Sore throat in the Adam's apple area, painful to swallow - treatment and causes

The Adam's apple is a part of the thyroid cartilage protruding above the surface of the neck, the largest of the cartilaginous apparatus of the larynx. It consists of two plates, connected at an angle of 90 degrees for men and 110 degrees for women. Hence the difference in appearance.

The vocal cords and trachea are hidden behind the thyroid cartilage. Behind the trachea is the esophagus, and behind it is the spine.

Below and on the sides of the Adam's apple is the thyroid gland. Based on this neighborhood, the reasons why the Adam’s apple hurts can be divided into groups:

• Thyroid diseases
• Diseases of the larynx
• Diseases of the esophagus
• Injuries and foreign bodies in the larynx and esophagus

Let's take a closer look at each group of diseases.

Thyroid diseases

The thyroid gland is an endocrine endocrine gland. It produces hormones that regulate the growth and development of the body, as well as all types of metabolism: energy, fat and water-salt.

The main diseases of the thyroid gland are manifested by changes in the amount of hormones produced. If there are too many of them, it is hyperthyroidism. If there are too few of them, this is hypothyroidism. But both cases are not accompanied by pain in the Adam’s apple.

The thyroid gland hurts due to two serious diseases: inflammation and oncology.

Inflammation

Thyroiditis is an inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland. Depending on the cause of its occurrence, thyroiditis can be:

• Acute: causative agent - bacteria, complication of bacterial infection
• Subacute: pathogen is viruses, for example, a complication of influenza
• Chronic: An autoimmune disease in which hormone-producing gland tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue.

Despite the cause of the disease, the symptoms of inflammatory thyroid disease are the same:

• sharp pain in the Adam's apple area, in the throat, and may radiate to the ear
• increase in body temperature
• muscle weakness, sweating
• lack of appetite, nervousness

When palpating the area below the Adam's apple, a dense swelling is felt. When pressed there is pain.

If you notice these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. Delay may result in increased pain, spread of inflammation to neighboring organs, or decreased production of vital hormones by the gland.

Ultrasound examination is used to diagnose thyroiditis.

Treatment is with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or hormones.

Neoplasms

A neoplasm, also known as a tumor, can be benign or malignant.

In the latter case, the tumor quickly grows into the tissues adjacent to the thyroid gland, which causes pain.

The main symptoms of neoplasms in the gland tissues are:

• enlargement of the thyroid gland

• enlarged cervical lymph nodes

• pain when pressing and increased skin temperature in the area of ​​the gland
• absence of general symptoms of intoxication: weakness, sweating, increased body temperature

If in any doubt, it is better to consult a doctor. He will prescribe an ultrasound and x-ray examination, after which he will make an accurate diagnosis. If cancer is suspected, the lump will be punctured with a thin needle. This is necessary to check for sure whether there are malignant cells in the compaction.

Associated symptoms: why does your throat hurt?

Various diseases that affect the Adam's apple area are usually accompanied by additional symptoms. They can be used to identify the underlying disease. Thus, with a disease of the thyroid gland, a toxic diffuse goiter may appear, which is caused by a lack of iodine in the body.

In this case, it hurts because the thyroid gland changes its structure; additional pressure appears in the area of ​​the larynx, squeezing the throat and “settling” a characteristic lump in it.

With osteochondrosis in the cervical region, there is usually a constant headache, “lumbago” radiates to the arm and shoulder, and there is a pressing sensation in the Adam’s apple area. Due to poor circulation and mechanical pressure on the tissue, a feeling of tightness occurs. But it is worth considering that similar symptoms are also typical for other pathologies of the cervical spine.

During tuberculosis, the throat hurts and the functioning of the ligaments occurs - the voice changes, becomes hoarse or disappears. Unpleasant sensations appear due to dangerous ulcers in the area of ​​the laryngeal ring. This is all accompanied by breathing problems and swelling.

If a sore throat occurs after a specific food, you can bet on problems with the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, heaviness usually occurs in the stomach area, and a sour or bitter taste appears in the mouth. If you have such symptoms, you should first of all contact a gastroenterologist, and not an ENT specialist.

In case of cancer, the main manifestations concern the Adam's apple area, and the discomfort when swallowing increases. There is a feeling as if there is a foreign body in the neck area, the process of drinking and eating is complicated.

Discomfort in the area of ​​the larynx and Adam's apple appears when an allergen enters the body. This can happen in three ways: contact, oral and inhalation. Symptoms include:

• pain when swallowing;
• feeling of a coma;
• dry cough;
• difficulty breathing;
• skin rashes.

Respiratory diseases

The larynx is a vital human organ. She is involved in the acts of breathing and speech. Any lesions of the larynx affect these two processes, simultaneously causing severe pain in the Adam's apple area.

The most common diseases of the larynx are inflammation and neoplasms.

Inflammation is caused by direct infection of the mucous membrane, for example, with acute respiratory infections, then it will be called acute catarrhal laryngitis. Or they are provoked by other, common infections, such as diphtheria or measles, and are called infectious laryngitis.

