the stage of the disease and its rate.
If the nasopharynx hurts, you may have an inflammatory process in the inner ear - otitis media. In this case, pain occurs not only in the auditory organs, but also in the throat area. In addition, there is a general weakness of the body, headache and a stable high body temperature.
The cause of pain in the nasopharynx can also serve as a more serious disease.
For example, it happens that the pain in the nasopharynx is paroxysmal, rolls for a few minutes and then retreats for a while. During the retreat, the patient does not feel pain. If similar runs are repeated, immediately contact a neurologist as you probably have a peripheral nerve damage.
If the pain in the nasopharynx is sharp and sudden, this may indicate that you have received mechanical damage to the nasopharynx. Such cases are often found in children who try to plant small parts of toys or food in their nose or mouth. However, it happens that a person receives injuries due to the use of coarse food - cuts or jams in the body of fish bones, fragments and sharp elements of fragmented bones of animal origin. Such cases are not treated on their own, as it is very dangerous with further trauma to the nasopharynx, therefore it is worth contacting physicians. They can prevent injury to the internal organs.
If the pain, which is not related to inflammatory processes and mechanical damage, is permanent, it means in some cases that the last stage of cancer is possible in the nasopharynx. In this case, you need to check with the oncologist.
Symptoms of nasopharyngeal pain
The most common viral diseases that develop in the nasopharynx, doctors call adenovirus infections, influenza and parainfluenza. The most common bacterial sources of nasopharyngeal diseases are mycoplasma, pneumococcus, and gram-negative hemophilic bacteria. In large cities with a highly developed industry, the most common diseases of the nasopharynx are caused by mycoplasma.
The main symptoms of pain in the nasopharynx, which correspond to viral infectious pathogens, are a cough without expectoration, with a little bit of light-colored mucus, hoarseness, runny nose, and fever.
With bacterial diseases of the nasopharynx, the lymph nodes are enlarged, which are located on both sides of the chin (so are the submandibular glands), and there is also a stable high (about 38.5 degrees) body temperature.
If during self-treatment for several days the throat continues to cause discomfort, you experience pain when swallowing, opening the mouth, and also when an allergic rash appears, the most correct solution would be to consult a doctor. If acute symptoms are not observed, but the pain in the nasopharynx lasted longer than a week, then you also need to resort to the help of health workers.
If you delay with treatment in a medical institution, complications can arise that will be much harder to transfer and even more cure - neglected purulent tonsillitis, rheumatic heart disease or even inflammation of the kidneys.
Also, rhinitis, which is fraught with inflammations of the maxillary sinuses or the cells of the ethmoid labyrinth, can turn into more acute forms without the necessary treatment. Triggered rhinitis can develop into ethmoiditis, either acute or chronic sinusitis. In this case, various sections of the nasopharyngeal mucosa will swell, which, in the future ignoring the effective treatment, the disease can get to the brain.
Launched otitis media is also terrible by the appearance of various resulting diseases such as eustachitis, acute inflammation of the middle ear organs, as well as acute suppurative otitis media.
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Diagnosis of nasopharyngeal pain
To diagnose pain in the nasopharynx and determine the exact diagnosis, you should pay attention to the nature and frequency of pain; color, texture and amount of mucous or purulent secretions; the size of the lymph nodes; the nature of the cough; condition of the nose or ears; general condition, body temperature.
When self-medication also need to take into account that the disease does not pass quickly and if, as you thought, the disease has already receded, it is still worth continuing the course of treatment. This is due to the wave-like nature of the inflammations, in which at one moment you may feel ill at the edge, and at the other you may feel fresh and recovered. However, this condition is deceptive.
Remember that a non-treated disease is worse than that which was not treated at all. If you just start the disease, there is a chance for a full recovery even with a late start of treatment. However, if the disease is not repaired, then, most likely, it will develop into a chronic one and will be repeated with the slightest contact of the pathogen into the organism. A person who has a chronic disease is much more susceptible to any other acute respiratory diseases.
