Purulent plugs in the throat are a sign of untreated acute tonsillitis or chronic tonsillitis. If there is no treatment, then exacerbation of inflammation of the throat occurs three times a year and can cause the development of severe complications.
Chronic tonsillitis, which causes plugs of pus to appear in the throat, occurs in 7% of adults and 15% of children. Traffic jams are not always present during illness, but appear periodically at the moment when factors provoking deterioration of the condition occur. The size of such formations can be from 1 mm to 1 cm. The record weight of the plug is 40 g. It is the appearance of purulent plugs that explains why there are white lumps in the throat.
Such accumulations of pus can form only in the palatine tonsils, as this is due to the peculiarities of their structure. They have special channels, at the exit of which a traffic jam appears. If the tonsils are removed, then the formation of purulent plugs in the throat becomes impossible and the problem is solved once and for all. It is quite possible to cure the disease without surgery with proper therapy. Delaying time to see a doctor significantly increases the likelihood that tonsil removal surgery will be required.
About congestion in the throat
Every person has experienced pain, discomfort and a feeling of congestion in the throat many times in their lives.
This is due to the fact that a common cold, which is accompanied by swelling of the pharyngeal mucosa, irritates the nerve endings, creating pain and soreness in the throat. In many cases, an acute process, provided that immunity is not reduced, can be well treated at home in such a way as: gargling, drinking plenty of fluids. And yet, treating an inflammatory disease of the pharynx on your own at home is wrong, and therefore, against the background of such a disease, a chronic disease of the pharynx can develop: pharyngitis, chronic tonsillitis, and even chronic laryngitis. In certain cases, symptoms may appear: anxiety, a lump in the throat and bad breath.
Video treatment of chronic tonsillitis without surgery, 12:47 min.
When you have a sore throat, it is very common to look at your mouth in a mirror. Upon examination, you can see purulent plugs in the throat, white-yellow lumps of a cheesy nature with a rather unpleasant odor, emerging from the mucous membrane of the side walls of the pharynx. Such formations are called caseous plugs, which emerge from the lacunae of the palatine tonsils.
If you suddenly notice plugs in your throat of this nature, then you most likely have chronic tonsillitis. This disease is caused by inflammation in the palatine tonsils. The palatine tonsils are the same tonsils, a collection of lymphoid tissue that is limited from the lateral walls of the pharynx by a capsule. A special feature of the palatine tonsils is their anatomical structure.
How to avoid tonsil stones?
Proper oral hygiene is important when treating tonsil stones. This will help prevent their development because it can reduce the amount of bacteria and food debris in your mouth. Steps to maintain good oral hygiene include:
- using toothpaste containing fluoride
- Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing every day
- drinking fluoridated water
- visit the dentist at least once a year
- limit or avoid alcohol and tobacco use
- replacing your toothbrush or electric toothbrush head every 3 months
- drinking a lot of water
- limiting consumption of foods with added sugar
- Chewing sugar-free gum helps stimulate the flow of saliva in the mouth, especially in people with dry mouth
Why shouldn't you remove throat plugs yourself?
If chronic tonsillitis has reached the stage of formation of plugs in the throat, then you will not be able to get rid of them on your own, without resorting to the help of a doctor. Quite often, the majority of those who encounter blockages in the throat, given the pain and bad breath, resort to removal on their own. This is achieved by pressing on the tonsil with your fingers, picking out plugs from the lacunae with a spoon or match. This method is categorically inappropriate, since the superficial part of the plug is removed, and not the depth of the tonsil.
Congestion in the throat is the result of pathomorphological processes that occur in the palatine tonsils as a result of chronic inflammation. Also, along with plugs in the throat, liquid fractions of pus may be present. Therefore, in order to get rid of congestion in the throat, it is necessary to influence all important components of the pathogenesis of chronic tonsillitis .
Independent methods of removing plugs in the throat will only aggravate the course of the disease (traumatization of tonsil tissue), which will further activate the scarring process in the area of the lacunae, which ultimately complicates the process of evacuation of purulent plugs. Neither all kinds of rinsing, nor other methods of self-medication will help properly, which, on the contrary, can ultimately lead to decompensation of chronic tonsillitis and the creation of plugs in the throat.
Help yourself?
The biggest mistake most patients make is overconfidence that caseous plugs can be removed at home using improvised means. They use a whole arsenal of objects that are absolutely not intended for this: spoons, forks, toothpicks... At best, such amateur activities simply will not bring results, at worst, they will cause injury to the surface of the tonsils and provoke severe bleeding, swelling and inflammation! This will most likely be followed by a sore throat! Plus, if you press incorrectly with a hard object on the accumulation of pus, you can push it even further into the thickness of the tonsil.
Some people try to gargle, believing that gargling will bring relief. Yes, the feeling of discomfort in the throat temporarily passes, but the accumulations of pustules do not disappear, because the rinsing solution comes into contact only with the surface of the tonsils, and getting inside it is extremely problematic, or rather, impossible. Therefore, this method is also not effective.
The best method to get rid of traffic jams is to consult an otolaryngologist!
Causes of purulent plugs in the throat
Unpleasant sensations and pain in the throat accompany any person throughout the illness. The symptoms and consequences of a disease such as a congestion in the throat may be different for everyone, and are determined only by a medical specialist. Diagnostics involves a blood test, smear and other medical procedures that allow you to correctly establish a diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Redness and sore throat can be eliminated at home, but purulent plugs in the throat of various etiologies certainly require special treatment and attention.
The cause of purulent plugs in the throat can be different. But the result of any cause may be inflammation of the tonsils. The tonsils are lymphoid tissue that protect the throat from various infections. A severe inflammatory process in the tonsils can be caused by various microbes, which is why a correct diagnosis can only be made by obtaining a smear of the larynx.
Sore throat can be caused by microbes such as streptococcus, pneumococcus, staphylococcus or adenoviruses, and diphtheria - by diphtheria microbes. Only timely treatment of purulent plugs in the throat will help avoid serious complications .
Are whitish lumps dangerous and why?
Whitish dots or lumps on the mucous membranes of the throat and tonsils indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. If you ignore such a serious problem, there is a high probability of intoxication of the entire body.
In the process of fighting the causative agent of the disease (virus, bacteria), the body’s immune-protective functions will weaken, which can lead to undesirable consequences:
- the occurrence of pain in muscles and joints, which sometimes develop into more serious conditions (rheumatism);
- disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system (arrhythmias and tachycardia);
- kidney damage;
- Allergic reactions may occur.
Hard lumps on the tonsils are formed due to an inflammatory process, the causative agent of which can spread throughout the body. Therefore, if formations are detected in the expectant mother, she should immediately contact a specialist - the disease can pose a serious danger to the fetus.
Purulent plugs in the throat in children and adults
In children of younger and older age categories, sore throat can often be observed with purulent plugs in the throat. Follicular and lacunar tonsillitis is marked by yellow and white purulent plugs; blisters with pus cover almost all the tonsils. The disease is accompanied by headaches, fever, general weakness, and loss of appetite. There are strong changes in the blood test, they are associated with a high content of leukocytes.
If there is suddenly a suspicion of diphtheria sore throat, the sick child should be hospitalized immediately. This disease is very dangerous with all sorts of complications in the future. Diphtheria is marked by purulent gray deposits, which cause great pain when removed. Suspicion of such a disease may arise already at the first examinations.
Parents often have questions about tonsil removal; such advice can only be given by the attending physician. Often, a child can simply “outgrow” tonsil disease, but if there is a serious risk of complications in the heart, joints and kidneys, then it is worth consulting with experienced specialists before making a decision.
Adult patients often turn to the doctor with the same questions about purulent plugs in the throat. A person constantly suffers from sore throat, pharyngitis, and purulent plugs in the throat are caused by the same diseases. Reduced immunity, poor environmental conditions, improper self-medication - all this causes chronic tonsillitis (chronic inflammation of the tonsils). With periodic exacerbations, chronic tonsillitis manifests itself as sore throat. The constant appearance of purulent plugs in the throat and bad breath bring anxiety and exhaust the patient.
An extremely dangerous complication is in the form of a peritonsillar abscess, which turns into phlegmon of the neck, which threatens the patient in case of negligence in the treatment of chronic tonsillitis. Diseases of the joints, heart and kidneys are very dangerous, as complications after previous diseases associated with the presence of purulent plugs in the throat.
Prevention
The occurrence of problems associated with food stuck in the tonsils can be prevented by following basic preventive measures aimed at cleansing the oral cavity. We are talking about the following recommendations:
- Don't forget to brush your teeth regularly every morning and evening. This will help remove any leftover food. It is also important to rinse your mouth with at least plain water after each meal.
- It is advisable to give up bad habits and strengthen your immune system. Thanks to this, you can avoid infectious diseases that lead to holes in the tonsils.
- It is necessary to protect yourself from hypothermia, so you should choose clothes according to the weather.
- It is necessary to promptly treat diseases of the oral cavity and respiratory tract in order to prevent the development of complications.
At the first signs of pathology, you should seek medical help. This is especially true if discomfort in the throat is accompanied by painful symptoms.
Otolaryngologist, graduated from St. Petersburg State Medical University named after. Pavlova, residency at St. Petersburg Scientific Research Institute of Lorology, specialty "Otolaryngology". Area of scientific interests: glomus tumor, chemodectoma, paraganglioma of the lateral base of the skull. He has published publications on ear pathology in leading domestic journals in his specialty. Tel..
Yes, nonsense, it’s a shame, it’s not a shame :-) It won’t work out and it’s great, quietly rejoice to yourself. But you just need to talk to the doctor, only a specialist will understand what stage you are in. Maybe you won’t need rinsing, maybe preventative measures will do. After all, autumn is coming, it’s so real, and sore throats and exacerbation of tonsillitis will begin again. Do you need it? It’s better to warn. Don’t get sick, author
