Sore throat Archives - Healthhype

7 Scratchy Throat Remedies and Some of the Common Causes

Dr. Chris — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 23:45:50 +0000

A scratchy throat is a common way to describe an inflamed, itchy or irritated throat. Most of us experience throat symptoms like these many times in life. Sometimes it progresses into a full blown sore throat while at other times a scratchy throat remains as just a mild irritation and nothing else. It can last for a few days or persist for longer yet it does not develop further into an intense sore throat as we know it. Eventually it passes on its own. Whatever the case, a scratchy throat can be annoying and affect your ability to talk, eat and sleep peacefully. It is important to pay attention to a scratchy throat that develops suddenly. It can be the early symptom of a throat problem or upper respiratory tract conditions. Early medical attention can help to prevent it progressing into intense pharyngitis and to minimize the severity of the causative condition like the common cold. But many of us opt not to seek medical assistance for a scratchy throat as it seems like such a minor ailment. Often it can be managed at home with a few simple remedies but if it is worsening and other symptoms are arising [...]

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Itchy Throat – Causes and Treatment

Jan Modric — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:48:18 +0000

What is Itchy Throat? Itchy throat is an irritating sensation in the throat that provokes desire to cough. Other symptoms like pain, secretions, difficulty eating or speaking, runny nose or itchy eyes may accompany throat itch, depending on the cause. Throat Anatomy Thethroat consists from the pharynx and larynx. Picture 1. Structures in the throat (source: Wikipedia) The pharynx can be divided into: The nasal part (nasopharynx) that receives inhaled air from the nose The oral part (oropharynx) that receives ingested food from the mouth The laryngopharyx – the part between epiglottis and esophagus The larynx carries inhaled air from the pharynx into breathing tubes (trachea and bronchi). Vocal cords in larynx enable speaking. The epiglottis covers the entrance of the larynx during swallowing. Sometimes a piece of food, like a small fish bone, can stick in a pocket above the epiglottis. Why Does the Throat Itch? The inner walls of the throat are covered with mucosal membrane containing nerves, which may be irritated by polluted air, food, inflammatory or allergic reaction. Mucosal glands secrete mucus, a sticky fluid that covers the throat walls, thus protecting them and allowing smooth passage of the air and food. When mucous glands do not secrete enough mucus, for example, due to dehydration, medications [...]

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Tonsil Stones Removal & Pictures

Dr. Chris — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:44:08 +0000

What Are Tonsil Stones? Tonsil stones or tonsilloliths are compacted and calcified stones formed in the tonsillar crypts or crevices of the throat and most frequently in persons suffering from recurrent chronic tonsillitis. Most cases of tonsil stones do not hamper daily functioning or cause discomfort and a person may not even know that they have a tonsil stone. What Are the Tonsils? The tonsils are masses of lymphoid tissue on either side of the throat. Along with the adenoids and other lymphoid tissues, the tonsils form a protective ring around the back of the throat against invading pathogens. They are the first line of defense of our body and in their effort to protect the lungs and gut, they become infected themselves, resulting in tonsillitis. In childhood, when the other immune mechanisms are not as well developed, a child may have recurrent bouts of tonsillitis which becomes a predisposing factor towards developing a tonsil stone. How Does Tonsil Stone Form? Tonsillolith in Tonsillar Crypt Tonsil stones are formed when food particles get trapped in the deep tonsillar crypts and are acted upon by the digestive enzymes present in saliva. These food particles get broken down but some hard particles [...]

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Red Spots on Hands, Fever and Sore Throat

Dr. Chris — Sat, 08 May 2010 19:43:33 +0000

Kenji Asked : My son developed a fever about 2 days ago and started complaining about a sore throat. I took him to the doctor who said that it was probably just tonsillitis because he had this many times in the past. He said it could also be the start of the flu because the flu season is now starting in our country. The fever was not very high but the doctor prescribed antibiotics and paracetamol. It’s now 2 days after I started giving these medicines to my son and I think he is having an allergic reaction. There are red spots on his body but what I am really worried about are these red spots on the palms of his hands. They feel mushy like water pimples or something. He is not scratching them much so I assume it is not itchy but I am now wondering if it could be chickenpox or measles or something like that. His sore throat is not getting any better and I can even feel the swollen lymph nodes on the neck. What could this be? Should I stop the antibiotics or even the paracetamol if this is an allergic reaction to the [...]

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Chronic Sore Throat – Causes, Symptoms of Persistent Sore Throat

Dr. Chris — Thu, 20 May 2010 23:23:56 +0000

A chronic sore throat (pharyngitis) is considered as any persistent throat irritation, itchiness or pain that lasts for more than 3 months. While a sore throat is usually thought of as pain, even slight irritation or itchiness of throat can cause a level of discomfort that may be described as ‘sore’ by a patient. Sometimes dysphagia may be mistaken for a sore throat although this is a difficulty with swallowing with no pain. At other times the pain or discomfort may be lower down the respiratory tract , like in the larynx, where it is described as a sore throat. Causes and Symptoms The causes of a chronic sore throat may be due to an infection, chemical or mechanical injuries or some other cause of persistent inflammation. Identifying the cause depends on the other signs and symptoms present, apart from the sore throat, as well as considering the patient’s medical history. At times, other diagnostic investigation may be required. This may include a neck x-ray, CT scan or laryngoscopy. A chronic sore throat may be accompanied by other signs and symptoms : Changes in the voice, especially hoarseness. Painful swallowing (odynophagia). Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) Chronic cough or constant clearing of [...]

