Why is the roof of your mouth itchy?

Although the palate is only a small part, it plays a very important role. People cannot ignore the health of the palate. Sometimes, because people do not pay attention to some problems, it may cause itching on the palate. This generally reflects the health of the body and may indicate some diseases. What causes itchy palate? Let’s analyze it for people below.

Chronic pharyngitis

Causes

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

Such as anemia, indigestion, gastroesophageal reflux, heart disease (due to blood circulation disorders affecting the pharyngeal venous return causing local congestion in the pharynx), chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, rheumatism, liver and kidney diseases, etc., can also cause chronic pharyngitis. 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. [2]

Clinical manifestations

Chronic pharyngitis is more common in adults, but can also occur in children. Systemic symptoms are not obvious, and local symptoms are the main ones. The symptoms of various types of chronic pharyngitis are roughly similar and varied, such as discomfort in the throat, foreign body sensation, difficulty in coughing up pharyngeal secretions, itching, burning, dryness or irritation in the throat, and may also be slight pain. Since the posterior pharyngeal wall usually has thick secretions adhering to it due to chronic inflammation of the pharynx, and since lesions of the nose, sinuses, and nasopharynx cause mouth breathing at night, irritating coughs and nausea often occur in the morning. Frequent swallowing may occur due to the foreign body sensation in the throat. People with little pharyngeal secretions that are difficult to cough up often have habitual dry coughs and clearing the throat to expectorate. If you cough or clear your throat hard, it may cause bleeding of the pharyngeal mucosa, resulting in blood in the secretions.

1. Chronic simple pharyngitis

Examination revealed chronic congestion of the pharyngeal mucosa, varicose small blood vessels, dark red color, and a small amount of viscous secretions on the surface.

2. Chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis

Examination of the pharynx may reveal multiple granular follicular protrusions on the posterior pharyngeal wall, which appear chronically congested and sometimes fuse together. Cystic white spots may form on the tops of the lymphatic granules, and yellow-white exudate may be seen when they rupture. The lateral pharyngeal cord lymphoid tissue may thicken and become cord-like.

3. Chronic atrophic pharyngitis or chronic dry pharyngitis

There are dry crusts on the pharynx and bad breath. Examination showed that the pharyngeal mucosa was dry and thin, and in severe cases, it was scaly and shiny. It may be covered with purulent dry crusts, and if the lesions extend to the Eustachian tube, it may cause tinnitus and hearing loss. Spreading to the larynx, it can cause hoarseness.

4. Reflux pharyngitis

Pharyngeal examination is similar to that for chronic simple and hypertrophic pharyngitis. Laryngopharyngeal reflux may be accompanied by vocal cord nodules, vocal cord polyps, and hoarseness.

The above symptoms are often aggravated by excessive use of the voice, sudden changes in climate, or changes in ambient temperature and humidity, especially atrophic and dry pharyngitis.

treat

1. Remove the cause

Quit smoking and drinking, and actively treat the primary diseases that cause chronic pharyngitis (acute pharyngitis, chronic inflammation of the nose and nasopharynx, reflux gastroesophageal disease, and improve work and living environment).

2. Lifestyle changes

Perform appropriate physical exercise, maintain a normal work and rest schedule, eat a light diet, and maintain a good mental state to improve the local functional state of the pharyngeal mucosa by enhancing one's overall immune function.

3. Local treatment

(1) Chronic simple pharyngitis can be treated by gargling with compound borax, furazolidone solution, etc. to keep the mouth and pharynx clean; or taking iodine lozenges, mint lozenges, etc. to treat chronic pharyngitis; Chinese medicine preparations also have a certain effect on chronic pharyngitis; compound iodine glycerin, 5% silver nitrate solution or 10% weak protein silver solution can be applied to the pharynx topically, which has astringent and anti-inflammatory effects; ultrasonic nebulization can relieve the symptoms of chronic pharyngitis; antibiotic treatment is generally not required.

(2) Chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis is more difficult to treat and can be treated with reference to chronic simple pharyngitis. In addition to the above methods, the raised lymph follicles on the posterior pharyngeal wall can also be treated with chemical drugs or electrocoagulation, freezing or laser therapy. Chemical drugs often use 20% silver nitrate or chromic acid solution to burn enlarged lymph follicles. Electrocoagulation is rarely used nowadays due to its many side effects. Laser or radiofrequency therapy is often used to treat the posterior pharyngeal wall lymph follicles. The above methods of treating lymph follicles may increase mucosal scarring and may aggravate symptoms. In addition, ultrasonic atomization therapy, local ultraviolet irradiation and diathermy therapy also have auxiliary effects on hypertrophic pharyngitis.

(3) Atrophic and dry pharyngitis are generally treated the same as chronic simple pharyngitis, but cauterization should not be used. Small doses of iodine can be taken or applied topically to the throat to promote increased secretion of the mucosal epithelium; ultrasonic nebulization therapy can also relieve dryness symptoms. Taking vitamins A, B2, C, and E can promote the growth of pharyngeal mucosal epithelial tissue. For patients with dry pharyngitis, caution should be exercised when considering tonsillectomy to avoid worsening of the condition after surgery.

(4) For chronic allergic pharyngitis, avoid contact with various possible allergens, use antihistamines or mast cell stabilizers, and apply glucocorticoids and immunomodulators locally or systemically for a short period of time.

(5) For chronic reflux pharyngitis, avoid eating foods that promote gastric acid secretion, such as chocolate, spicy foods, etc. to reduce reflux in the throat and reduce irritation to the pharyngeal mucosa; control the amount of food and water intake 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. In addition to the general treatment of chronic pharyngitis, gastric acid inhibitors and gastric mucosal protectants can be used in combination for treatment, while gastric diseases can be actively treated at the same time. [3]

prevention

1. Avoid recurrent attacks of acute pharyngitis.

2. Engage in appropriate physical exercise, maintain a healthy and regular schedule, eat a light diet, keep your mouth clean, avoid the stimulation of tobacco and alcohol, and maintain a good attitude to improve your overall immunity.

3. Avoid contact with dust, harmful gases, irritating foods, poor air quality and other stimuli that are harmful to the pharyngeal mucosa.

4. Actively treat local related diseases that may cause chronic pharyngitis: such as chronic inflammation of the nasal cavity, sinuses, and nasopharynx; obstructive diseases such as chronic rhinitis, deviated nasal septum, chronic sinusitis, adenoids hypertrophy, snoring, etc.; chronic tonsillitis; oral inflammation; gastroesophageal reflux.

5. Actively treat systemic diseases that may cause chronic pharyngitis: such as anemia, indigestion, gastroesophageal reflux, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, rheumatism, liver and kidney diseases, etc.

6. Avoid long-term excessive use of voice.

7. Try to avoid contact with allergens that cause chronic allergic pharyngitis.