How to quickly reduce throat edema

The harm of throat edema is relatively large. If it is serious, it will often cause the patient to experience shortness of breath. If the breathing difficulty is relatively mild, it may cause hoarseness of speech and cause edema in the oropharynx and other symptoms. At this time, it is necessary to seek treatment in time and understand the primary cause. If it is caused by allergies, anti-allergic treatment should be carried out. In daily life, emphasis should be placed on nutrition and drink more water.

Acute treatment of throat edema

Once acute laryngeal edema occurs, it can rapidly worsen and cause fatal airway obstruction.

Most patients with angioedema present with some degree of lip and facial swelling. If accompanied by hoarseness, swelling of the tongue and oropharynx, this often indicates that laryngeal edema is very likely to occur. For such patients, endotracheal intubation should be considered as early as possible, and intubation should be performed in a conscious sedation state without the use of muscle relaxants.

If intubation is delayed, the patient's condition often deteriorates within 0.5-3 hours, with progressive stridor, dysphonia, laryngeal edema, huge tongue swelling, facial and neck swelling, and hypoxemia. In this case, endotracheal intubation and cricothyroid membrane puncture are already very difficult. Attempting to perform endotracheal intubation will further aggravate laryngeal edema and easily cause bleeding in the throat. The patient became extremely agitated due to lack of oxygen and refused to cooperate with oxygen therapy.

Home Treatments for a Swelling Throat

1. Don’t talk

No matter what causes your laryngeal edema, the most important thing is to let your vocal cords rest for a while, and even whispering should be avoided.

2. Use a cold air humidifier

The mucous membrane covering the vocal cords needs to be kept moist. If the mucous membrane is dry, its stickiness will increase, making it an excellent adsorbent for allergens (or irritants). Using an air humidifier can help solve the problem.

3. Drink plenty of water

Experts recommend drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day, or juice and lemon tea. It is best to drink warm water; cold water will only make the problem worse.

4. Breathe through your nose

Breathing through your nose is a natural way to keep your throat moist.

5. Quit smoking

Smoking is the main cause of dry throat. So when you have laryngitis, you should quit smoking.

6. Choose the right lozenges

Avoid mint lozenges; opt for honey or fruit flavored lozenges instead.

7. Certain drugs should be avoided

Certain medicines may dry out your throat. These may include blood pressure lowering medications, thyroid medications, and antihistamines. If you are unsure, ask your doctor.