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Pharyngitis
Robert Sataloff, M.D., is Professor of otolaryngology, head and neck Surgery – Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; adjunct professor of otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery – University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. The authors state that pharyngitis accounts for some 15 million doctor visits a year in the US, is a complaint with a diverse differential diagnosis and can also be a symptom of serious underlying disease. They touch upon the role of sexually transmitted disease in pharyngitis, including syphilis and Neisseria Gonorrhea ... and rarer bacterial causes such as Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Rickettsia bumetii. The authors also stress the importance of distinguishing bacterial from viral infections such as acute viral laryngotracheitis (croup) because of the controversy surrounding antibiotic use. Granulomatous diseases such a sarcoidosis and Wegener's granulamatosis can also produce pharyngitis, as can such systemic disorders as Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Odontogenic infections such as Ludwig's Angina and Vincent's Angina or "trench mouth" can cause a variety of pharyngeal complaints, and the authors describe the recognition and treatment of these. The causes and symptoms of peritonsillar abscess and retropharyngeal abscess and their treatment are also covered. This lecture concludes with a discussion of cancer and pharyngitis, with throat pain being due either to local malignancy or to referred pain from other head and neck sites. Read More from Dr. Sataloff and the Journal of Voice. |
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