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Sore Throat No Fever with Nasal Congestion

Dr. Chris — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:40:13 +0000

TheresaK Asked : I have been experiencing a persistent sore throat for 3 days, mainly in the morning when I wake up. It started after a late night out and I was out in the cold and drinking alcohol. At first I thought it was from the booze and weather and maybe I had caught a cold. But it is going on with no fever or tiredness like one would get with the cold or flu. I have often had problems with a blocked nose due to a deviated septum (or so my doctor says) but the sore throat was never a part of it. The throat feels swollen when I wake up like I swallowed something big or hard and even my voice sounds a bit gruff, not just nasally. There is no pain, just an irritating swollen feeling. It settles down after a few hours though. Since it is going on for 3 days, I am wondering if I could have caused any damage to the throat because I also smoked a few cigarettes on that night but I am not a smoker. Any response by the Health Hype team does not constitute a medical consultation and the [...]

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Morning Sore Throat | Causes of Pain, Discomfort upon Waking

Dr. Chris — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 23:33:21 +0000

Most patients experiencing a sore throat tend to report an exacerbation of the pain or discomfort upon waking. This may be related to mouth breathing, the reduced saliva production during sleep or exacerbation of symptoms as a result of the lying in the supine position for long periods. However, there are certain causes that are notably aggravated during sleep/lying flat or only arise during these times. The term ‘sore’ is subjective and non-specific – it may be used to describe a sensation ranging from pain to mild discomfort or irritation of the throat , like itching or tickling. Causes of Sore Throat in the Morning The more common and prominent causes of a morning sore throat include : Acid Reflux The rising acid associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may reach the level of the throat when sleeping or lying flat. The acid can pool at the back of the throat for periods of time as swallowing is significantly decreased during sleep. This causes severe irritation of the throat lining (reflux pharyngitis), and can even extend to the palate or rarely into the nose. Heartburn (burning chest pain) is commonly reported and may also be present upon waking due to [...]

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Smoker’s Sore Throat Causes, Cancer, Treatment

Dr. Chris — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 23:02:20 +0000

Tobacco smoking is known to cause a number of diseases, some of which can be life-threatening. Tobacco use is linked to 5 million deaths throughout the world every year. Although the majority of smoker’s are aware of the adverse effects of smoking, many wish to believe that they will not be one of these statistics. Smoking not only causes, but also contributes to hundreds of diseases. There are many instances where smoker’s ignore the constant symptoms that arise with smoking which may often be a prelude to the onset of certain diseases. These symptoms should serve as a warning sign. Why constant sore throat in smoker’s? The movement of cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke through the airways to the lungs causes irritation in these passages. There are thousands of chemicals in tobacco smoke and hundreds of these substances are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing chemicals). However, even those chemicals that are not associated with cancer can still cause irritation and lead to inflammation. This may extend from the mouth, down the throat to the trachea, bronchi and eventually in the lungs. The throat is a long muscular tube that runs from the mouth and continues to the esophagus (food pipe) [...]

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Burning Throat Pain Causes and Other Symptoms

Dr. Chris — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 23:41:58 +0000

Many acute illnesses, particularly infections, involve the throat. We all know the ‘classic’ sore throat that may even occur several times a year, often with a cold or the flu. The discomfort or pain in a sore throat can vary in nature. Sometimes it feels like a burning sensation or burning pain. However, there are many other non-infectious causes of a burning throat such as digestive conditions, allergies and even trauma to the throat although the cause may not always be obvious. It is important to understand what a burning throat may mean, how it is caused and what other symptoms to look out for in order to identify a possible cause. Meaning of Burning in the Throat The throat (pharynx) is part of both the respiratory tract and digestive tract. Air moves in an out of the lungs via the throat. Similarly food and fluids also transits through th e throat. A small flap of tissue known as the epiglottis closes the passage to the lungs when food or fluids enter the throat and are swallowed. This prevents food and fluids from entering the lungs. Problems in the throat can therefore be due to respiratory and digestive issues. Due [...]

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Swollen Throat Causes of Swelling, Tight Feeling

Dr. Chris — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 23:33:36 +0000

Swelling of the throat can be a serious symptom if it arises suddenly and severely affects the movement of air into and out of the lungs. It can even be deadly if it is not attended to promptly. In most cases however, throat swelling is gradual and even when severe it usually does not impede air flow. There are often other symptoms that accompany it like pain, difficulty swallowing and/or a hoarse voice. The throat is common channel where food, beverages and air move. Food and beverages enter through the mouth and pass down the throat to the esophagus. Air moves from the nose or mouth, down the throat and then into the larynx (voice box), trachea, bronchi and eventually reach the lungs. Exhaled air will move in the opposite direction. Sometimes the cause of throat swelling may stem from nasal cavity, larynx or lower down the airways, the mouth and other parts of the upper gut. How does throat swelling occur? The throat is lined with tissue that is similar to the respiratory and digestive passages. When irritated or injured, inflammation is initiated. Blood vessels dilate and the fluid from the blood empties out into the tissue spaces. Red [...]

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