Catarrhal laryngitis

Typically, acute catarrhal laryngitis is a consequence of acute respiratory infections. First, a person gets sick with a runny nose, then the infection descends into the pharynx and inflammation of the pharynx begins - pharyngitis. The larynx is then affected. Symptoms of laryngitis appear:

• dryness, soreness, burning sensation in the throat
• Sore throat in the Adam's apple area when pronouncing sounds
• hoarseness of voice
• barking cough causing tearing pain
• body temperature rises to 38 degrees

Catarrhal laryngitis is diagnosed based on the presence of symptoms and examination of the throat.

Treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a physician. It will include compresses, antibacterial and decongestant medications, and physical therapy.

It is very important not to let the disease take its course, as it has two serious complications.

If laryngitis becomes severe and swelling of the larynx begins, the person will not be able to breathe and there is a risk of dying from asphyxia.

And if laryngitis is not treated, inflammation and suppuration of adjacent tissues may begin - an abscess and phlegmon.

Complications of inflammation of the larynx

An abscess is an inflammation that leads to the accumulation of pus. The area of ​​accumulation is surrounded by a membrane, so the abscess feels different from the surrounding tissue. Cellulitis, unlike an abscess, does not have clear boundaries. In this case, the pus seems to “saturate” the affected tissue.

Both abscess and phlegmon often occur as a purulent complication of severe laryngitis or damage to the larynx by a foreign body.

Symptoms of purulent complications develop at lightning speed. The general condition worsens, the temperature rises to 39-41 degrees, severe chills occur.

Unbearable spontaneous pain in the neck in the Adam's apple area, radiating to the ear, temporal and occipital regions, intensified by coughing or swallowing.

Important! If a patient with laryngitis suddenly gets worse and the indicated symptoms appear, you need to call an ambulance. Within a few hours after the formation of an abscess begins, the accumulation of pus and the resulting swelling of the larynx can lead to asphyxia.

The danger of laryngitis in children

In children, acute laryngitis quickly spreads to the subglottic space, in which loose connective tissue is found in a child under 6-7 years of age. The danger is that this tissue is easily subject to massive swelling. If laryngeal spasm joins the swelling, this will lead to respiratory failure - an attack of false croup

False croup occurs most often at night, since in a horizontal position the swelling of the subglottic space increases. At this time, parents need to be careful not to miss the onset of respiratory failure.

Acute infectious laryngitis

Pain in the Adam's apple also occurs with laryngitis caused by infectious diseases.

The most common of them are presented in the table.

In the situations described, laryngitis is only one of the symptoms of dangerous diseases.

All of them, in the absence of proper treatment, lead to complications and can be life-threatening. If you are concerned not only about pain in the Adam’s apple, but also about any of the listed symptoms, you should urgently consult a doctor.

Causes and possible diseases

Does your throat hurt in the Adam's apple area? Looking for a reason

The most common reason for a sore throat in the Adam's apple area is a complication after suffering inflammatory and infectious diseases.

With severe pain in the throat, long and hysterical cough, not only the muscular system of the throat is overworked. The cartilage can also suffer, causing severe discomfort and nagging pain in the Adam's apple area. There is no special need to treat such conditions; it is enough to cope with the underlying disease, and these symptoms will go away on their own.

Possible causes of pain:

1. The same pain can appear due to osteochondrosis in the cervical spine. Pinched nerves during disc protrusion or displacement cause innervation disturbances, which leads to the development of pain in the Adam's apple. The problem is treated by restoring normal functions of the spine. Such treatment can be long and complex, since all these qualities directly depend on the degree of damage to the spinal column.
2. Injuries, bruises, compression, crushing and fractures of laryngeal tissue. Such injuries can occur in a variety of accidents or from blows to the throat, attempts at strangulation with hands, improvised means, hanging and in many other situations. These types of injuries may be minor, leaving only abrasions, bruises or scratches. But most often, such injuries pose an extremely high threat to the health and life of the patient, as they can impair respiratory functions. Such problems always require hospitalization and accurate diagnosis.
3. Abscess and phlegmon. These purulent inflammatory diseases can also affect the cartilaginous tissue of the larynx, posing a serious threat to human health. With these diseases, complications often occur, leading to the formation of fistulas, “melting” of tissues and damage to the vocal cords. After it, the patient can only speak in a whisper or even loses his voice.
4. Tuberculosis of cartilage tissue is often a complication of pulmonary disease. This is a very dangerous condition that requires the immediate adoption of adequate medical measures.
5. Lesions of the thyroid gland. This important endocrine organ is located in exactly the same part of the throat as the Adam's apple, so problems with its functioning immediately affect its condition.

