With the arrival of winter, cases of pharyngitis are becoming more frequent. Viral or bacterial infections can cause pharyngitis, the first being the most common. This is treated with decongestants, oral gargles, and fever-reducing medication, while bacterial pharyngitis is treated with antibiotics to avoid complications such as otitis, rhino-sinusitis and upper respiratory infections. This can be very uncomfortable and painful

To prevent this it is recommended to wash your hands, stay in well-ventilated rooms, have a balanced diet and avoid: sharing dishes, glasses, and cutlery; contact with sick people; abrupt temperature shifts; shouting over a long period of time; and breathing with the mouth open

The most common symptoms are general malaise, swollen tonsils, hoarseness, headache, difficulty eating, fever, and stuffy nose

Dr. Francisco Salaverry
Otorrinolaryngologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma