What Causes Persistent Sore Throat? (Chronic Pharyngitis)
In this article:
The question you just asked was the same question I asked myself a few weeks ago. If you follow me closely, I’ll share my story and my neighbor’s story with you and how I tackled it.
Why am I having sore throat for over two weeks now? (Me)
Oh sorry! Am also having sore throat and it has lasted more than two weeks. (My Neighbor)
Really! Have you taking medications? (Me)
Yes. I’ve been taking vitamin C but the sore throat persisted and seems to get worse on daily basis. It’s really making me uncomfortable I can’t swallow anything easily. I don’t know if I have got infected. (My Neighbor)
My dear, I really need to find out the exact cause of persistent sore throat it’s really hurting me. (Me)
If you’re scrolling on this page right now I know you can relate with the above conversation of me and my neighbor.
This has prompted me to research different causes of persistent sore throats in people, and I’m writing this blog post based on my findings and established series of scientific studies on it. So worry no more; after reading this post, your sore throat will be gone.
Let’s dive in.
Feel free to skim through buddy!
What’s persistent sore throat?
Persistent Sore Throat is a sore throat that lasts up to 10 days or more, or keeps coming back after you feel a little relief. Medically it’s called Chronic pharyngitis. It makes your throat become red and swollen (inflamed).
You will feel sharp pain, burning sensation, and sometimes a taste of bloody saliva when you swallow. In some people, it seems worse when you just wake up from bed in the early morning.
What are the Causes of Persistent Sore Throat-(Chronic Pharyngitis)?
From my findings, persistent sore throat can be caused by a number of things:
- Consistent fasting: Yes! frequent fasting can trigger a persistent sore throat, especially skipping the morning meal. Are you surprised?
This may not be true for everyone because our body system and immune function differs. However, this may cause 60% of persistent sore throats in people.
This was true for me. I start fasting 6 to 8 hours every day for two weeks, frequently skipping the morning meal. Some of those days I ate only once a day.
Believing me, it didn’t take more than one week I to develop a sore throat. It worsens as the day comes by, and early in the morning, once I woke up from bed, it looks like there are too many wounds on the wall of my esophagus. I started licking vitamin C after meal, while I continue fasting.
The sore throat persisted, I can’t easily yawn, swallow saliva, water, food, or even brush my tongue, especially the down part of my tongue. The pains were too hurt for me; I began to check myself.
I ask certain questions like, have I gotten an infection? But I’m not having any other symptoms except a painful sore throat? Is my body reacting to something? But I haven’t eaten any new food. These questions and more I asked myself. Because I was sure of my health status, I was confident nothing serious was wrong with me. But why the painful sore throat?
While I continue my daily fasting, the sore throat hurts me more. At a point I said to myself, wait a minute! Could it be the long fasting I’ve been doing? Maybe.
I will break this fast tomorrow, and start eating enough food for one week, let me see if I will have relief. Guess what! After four days of consistent feeding three times a day, I started getting relief, and four days more I fully recovered.
Sore throat disappeared. And, do you know my case was the same as my neighbor’s? So she applied the same therapy and got relief as well.
Other factors that can contribute to persistent sore throat include:
2. Your Menstrual cycle: When your menses is preparing to come, sometimes it will trigger sore throat, but the sore throat will disappear once your menses begin to flow.
3. Infections like Tonsillitis, Gonorrhea, and Mononucleosis
Tonsillitis
If you’re experiencing a prolonged sore throat and are unable to find relief, it’s possible you may have an infection like tonsillitis. Most often, tonsillitis is diagnosed in children, but people can get it at any age. Tonsillitis can be caused by bacterial infections or viruses.
Tonsillitis can recur (reappearing multiple times per year) and may require treatment with antibiotics.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhea.
You might think of an STI as something that only affects your genitals, but a gonorrhea infection in the throat can occur from unprotected oral sex.
When gonorrhea affects the throat, it typically only results in a red and persistently sore throat.
Mononucleosis
This is another cause of sore throat. Some people c all it mono. Mono is the result of an infection by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Although mono can last up to 6 months in most cases, it’s mild and can be resolved with minimal treatment. It’s possible a person with mono might experience a persistent sore throat for the duration of the active infection.
4. Mouth breathing
If you’re a type that open your mouth while sleeping, expect sore throat sometimes. This is because breathing through your mouth regularly, particularly when you’re asleep, can lead to an inflamed and sore throat.
You’ll likely experience it first thing in the morning when you woke up. The soreness is typically relieved once you take a water.
Most of the time, mouth breathing is due to some kind of nasal obstruction that prevents you from breathing properly through your nose. This can include nasal congestion, sleep apnea, and catarrh.
5. Allergies: When you have an allergy, your immune system is hyper-reactive to certain substances that are usually harmless. These substances are called allergens.
Common allergens include foods, certain plants, pet dander, dust, and pollen. You’re particularly susceptible to a persistent sore throat if you have allergies associated with things you breathe in, such as pollen, dust, and mold.