Treatment of nasopharyngeal pain
Treatment of pain in the nasopharynx should be carried out very carefully and delicately, as an incorrectly chosen treatment may not help, but rather harm and aggravate the acquired disease. So how to treat pain in the nasopharynx? What are the drugs for effective treatment of severe pain in the nasopharynx?
For example, if it is determined that the disease is of a viral nature, then the prescribed drugs for medical treatment should be from a number of antiviral drugs. In the case of a bacterial pathogen, the drug must have an antibacterial effect. Remember that antibacterial drugs are powerless in the fight against viruses and vice versa - antiviral drugs will not work if the disease is of a bacterial nature.
However, there are drugs that are included in the main course of treatment and are interchanged. These include amoxicillin / clavulanate in high concentrations (2 or more grams per day), 2-3 generation generations of cephalosporins, and linkosamides or clindamycin.
With bacterial forms of tonsillitis, doctors often prescribe systemic antibiotics for the penicillin group. Here it is worth noting the time-tested drug phenoxymethylpenicillin in combination with interchangeable aminpenicillins, cephalosporins, amoxicillin / clavulanate.
In acute respiratory diseases, treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that give an analgesic effect is recommended - naproxen, paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen. However, children and adolescents are strictly prohibited the appointment and reception of aspirin.
When ARD are attributed to antihistamines that block the action of histamine.
For the treatment of respiratory diseases are also used natural herbal medicines, for example, sinupret with sinusitis. It contributes to better discharge of unwanted mucus from the nose and upper respiratory tract.
For local relief of disease use:
- Fusafungin - antimicrobial agent for relieving symptoms of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
- nasal sprays or drops containing components for antibacterial purposes - neomecin or polymyxin; relieving swelling and inflammation - dexamethasone; for vasoconstriction - phenylephrine. It is worth recalling that such topical medications are not recommended for longer than 5-7 days in one course of treatment;
- for severe pain in the nasopharynx, various sucking pills, rinses, sprays, irrigation or inhalation drugs are used;
- Imudon is prescribed to increase the content of immunocompetent cells.
Also, medical institutions practice the use of certain vaccine preparations that are better not to select and not to use on their own at home.
How to prevent nasopharyngeal pain?
In order to reduce the risk of infection with various diseases, doctors recommend hardening and training your body, and in particular, your voice.
To begin with - gradually lower the temperature of water consumed. Hardening with water should start with the use of liquid at room temperature and gradually move to the cooled, "only from the refrigerator." This will help avoid inflammation when you suddenly drink cold water in the heat, for example.
It is also useful to teach the body to cool. So, in cool weather, do not rush to wrap yourself in shawls and scarves. Substitute throat coolness in order to avoid the rapid acquisition of colds.
Do not forget about the practice of douche. Since the times of the Soviet Union, doctors have recommended cold water pouring, contrasting showers, and rubbing. Such procedures temper the body (if you do not overdo it with transitions), and also give a rejuvenating effect.
Some doctors say that singing out loud also trains the throat and helps to avoid illnesses. There is some truth in this statement, as the vocal cords become tense when singing. With their regular tension and relaxation, elasticity improves, which also contributes to overall health promotion.
For frequent drying of the throat, drink water or, in more advanced cases, drink a tablespoon of sunflower oil in order to lubricate the dried areas of the mucous membrane.
To strengthen the walls and nasal mucosa is recommended 1-2 times a week to carry out preventive rinsing with herbal infusions. After such washes, you should also rinse the mouth. Such a useful procedure reduces the number of pathogens on the nasopharyngeal mucosa.
Remember, pain in the nasopharynx is not yet a reason to get upset, but just a signal about the coming illness. Listen to your body, because it always signals what is happening to it. If you are not sure of the correctness of the signal received from your body - contact a specialist.