The 4 Main Causes of Pharyngitis!
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Causes of Pharyngitis: There are numerous viral and bacterial agents that can be the cause of pharyngitis . They include:
Measles : Measles is a cause of pharyngitis as pharyngitis is an acute, viral, transmissible, extremely contagious and very common infectious disease in childhood that can cause inflammation in the pharynx.
Adenovirus: Adenoviruses are a group of viruses that can affect various parts of the body (depending on the type that infected the patient). They usually cause respiratory tract infections and so adenovirus is a cause of pharyngitis (common cold, bronchitis or pneumonia), conjunctivitis (eye infection), gastroenteritis (intestinal tract infection) and even cystitis (bladder infection). Adenovirus causes respiratory tract infections and therefore also a cause of pharyngitis.
Chickenpox : Chickenpox is a cause of pharyngitis , as the disease is known as chickenpox, as is the name of its virus as mentioned above, it is from the herpes virus family, commonly known as shingles. The transmission of this disease occurs easily through contact with the liquid expelled by blisters, sneezing and coughing, which causes inflammation of the pharynx. Even if the infected person does not show signs of the disease, he is already transmitting the virus.
Pertussis: Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease and is also a cause of pharyngitis as it is usually marked by a severe, dry cough followed by an acute intake of air that sounds like a “scream”.
Viruses are the most common cause of a sore throat . Pharyngitis is most commonly caused by viral infections such as the common cold, the flu, or mononucleosis. Viral infections do not respond to antibiotics and treatment is only needed to relieve symptoms.
Less commonly, pharyngitis is caused by a bacterial infection . Bacterial infections require antibiotics. The most common bacterial throat infection is strep throat, which is caused by Group A streptococci. The rare causes of bacterial pharyngitis include gonorrhea, chlamydia and bacterial coryne.
Frequent exposure to colds and flu can increase the risk of pharyngitis . This is especially true for people with health care jobs, allergies and frequent sinus infections . Exposure to secondhand smoke can also increase the risk.
Symptoms of Pharyngitis: The symptoms that accompany pharyngitis vary depending on the underlying condition. In addition to a sore , dry, or scratchy throat, a cold or flu symptoms of pharyngitis can cause:
- sneezing
- coryza
- headache
- cough
- fatigue
- body pain
- goosebumps
- Fever (low-grade fever with cold and fever with the flu)
- swollen lymph nodes
- severe fatigue
- Muscle aches
- general malaise
- loss of appetite
- rash
Treatment For Pharyngitis: In some cases, medical treatment is required for pharyngitis and knowing the cause of pharyngitis to treat. This is especially the case if it is caused by a bacterial infection . For such cases, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. According to the Mayo Clinic, penicillin is the most commonly prescribed treatment for a sore throat . It is important that you take the full course of antibiotics to prevent the infection from coming back or getting worse. An entire course of these antibiotics usually lasts for seven to 10 days.
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Prevention of Pharyngitis: Maintaining proper hygiene can prevent many cases of pharyngitis and prevent the cause of pharyngitis:
- Avoid sharing food, drinks and eating utensils
- Avoid individuals who are sick
- Wash your hands thoroughly, especially before eating and after coughing or sneezing
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available
- Avoid smoking and inhaling secondhand smoke