Painful sensations in the nasopharynx always signal inflammatory processes in it. This organ passes through itself more than 10 thousand liters of air daily, it is warmed, cleansed, moistened and disinfected. Most of the harmful microorganisms die, but some of them enter the body and lead to illness. Pain in the nasopharynx usually indicates inflammatory processes caused by infection of the respiratory system, hearing and oral cavity.
Why does my nasopharynx hurt?
Most often, pain in the throat can be caused by:
- infection - viral, bacterial and fungal;
- hypothermia;
- increased stress on the vocal cords;
- allergic reactions to air pollution, food, drugs;
- mechanical damage - foreign body injury, food;
- stressful situations,emotional disorders;
- smoking and drug abuse.
In addition, the causes of pain in the nasopharynx may be pathological changes in the thyroid gland or the occurrence of neoplasms.
Symptoms associated with sore throat
In various diseases, the following symptoms are characteristic of the inflammatory process in the nasal and oral cavity:
- discomfort in the larynx, expressed by burning, itching, itching, pain when swallowing, dryness;
- increased salivation;
- swelling of mucous membranes and nasal congestion;
- concentration of mucus or pus in the nasal cavity;
- appearance of shortness of breath;
- hoarse voice;
- appearance of coughing or barking, dry cough.
Due to pain in the nasopharynx, there is often an increase in body temperature, the general condition is disturbed, an increase in submandibular lymph nodes is possible. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek medical attention.
Pathogens that cause diseases of the nasopharynx
Diseases of the nasopharynx can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. Treatment in each case is carried out with the use of different groups of drugs. Diseases caused by viruses are treated with antiviral drugs, and immunomodulators are also used. When infected with a fungal infection, anticandidal drugs are used. It is impossible to improve well-being with a viral and fungal infectiontaking antibiotics. They will only bring harm by eliminating beneficial bacteria in the intestines. If the disease was provoked by bacteria, then antibiotics are indispensable. It can be very difficult to figure out how to treat pain in the nasopharynx on your own. Therefore, if it occurs, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.
Pharyngitis
Pharyngitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat. Often it develops along with acute rhinitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis and tracheitis. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi. When the disease occurs:
- itchy and dry throat;
- redness and swelling of the back of the throat;
- dry cough;
- pain in the nasopharynx when swallowing;
- weakness, headache;
- increased lymph nodes: submandibular and cervical;
- increased body temperature.
The disease can be acute or chronic. In the treatment, drugs are prescribed depending on the causative agent of the disease. A doctor's consultation is required.
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the larynx and vocal cords. Often occurs during SARS. Sometimes the causative agents of the disease are streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria. Laryngitis can provoke the dustiness of the room, smoking, overstrain of the vocal cords, irritation of the mucous membrane with hot food, and allergic reactions. Swelling occurs in allergic laryngitislarynx, causing difficulty breathing and a threat to the life of the patient. The disease is especially dangerous for children. When the disease occurs, dryness and sore throat, pain in the nasopharynx when swallowing, a hoarse voice, a barking cough, which subsequently softens and sputum begins to separate, swelling occurs, but the temperature rarely rises. In treatment, the first step is to eliminate the cause that caused the disease. The patient is prescribed a warm drink, gargling, alkaline inhalations, warm foot baths, and physiotherapy.
Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is a disease manifested by inflammation of the palatine tonsils. Most often it is bacterial in nature and is caused by streptococci, but less often viruses and fungi can be the causative agent. The main symptoms of the disease are:
- increased body temperature up to 39 degrees and above;
- sharp pain when swallowing;
- paroxysmal cough;
- pain in the muscles;
- headaches;
- redness of the tonsils;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
To treat pain in the nasopharynx you need:
- Comply with bed rest.
- Gargle with alkaline solutions up to 6 times a day.
- Drink more warm fluids to relieve pain and detoxify the body.
- Inhalation using herbal decoctions.
- Mandatory use of antibiotics if tonsillitis is caused by streptococcal infection.
Incorrectly treated acute form of the disease becomes chronic.
Adenoiditis in childhood
Adenoiditis is a disease associated with inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils. This pathology affects children, mainly under the age of 7 years with the growth of adenoids caused by frequent colds and weakened immunity. The acute form of adenoiditis begins with intoxication and a rise in temperature, the appearance of an obsessive cough. Babies are restless, often unable to breastfeed due to lack of nasal breathing. In older children, the throat does not hurt, and pain in the nasopharynx, clogged with viscous sputum, is present. They complain of poor hearing and painful sensations in the ears that radiate to the head.
The voice becomes nasal, the cough intensifies, the occipital, submandibular and posterior cervical lymph nodes increase. If symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor and get recommendations for the treatment of adenoiditis. Otherwise, the acute form will turn into a chronic one, in which the child becomes lethargic, indifferent, his attention, memory and school performance decrease. For treatment, antibiotics Amoxicillin, Ospen, Augmentin, nasal drops Collargol, Protargol, Nasonex are prescribed, which are instilled after washing the nasopharynx. Vitamins are used to strengthen immunity.
