How to get chronic pharyngitis

Everyone should be familiar with the disease of pharyngitis. It needs to be treated in time after being ill, otherwise it will become a chronic disease. Chronic pharyngitis is very harmful and can recur over a long period of time. If we want to prevent chronic pharyngitis or treat this disease, it is very important to find out the cause so that we can get good results by treating the disease accordingly. So, how does chronic pharyngitis occur? Let’s take a look at the reasons below.

Repeated attacks of acute pharyngitis are the main cause of chronic pharyngitis.

1. Upper respiratory tract lesions adjacent to the pharynx

For example, chronic inflammation of the nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasopharynx may irritate the pharyngeal mucosa due to the reflux of inflammatory secretions through the posterior nasal cavity to the pharynx; diseases such as chronic rhinitis, deviated nasal septum, chronic sinusitis, adenoids hypertrophy, snoring, or space-occupying lesions in the nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasopharynx affect nasal ventilation, causing long-term mouth breathing, causing long-term excessive dryness of the pharyngeal mucosa and leading to chronic pharyngitis; chronic inflammation of chronic tonsillitis can directly spread to the posterior pharyngeal wall, causing chronic pharyngitis; if oral inflammation is not controlled in time, it can also lead to chronic pharyngitis as the inflammation spreads.

2. Changes in climate and regional environment

Changes in temperature and humidity, poor air quality, stimulation from tobacco and alcohol, spicy and irritating foods, dust, harmful gases and radioactive exposure are also causes of chronic pharyngitis.

3. Occupational factors

People who use their voice extensively for a long time, such as teachers, singers, and those with susceptible physical conditions may also develop this disease.

4. Systemic factors

Chronic pharyngitis can also be caused by anemia, indigestion, gastroesophageal reflux, heart disease (due to blood circulation disorders affecting the pharyngeal venous return and causing local congestion in the pharynx), chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, rheumatism, liver and kidney diseases, etc. Endocrine disorders, autonomic nervous system disorders, infection with Bacillus rhinorrhoeae and diphtheroids, vitamin deficiency and immune dysfunction are all related to atrophic and dry pharyngitis.

5. Allergic factors

Inhaled allergens (including seasonal and perennial allergens), medications, chemical irritants in the workplace, and food allergens can all cause allergic pharyngitis.

Classification

Pathologically, chronic pharyngitis can be divided into the following 5 categories:

1. Chronic simple pharyngitis

This type is more common and manifests as chronic congestion of the pharyngeal mucosa. The lesions are mainly concentrated in the pharyngeal mucosa, with a lot of lymphoid tissue infiltration around the blood vessels, and infiltration of white blood cells and plasma cells can also be seen. Hyperplasia of mucosal and submucosal connective tissue may be accompanied by hypertrophy of mucous glands, hypersecretion of glands, increased mucus secretion and greater viscosity.

2. Chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis

Also known as chronic granular pharyngitis and pharyngitis, chronic simple pharyngitis that does not heal may develop into chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis, which is also very common in clinical practice. The pharyngeal mucosa is congested and thickened, with extensive connective tissue and lymphoid tissue hyperplasia in the mucosa and submucosa. The lymphoid tissue around the mucous glands proliferates and there are multiple granular lymph follicles on the posterior pharyngeal wall. They may be chronically congested, or multiple lymphoid follicles may fuse into one. The inflammatory exudate in the mucous glands may be sealed therein, forming cystic white spots on the top of the protrusions of the lymphoid granules. When they rupture, yellow-white exudate can be seen. This type of chronic pharyngitis often involves the lateral pharyngeal cord lymphoid tissue, causing it to proliferate and thicken in a cord-like manner.

3. Atrophic and dry pharyngitis

It is less common in clinical practice. In the early stage of the disease, the secretion of mucous glands decreases and the secretions become thick and dry. Due to chronic inflammation of the submucosa, it gradually becomes organized and contracted, compressing the glands and blood vessels, reducing glandular secretion and causing nutritional disorders, causing the mucosa and submucosa to gradually atrophy and become thinner. Dry crusts or pus crusts may be attached to the posterior pharyngeal wall, usually accompanied by a foul odor.

4. Chronic allergic pharyngitis

Also known as chronic allergic pharyngitis. It is an IgE-mediated type I allergic reaction that occurs in the pharyngeal mucosa. Allergens stimulate the pharyngeal mucosa, causing plasma cells that synthesize IgM to transform into plasma cells that synthesize IgE. IgE then attaches to the surface of mast cells and alkaliphils, putting the pharyngeal mucosa in a sensitized state. When the same allergen contacts the body again, the allergen binds to the IgE on the surface of the mediator cells, causing the mediator cells to degranulate and release a variety of inflammatory mediators including histamine and synthetic prostaglandins, which can cause capillary dilation, increased vascular permeability, and increased glandular secretion, causing allergic reactions. Food allergens mainly cause allergic reactions through the complement C3 and C4 pathways. Chronic allergic pharyngitis is often accompanied by systemic allergic diseases or allergic rhinitis, but it can also occur alone. Seasonal chronic allergic pharyngitis, its symptoms may vary seasonally. If you are allergic to food, you may experience symptoms related to chronic pharyngitis after eating allergenic foods.

5. Chronic reflux pharyngitis

Associated with gastroesophageal reflux. Gastric juice directly damages the pharyngeal mucosa due to gastroesophageal reflux or causes chronic inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa and submucosa through nerve reflex.