Introduction
A swelling of the palate can have different causes. The swelling is first noticed by the affected person by the fact that he or she feels an unaccustomed sensation in the area of the otherwise very sensitive palate. A furry feeling is also often described. In the case of palatal swelling, the palate also increases in circumference, i.e. it becomes thicker and can be dented in the places where it is swollen.
Causes
There are several causes of swelling of the palate. Many are harmless and disappear quickly, but others can be the beginning of a life-threatening disease. A very common cause of palate swelling is burning from hot food.
Everyone has probably eaten or drunk something too hot at some time and then felt an unpleasant sensation on the palate. This is due to the fact that the receptors of the nerve endings have been overly irritated and desensitized (made insensitive to irritation) for a time. In addition to this sensory disturbance, the palate also swells slightly in the area of this burn.
In most cases, the symptoms recede within a few hours and do not pose a major risk. Far more dangerous is the allergic reaction, which can also lead to a swelling of the palate. Allergies can occur after ingestion of all kinds of food or even medication.
Usually the affected persons know nothing about these allergies. Within a few minutes after ingestion of a certain food or medication (e.g. antibiotics or painkillers), swelling can occur in various areas of the throat, often the tongue, lips or even the palate. These reactions of the body are called immediate reactions and are also known as anaphylactic reactions.
They require quick action because the untreated swelling of the palate can lead to a dangerous obstruction of the airways. Also in the context of tonsillitis, inflammation of the oral mucosa or even scarlet fever, the inflammatory reaction can cause swelling of the palate. A cold causes swelling of the mucous membranes in the area of the nose and possibly also of the paranasal sinuses.
The so-called sinus maxillaris (maxillary sinus) is located on both sides of the nose and can also swell in the case of a severe cold. Rather rarely the swelling can reach so far that the palate also increases in size. In most cases, it is then a very severe cold with accompanying purulent sinusitis.
The affected persons often do not notice the swelling of the palate in summary of all complaints. The fact that the palate swells up so strongly due to a cold that breathing, swallowing or even speech problems arise does not happen as a rule. If this is the case, however, you should first try to cool the palate (e.g. with ice cream and cold water).
In addition, decongestant nose drops should be used to quickly reduce the swelling of the mucous membranes. In addition, even if no allergy exists, an anti-inflammatory painkiller can be taken, which can also lead to a decongestation of the palate. For larger operations, patients are usually intubated, i.e. a tube is inserted into the trachea during the operation to provide respiration.
In general, this routine procedure can be performed without any problems. However, it is always possible that the irritation with the tube causes palatal swelling during the operation. This usually goes unnoticed, as the airways are kept open by the tube.
Patients usually become aware of this swelling after waking up, which is described as very unfamiliar and unpleasant. Sometimes it also happens that a swelling of the palate does not appear until a few days after the surgery. Gum inflammation (gingivitis) is often the cause of swelling and pain in the palate.
If the gums are injured or the root of the tooth is inflamed, bacteria get into the gums and cause massive discomfort. In the immediate vicinity of the palate lie the tonsils (tonsils), which are part of the body’s own defense system. Here, immune cells come into contact with the pathogens, migrate to the site of infection and cause an inflammation whose typical symptom is a swelling of the surrounding tissue – including the palate.An allergic reaction or food intolerance often leads to symptoms in the head area.
These include watery eyes, a runny nose and swelling of the mucous membrane in the palate. The swelling is often associated with itching pain, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems. Frequent triggers are pollen, dust mites, animal hair or foods containing histamine (e.g. tomatoes, seafood or cheese).
Typically, the first symptoms appear just a few minutes after contact with the allergen (the allergenic substance). The cause is a hypersensitivity reaction in which the immune system classifies the actually harmless allergen as dangerous and initiates an inflammatory reaction. The inflammation causes itching and severe swelling of the mucous membranes. If an allergy or food intolerance is suspected, a doctor should be consulted who will perform an allergy test and thus confirm the diagnosis.
