The difference between esophagitis and pharyngitis

Pharyngitis and esophagitis are both common diseases in our lives, and the clinical manifestations of these two diseases are very similar, so many patients with esophagitis follow the treatment methods of pharyngitis. This not only fails to cure the disease, but may also become more and more serious. Therefore, it is necessary to prescribe the right medicine for the right disease. So what is the difference between esophagitis and pharyngitis?

What is the difference between pharyngitis and esophagitis?

Modern medicine believes that the throat is an important immune organ of the human body, and many infectious and immune diseases are closely related to the throat. Pharyngitis is a common and frequently occurring disease in clinical practice. It can be divided into acute and chronic types and is part of upper respiratory tract infection. During an acute attack, patients often feel sore throat, accompanied by a dull ache, discomfort in the throat, weak pronunciation, dry throat, thirst, and a foreign body sensation in the throat, which falls into the category of "laryngeal paralysis" in traditional Chinese medicine. The causes of pharyngitis are complex, but can be mainly attributed to the following aspects: lifestyle habits, eating habits, environmental factors, etc. These three aspects are external factors, while internal factors include one's own health status, treatment of related diseases, etc.

Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus, which refers to inflammation caused by edema and congestion of the esophageal mucosa due to irritation or damage to the superficial or deep tissues of the esophageal mucosa. Chemical irritation includes stomach acid, bile, strong liquor, strong acid, strong alkali, drugs, etc.; physical irritation includes hot food, drinks, foreign bodies in the esophagus (fish bones, etc.), long-term placement of nasogastric tubes, etc. Esophagitis may also be caused by local damage to the esophagus due to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or by infection with tuberculosis, fungi (Candida) or viruses due to the patient's own decreased resistance. The most common clinical condition is reflux esophagitis caused by gastric acid reflux.

What should you pay attention to when you have pharyngitis?

Be careful not to take antibiotics on your own. Because chronic pharyngitis is not a bacterial infection, the misuse of antibiotics may lead to an imbalance of normal flora in the throat and cause secondary infection. When you feel your throat is uncomfortable, you can buy some honeysuckle, houttuynia cordata, and chrysanthemum and soak them in water to drink. These Chinese medicines have the effect of clearing away heat and detoxifying, and can clear the throat, benefit the lungs and reduce phlegm. If chronic pharyngitis has an acute attack and symptoms such as throat pain, itchy throat, cough, and increased secretions occur, see a doctor immediately.

For diseases like pharyngitis and esophagitis, which are relatively common and easily confused, we must be able to correctly distinguish and effectively treat them so as to maintain our healthy lives.