A Quick Look At Throat Ulcers

It was an intramural of activity you had yesterday with a crowd of people all the time; and it was fun. Now you wake up with a niggling feeling in your throat and you take no notice of it until you get back home, and it is now really bothering you.

You brush it off as sore throat that nothing a pack of lozenges cannot handle. You cannot be more mistaken in presuming it is so when it may even be more than that. Looking at the bright side of things, it may only be bacterial or viral from yesterday’s event.

Throat Ulcers at a glance

This ulcer may not only be anywhere within the oral cavity but also at the surface linings of the esophagus. As such, throat ulcers may not be visible from the mouth and a professional examination would be required. Knowing the cause of the ulcer will ascertain the treatment needed.

Before you head on for a doctor and if you find yourself hard in swallowing food, check for these symptoms:

• fever;
• patches of red or white in your throat;
• mouth sores;
• pain;
• a swelling in your neck;
• hampered jaw movement;
• bad breath;
• pain in the chest.

Treatment

Throat ulcers may occur at your vocal cords or anywhere down your esophagus. Location and determination of the cause is important for a healthcare professional to arrive at a fitting treatment regimen.

Wherever the ulcer may be and whatever the cause was, any of the following treatment may be prescribed by the doctor.

Vocal cord ulcers treatment

• desistance from speaking;
• vocal therapy;
• gastroesophageal reflux treatment (stomach acid flows back up to you esophagus that cause lacerations on your throat);
• pain reliever;
• surgery as last resort.

Esophageal ulcers treatment

• antacids;
• antibiotics or antiviral medications for infection;
• proton pump inhibitor;
• pain reliever such as acetaminophen.

Pointers at home

Before and after consulting a medical professional, it is only prudent to observe means to stave off aggravation of the effects of throat ulcers that may take a week at least to taper and vanish. Your cravings for food and consequently your diet may suffer but it is for a good cause.

• Spicy food and snacks must be avoided;
• Cold or iced drinks to soothe the pain;
• Certain medicines must also be avoided to avert acid reflux;
• Gargle with warm brine solution;
• Take in more water than usual;
• Alcohol can exacerbate the open sore;
• Smoking dries your throat and enlarges the sore.

Throat ulcers may also be caused by chemotherapy treatment and radiation therapy that may disappear when treatment is completed.

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

http://www.hkentspecialist.hk