Symptoms

Red spots on the palate are rarely the only symptom a patient has. Usually other symptoms such as fever, sore throat or a reddened tongue are added. These additional symptoms are very important in order to be able to make a differential diagnosis and thus receive targeted therapy.

If a patient has sore throat and fever in addition to the red spots on the palate, this is usually due to an infection. A look into the mouth and at the tonsils usually shows that there are white spots on the tonsils, additionally the tongue is usually whitish or yellowish. The sore throat usually begins with a slight scratching in the throat.

In addition to the sore throat and the red spots on the palate, swallowing difficulties are then often added, which are caused by the fact that the tonsils (tonsils) swell up and thus narrow the path to the esophagus. Whether it is just a simple tonsillitis or scarlet fever is usually difficult for the layman to judge. In the classic picture, scarlet fever is accompanied by red spots on the palate, pain in the throat, fever and a red tongue (so-called raspberry tongue) as well as spots on the skin.

However, there are also milder forms of scarlet fever, where the patient does not have a fever or a red colored tongue. In fact, there is only mild sore throat and in some cases no pain at all. Always present in a scarlet fever infection are the slightly purulent tonsils or, if the tonsils are removed, a swollen and inflamed throat.

If there are only red spots on the palate without fever, sore throat or purulent tonsils, the cause can also be an intolerance. Typical here is that there is no pain, but rather symptoms such as slight nausea, increased air in the abdomen (flatus), vomiting or in rare cases slight shortness of breath (dyspnoea). The symptoms usually appear quite quickly after the patient has ingested the food that he or she cannot tolerate.

If a patient has a pronounced gluten intolerance, loud intestinal noises, often associated with stomach cramps or nausea, usually occur only a few hours after the patient has eaten something. In addition, a watery stool may be noticeable (diarrhea). The red spots on the palate develop only after some time and are therefore usually noticeable in cases of slight intolerance when the other symptoms are not so severe.

If reddish spots on the palate occur in conjunction with fever, an infection is usually a possible cause. Usually the fever occurs first and is then accompanied by reddish skin spots on the palate.The fever can become up to 39 or 40 degrees high. It is usually accompanied by a strong feeling of illness, as well as headache and aching limbs.

The main triggers of these infections are bacteria, but a considerable number of infections are also caused by viruses. In most cases, the pathogen is not found. The main reason for this is that the search for certain triggering viruses and bacteria would be too expensive and would also have no treatment-relevant consequences for the patient.

In case of a bacterial infection, one could use an antibiotic if necessary. Red spots on the palate and uvula often occur in combination. For example, the palate and uvula can become red or swell up after eating food that is too hot or heavily seasoned.

However, this reaction usually disappears again after one or two days. If the red spots on the palate and uvula are accompanied by sore throat, fever, sniffles, difficulty swallowing and/or headaches, it can be a bacterial or viral infection. If the uvula is also infected, this usually becomes clear when speaking: the uvula is inflamed, for example, when pronouncing “Ch” sounds or the “R” causes difficulties or pain.

Red spots on the palate and tongue can also be attributed to an infection by viruses, bacteria or, rarely, fungi. These infections are often accompanied by symptoms such as sore throat, headache, aching limbs or fever. Often the tongue can be covered with red spots.

This coating on the tongue is usually dry and can be whitish-grey or yellow in color. Another possibility for red spots on the palate and tongue can be aphtae – small, roundish inflammations in the mouth. However, this type of red spots has a whitish yellow center.

Aphthae can affect anyone and occur mainly in cases of immune deficiency or stress. Although the red spots caused by aphthae are mainly located on the cheek mucous membrane, inside of the lips or tongue, they can also occur on the palate. Aphthae are not only visibly noticeable.

They also cause pain to those affected, especially when touched, for example while eating or brushing their teeth. If red spots appear on the palate in combination with sore throat, it is usually a bacterial or flu-like infection. Since viruses and bacteria usually enter via the mouth and throat, inflammation often occurs in this area, which is noticeable as red spots – also on the palate.

In addition, the throat can become inflamed. In addition, there is usually a swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck and jaw area. These lymph nodes can also be painful.

Infections of the palate and neck are generally accompanied by other symptoms such as headaches and aching limbs. Usually one or two days later, a cold and/or cough are added. If it is a severe bacterial inflammation, antibiotic treatment should be given.

If red spots appear on the palate that are painless, it may be a viral or bacterial infection. Scarlet fever caused by streptococci can also cause a rash in the area of the cheek and palate mucosa. This is usually not painful either.

Local skin irritations can also lead to painless red spots. Mostly these skin irritations are caused by certain intolerances to food or certain additives of mouthwashes and toothpastes. The palate may feel a little swollen and a slight itching may be felt.

Here, affected persons should try to avoid the food that causes the red spots. If red spots on the palate, which are painless, appear for more than two weeks without any other cause, a doctor should be consulted in any case. These may be initial changes in the mucous membranes, such as those found in the early stages of oral cavity cancer.