Introduction
Particularly in the winter time hardly anybody is spared: Sore throat surely everyone had already once in its life. Thereby a painful inflammation in the throat and pharynx occurs, which is partly accompanied by swallowing difficulties and hoarseness. Sore throat can occur alone or with other complaints, depending on the cause.
Causes of sore throat when swallowing
Sore throat when swallowing is a symptom of a variety of diseases. Especially in winter, they occur with flu-like infections, the pathogens are the typical cold viruses. Infection with influenza viruses is less common and is found mainly in risk groups, such as the elderly or medical staff.
In addition, there are other viruses that can trigger a clinical picture with sore throat, such as the paramyxoviruses in the so-called pseudocroup or the Epstein-Barr virus in “Pfeiffer’s glandular fever“, mononucleosis. Another type of sore throat is the so-called angina tonsillaris, also known as tonsillitis. It is also characterized by sore throat with massive difficulty in swallowing.
In this case, the pathogens are bacteria, so-called streptococci. A more severe form is the lateral gangina. Another complication can be an inflammation of the middle ear.
The so-called “teething troubles”, against which vaccinations can be administered nowadays, can also be the cause of sore throats: these include measles, mumps, scarlet fever and diphtheria. These diseases can also occur in unvaccinated adults and often have a more serious course. Allergies such as the pollen allergy can also cause scratching and pain in the throat of those affected.
In addition, heavy smoking and excessive alcohol consumption dry out the throat and can lead to sore throats. An itching or burning sensation in the throat can also be due to an allergy if no other symptoms can be detected. Furthermore, an allergic reaction is an obvious trigger for sore throats if they always occur in certain seasons (hay fever season) or in certain situations (e.g. contact with dogs).
At the very least, an allergy also causes rhinitis, watery eyes and a general feeling of illness. In an allergy sufferer, the immune system is activated when certain substances come into contact with him or her, causing a reaction that causes the mucous membranes to swell. The swollen mucous membranes in the throat lead to problems when swallowing and to pain.
A sore throat when swallowing can also be caused by tonsillitis (angina). The tonsils belong to the special defense tissue (lymphatic pharyngeal ring), in which pathogens like to collect and multiply. The tonsils react to this and can become inflamed.
They swell, become thick and hurt. Swallowing hard food (bread crusts) and large portions is particularly painful, as the food can rub against the tonsils. When the tonsillitis heals, the pain and problems with swallowing also disappear.