Pain in the nasopharynx without fever
It's not uncommon to have a sore throat and not have a fever. There are three versions explaining the lack of temperature during colds:
- A person with strong immunity got an infection that has already occurred before, it is not perceived by the body as dangerous and does not requiredevelopment of protective forces.
- Often sick people have a weakened immune system and the body does not have the strength to fight the infection. In this case, there is a strong weakness caused by intoxication. Urgent medical attention needed.
- According to the latest version, the patient is attacked by a completely unfamiliar virus that the body encounters for the first time. Urgently seeking advice from a doctor will help to cope with the disease.
You can identify a cold at normal temperature by the following symptoms:
- presence of a runny nose;
- redness and sore throat;
- cough;
- body aches;
- pain in the abdomen.
If these symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor and follow his prescriptions.
How to get rid of pain in the nasopharynx?
For sore throats, regardless of the causative agent, the following symptom relief measures are taken:
- Be sure to exclude hot, cold and spicy foods that irritate a sore throat.
- The room is systematically ventilated and humidified in it.
- Drinking a lot of fluids.
- The patient's conversations are limited so as not to strain the vocal cords and not irritate the throat.
- It is desirable that the patient quit smoking or limit the number of cigarettes smoked.
- At a temperature exceeding 38 degrees, antipyretics are taken: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol.
- Receptionantibiotics, antiviral or antifungal agents, depending on the pathogen as prescribed by a doctor.
- The use of local therapy to relieve swelling and irritation in the nasopharynx - frequent rinsing and washing the nose, the use of sprays "Ingalipt", "Stopangin", "Geksoral" and absorbable tablets: "Pharingosept", "Septolet", "Strepsils".
All this will help relieve symptoms and greatly alleviate the condition.
Nose rinse
In diseases of the nasopharynx, one of the important procedures is washing the nose, which allows you to clear it of mucus and relieve the symptoms of the disease. To do this, use:
- boiled water with the addition of a teaspoon of sea s alt or baking soda;
- decoctions of chamomile, sage, calendula;
- saline;
- preparations "Aqua Maris", "Aqualor".
Before rinsing into a non-breathing nose, it is necessary to drip vasoconstrictor drops "Sanorin" or "Naphthyzin" and wait until it breathes.
Flushing can be done with a syringe, a syringe without a needle or a kettle:
- bend over the sink and inject the solution into the nostril, which is located above;
- with good patency, the solution flows out through the second nostril;
- open your mouth while washing, because some of the liquid will pour out through it.
After washing the nostrils, you need to blow your nose. All actions are performed from the second nostril. The solution must be warmbody temperature.
Gargling
Severe pain in the nasopharynx will decrease if you constantly gargle. For this, pharmaceutical antiseptic preparations "Miramistin", "Furacilin", "Chlorophyllipt", saline, which have a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect, are quite suitable. In addition, solutions are also prepared at home using:
- Karganate - dissolve a few crystals in a glass of water to make the solution pink.
- Boric acid - dissolve a teaspoon in a glass of boiled water, you can add a little baking soda, mix everything.
- Hydrogen peroxide - add a teaspoon to a glass of warm water.
- Soda and s alt - add a teaspoon per liter of water, mix everything.
When the procedure is performed regularly, the symptoms of the disease quickly disappear.
Prevention measures
To protect yourself from pain in the nasopharynx is completely unrealistic, but it is possible to minimize the risk. For this you need:
- Eat right. Include more foods containing various vitamins and minerals in your diet, this will help the use of vegetables, fruits and various greens. Lean meat and fish should not be excluded, the presence of dairy products is mandatory. The more varied the menu, the more nutrients the body will receive.
- Be active. Daily walks, simple physical exercises strengthen the body.
- Carry out air humidification. Dry air causespain in the throat and nasopharynx, there are microtraumas of the mucous membranes, where pathogenic microorganisms settle. In winter, a room fountain or a damp towel on the radiator will improve the microclimate in the apartment.
- Take vitamin complexes. Be sure to consume vitamins and minerals sold in pharmacies several times a year.
- Stop smoking. Harmful substances contained in cigarettes have a detrimental effect on the nasopharyngeal mucosa.
- Wash your hands often. Many pathogenic microorganisms enter the oral cavity with dirty hands.
- Dress for the weather. Hypothermia provokes various colds.
Conclusion
The nasopharynx is an organ that unites the upper respiratory tract into a single system. The main function of the lymphoid tissue of the tonsils and adenoids is the retention of pathogenic flora at the entrance to the body. A large number of blood vessels, which are located in the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, warm the air passing into the respiratory tract. And the hairs located at the entrance to the nasal opening, and small villi on the nasopharyngeal mucosa trap dust and, together with the secret, bring it out. Pain in the nasopharynx may indicate violations of these important processes.