The most frequent symptoms associated with these types of airborne allergies include:
- Catarrh
- Cold and cough
- Frequent sneezing
- itchy eyes and watery eyes
Note: The postnasal drip from a runny nose and inflamed sinuses is the most likely cause of a sore throat due to allergies.
When you have postnasal drip, excess mucus drains from your sinuses into the back of your throat. This can lead to a persistent raw, sore, or scratchy throat. Postnasal drip can be triggered by factors such as weather changes, spicy foods, and allergies.
I hope you are getting value.
6. Environmental pollution: Collection of airborne pollutants such as smog from industries in the big cities may trigger persistent sore throat in some people, especially on hot days,
7. Smoking: Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke can cause a scratchy or sore throat in some people.
Exposure to smoke or secondhand smoke may cause respiratory conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.
In some cases, exposure to toxins in cigarette smoke can lead to a sore throat in some people. Smoking is also a risk factor for throat cancer and may result in throat pain as well in some persons.
How to cure sore throat or relieve your pain at home.
What will you do if you feel persistent sore throat while fasting?
Yes, you can treat sore throat at home. First detect the root cause of your sore throat, then apply some measures that I mention below if your case relates mine:
- Reduce the hours you fast, or break the fast, and eat normally until you regain your health, then you can start all over again.
- Drink enough water if isn’t dry fasting you’re doing. Or Drink plenty of water throughout your eating window to keep your throat moist.
- Monitor your eating habits. Pay attention to what you eat when breaking your fast, avoiding eating too much acidic or spicy foods that might irritate your throat. Avoid carbonated drinks and alcohol while breaking your fast.
Remember that frequent fasting can irritate your throat lining and make it more susceptible to irritation from environmental factors.
Other measure includes:
- Suck on a lozenge or piece of hard candy
- Eat popsicles or chipped ice
- Run a humidifier if the air in your house is dry
- Irrigate your nasal passages with a net pot or bulb syringe.
- Give yourself a steam treatment (breathing steam from a bowl of hot water or in the shower)
- Sip warm broth or tea
- Add honey and lemon to warm tea or water
- Sip juice with a small amount of diluted apple cider vinegar
- Take a pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Alleve)
- Gargle with salt water
- Limit exposure or remove allergens from your environment
- Take over-the-counter allergy or cold medication
- Consider stopping smoking, if you do smoke.
Should I see a doctor for persistent sore throat?
If You apply all these measures I mentioned in this article and the sore throat persisted, you should speak with a doctor.
Visit hospital for treatment immediately if you experience:
- Too much pain that impairs eating, talking, or sleeping
- High fever over 101˚F (38˚C)
- Severe pain on one side of your throat, along with swollen glands
- Trouble turning your neck (sometime it may be laydown position was not proper)
If your sore throat is due to acid reflux, a doctor might prescribe antacid medication to relieve your symptoms.
A doctor may prescribe a prescription allergy medication, allergy shots, or nasal spray if seasonal allergies are causing your sore throat.
For tonsillitis, a doctor will typically prescribe a course of antibiotics if a bacterial infection is involved.
A doctor might prescribe steroid medication to relieve the swelling and pain of an EBV infection if you have mono.
Can too much fasting cause painful sore throat?
Here’s how frequently fasting can trigger persistent sore throat:
- Dry throat: When fasting, your body produces less saliva, leading to a dry throat which can feel sore or inflamed
- Acid reflux: prolong fasting can sometimes trigger acid reflux in the stomach.
During long fasting, your stomach acid will travel up to the esophagus and irritates your throat, causing a sore feeling, swollen or inflammation.
- Immune system fluctuations: Although some scientific studies suggest that fasting can temporarily boost the immune system, prolonged fasting might also weaken it, making you more prone to infections that could manifest as a sore throat.
Conclusion
Persistent Sore Throat is a sore throat that lasts up 10 days or more, or keeps coming back after you feel a little relief. Medically it’s called Chronic pharyngitis. It makes your throat becomes red and swollen (inflamed).
Most of the time, persistent sore throat can go away on its own within a few days to a week, depending on its cause and treatment.
Persistent sore throat has different causes.
The best way to heal you sore throat is to detect the root causes of it, then if yours can relate with my own case then I can assure that if you apply my therapy for persistent sore, you get relief within couple of days.
Throat infection symptoms may persist for up to 7 days, even with treatment, if you keep indulging on the causes. People with mono might experience a sore throat for up to 2 months.
If you require tonsillectomy surgery or surgery to treat an abscess, you should expect to experience some pain in your throat during the recovery period.
I hope you get the value worth your time, I appreciate the time you spend with me. Leave a comment below if you find this article helpful and don’t forget to drop your question, opinion, or criticism if any. Cheers!
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
The content provided in Living Good is for informational and educational purposes only. It’s not intended to provide medical advice or take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal doctor. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Living Good takes no responsibility for possible health consequences of any person(s) reading or following the information in this educational content. Viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medication, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.
