Throat Pain!!!

IS IT SINISTER?

Just like every other symptom throat pain could be a manifestation of a very small problem or be a part of the bigger problem. How to differentiate throat pain??

Do I have CANCER???

Am I dying???

Should I get investigated???

This is the most common query most of the people have when they have throat pain. Although throat pain is one of the many presenting complaints in patients of cancer it is not the only complaint.

In this article, I’ll try and cover a few aspects of throat pain since the whole topic is very vast everything could not be discussed here.

Most of the time throat pain is accompanied by cold, cough, fever, nasal discharge etc.it’s usually present at season change. It could be accompanied by an earache or ear discharge too. These symptoms usually have a very short history, for 2-5 days. They are most of the time due to Flu, Acute Pharyngitis, AcuteTonsillitis, etc.

FLU:

Season of Flu is coming now so try and get vaccinated. The vaccination is for one year and is for a few strains of flu only but still, it’s worth it. It is essential for children since they get in touch with other children in schools/ playschools crèche and acquire infections very frequently.

If symptoms are getting worse with medication then do get yourself investigated for swine flu.  Any symptom which lasts more than 1 week with medications requires immediate attention. Don’t be lazy and get yourself investigated. Denial doesn’t help get you better.

ACUTE PHARYNGITIS:

It’s a very common disease especially at the time of season change. it is caused by infection of the Pharyngeal wall. Though a very painful condition, It is easily treated by taking antibiotics if it’s not accompanied by any complications like Acute Laryngitis, Acute Bronchitis, etc.

ACUTE TONSILLITIS:

It is a disease most commonly diagnosed by everyone when they have throat pain. So I’ll discuss it in detail here. Tonsils are enlarged at times during infective episode but they are not always involved. So kindly do not associate every throat pain with tonsillitis, since it’s one out of the plethora of diseases present.

Tonsils are part of the reactive mechanism of the body which gets enlarged to counteract the attack. So as long as possible they should be conserved, but at times due to repetitive attacks tonsils starts harboring the pathogens and they become the cause of infection. In such cases, they should be removed to eradicate the infective source from the body.

After repetitive tonsillitis attack, only one should consider tonsillectomy (surgical removal of tonsils)

After mentioning the most common diseases of this season I’d like to make a flowchart to help you out in differentiating the symptoms. Though it’s a very simplified form and it has many gaps that have to be filled, this will give you a general idea before approaching your doctor.

Rest detailed information could be acquired after the definitive diagnosis is formed by your doctor.

Few sinister symptoms with chronic throat pain are:

• Change in Voice
• Difficulty in swallowing/ inability to eat
• Difficulty in breathing
• Earache
• Food sticking to the throat
• Neck swelling
• Weight loss/ loss of appetite

Consult your doctor when in doubt they’re there to help you out.

Internet increases your knowledge but the best judgment could only be made after relevant examinations and investigations only.

So no matter how detailed explanation of diseases the Internet provides you it still doesn’t replace doctor’s check-ups.

Feel free to ask anything, queries would be answered to the best of my knowledge.

Be Healthy.

Disclaimer: This article is for reference purposes only, under no circumstances it should be used as a replacement of medical opinion by Professionals. Any decision regarding health and health care should be taken after professional advice only. Health care advice and information shared by the author are best to her knowledge. We disclaim all responsibilities for any inadvertent omission/ commission by the author or the website.