What are the symptoms of nasopharyngitis?

Nasopharyngeal inflammation actually has a certain incubation period. Most patients will experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, or general discomfort. Some will also show problems such as conjunctival congestion, tearing, and photophobia. It is necessary to pay attention to treatment and prevention in life.

1. The incubation period ranges from 1 to 3 days, depending on the virus. Enterovirus has the shortest incubation period, while adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus have longer incubation periods. Onset is sudden. Most patients experience a burning sensation in the nose and throat first, followed by nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, general malaise and muscle aches. Symptoms peak within 48 hours (virus uncoating). Acute nasopharyngitis usually does not cause fever or only has a low fever, especially when it is caused by rhinovirus or coronavirus infection. There may be conjunctival congestion, tearing, photophobia, swollen eyelids, and edema of the throat mucosa. Whether or not pharyngitis and tracheitis occur varies from person to person and from virus to virus. Nasal discharge initially appears as a large amount of clear watery mucus, which later becomes mucous or purulent. Mucopurulent discharge does not necessarily indicate secondary bacterial infection. The cough is usually mild and may last up to 2 weeks. Purulent sputum or severe lower respiratory tract symptoms suggest viral comorbidity other than rhinovirus or secondary bacterial infection. When children have a cold, their symptoms are often more severe than those of adults, and they often have lower respiratory tract symptoms and gastrointestinal tract symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, etc.). Colds are mostly self-limited and, if there are no complications, last 4 to 10 days.

2. Infants and young children have an acute onset of illness and often have symptoms of high fever, convulsions, meningeal irritation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration and other systemic poisoning symptoms, and are often misdiagnosed as acute infectious diseases. Therefore, if infants and young children have the above-mentioned systemic symptoms, along with nasal congestion, runny nose, and fever, the possibility of this disease should be considered. Upper cervical lymphadenopathy and tenderness aid in diagnosis.

3. Symptoms of chronic nasopharyngitis

1. The nasopharynx is dry and uncomfortable, and there is a sticky secretion that is difficult to cough out, so the patient coughs frequently and is often accompanied by nausea.

2. In severe cases, there are systemic or local symptoms such as hoarseness, sore throat, headache, dizziness, fatigue, indigestion, and low fever.

3. Examination of the nasopharynx revealed chronic congestion, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the mucosa, covered with secretions or dry crusts.