Pain in the Adam's apple is caused by several types of damage to the thyroid gland:

• Subacute thyroiditis. This condition often occurs as a complication after acute viral diseases with a severe course, or after diseases that passed with vague symptoms or were not treated. It can last quite a long time, but usually does not require specific treatment; it is enough to cure the underlying cause of the disease.
• Hyperthyroidism. Increased production of hormones by the thyroid gland can cause discomfort when swallowing and sore throat, which are mainly localized in the Adam's apple area.
• Hypothyroidism. A lack of thyroid hormones can also result in pain in the throat and Adam's apple.

There are many diseases that can cause pain, and each of them can seriously threaten the patient’s health. Self-medication or neglect of the disease is unacceptable, as it can lead to very dangerous consequences.

Symptoms, danger signs and complications

Is a sore throat accompanied by alarming symptoms? Need to undergo examination

If your throat hurts in the Adam's apple area after a cold for several days, this can be considered normal. But if this condition does not go away for a long period, gets worse, is accompanied by problems with swallowing, hoarseness, fever, strange reactions to heat and cold, headaches, weakness, dizziness, lethargy and a feeling of constant fatigue, then neglecting such signs can be very dangerous.

If the doctor establishes a connection between pain in the throat and Adam's apple and dysfunction of the thyroid gland, the patient will undergo a long examination. Its goal is to identify the danger of the disease and measures to eliminate it. In subacute thyroiditis, treatment is most often not prescribed or symptomatic therapy is used to alleviate the condition. In case of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, it is necessary to correct the level of thyroid hormones. This is a complex process that requires a lot of knowledge and experience, so a well-trained doctor is involved in prescribing the medicine and choosing the technique.

Dangerous symptoms are:

• temperature rise
• deterioration in health
• development of severe sore throat
• disturbances of consciousness
• severe weakness up to loss of consciousness

If you have a sore throat in the Adam’s apple area for too long, the condition is accompanied by a number of negative symptoms and is constantly getting worse, then you cannot hesitate, the disease can go too far and cause irreparable harm to your health.

But self-medication can be no less destructive, since without an accurate diagnosis it is impossible to say what exact cause and disease became the basis for the appearance of pain.

You can learn more about the causes of sore throat from the video:

What to do if a nursing mother has a severe sore throat?

The wrong medicine or treatment method can cause much more harm than the disease itself. This is especially true in the case of thyroid dysfunction. Hormonal problems in the absence or incorrect therapy will lead to the development of many problems with the functioning of almost all organs and systems of the human body.

When visiting a medical institution, depending on the identified problem, the patient may be treated by a therapist, surgeon, otolaryngologist, vertebrologist or oncologist. A specialized doctor will choose a treatment method and select medications that exactly correspond to the problem.

Inflammation of the esophagus

Pain in the Adam's apple area can also be caused by esophagitis, an inflammation of the esophagus. Most often it is a secondary pathology, that is, caused by an infection from another source, such as influenza, measles and other infections.

Symptoms of esophagitis:

• Pain around the Adam's apple when swallowing
• Pain in the neck and behind the sternum
• Thirst
• Increased salivation

A doctor should also treat esophagitis. He will prescribe antibiotics and sulfonamides.

The most dangerous complication of esophagitis is the spread of inflammation to adjacent tissues, that is, abscess and phlegmon.

Closed injuries and foreign bodies

An equally common cause of severe pain in the Adam's apple is injuries to the larynx and esophagus.

Both can be injured by inhaling or accidentally swallowing a foreign object. Or receiving a blunt blow to the Adam's apple. In both cases, the pain will be acute, almost unbearable. Tears will flow from your eyes and it will become difficult to breathe. You can't touch anything yourself.

We must remember that the larynx and esophagus are vital organs. Any injury after some time will cause swelling and significantly complicate breathing, up to complete asphyxia.

Therefore, it is necessary to urgently go to the emergency room, or if things are really bad, call an ambulance.

Pain near the Adam's apple is always a reason to see a doctor. You can relax only when the doctor names the diagnosis and prescribes medications.

If this is a disease of the larynx, you need to carefully monitor your sensations and if you have difficulty breathing, call an ambulance.

And if a child complains of soreness in the Adam’s apple, you need to see a doctor on the same day - it’s much easier not to lead to swelling of the larynx than to deal with it later.

Methods for relieving pain

Patients can get rid of pain in the Adam's apple area only with the help of a specialist, because it is necessary to establish the cause, after which appropriate treatment is prescribed.

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To relieve pain, you need to use anti-inflammatory drugs. But this does not mean that such medications will get rid of the problem. The use of NSAIDs is symptomatic; they reduce the severity of manifestations. They do not influence the etiology. Therefore they should only be used as an intermittent measure.

Once the cause is established, appropriate therapy is prescribed. In case of pathology of the thyroid gland, consultation with an endocrinologist is required. Iodine preparations or hormonal medications are prescribed. In the case of an oncological process, doctors treat with radioactive iodine or surgically remove the organ. The choice of technique depends on the degree of damage to the gland tissue.

Pathology of the larynx in the form of laryngitis requires the prescription of antibiotics. In addition to these drugs, various sprays and throat lozenges are used. If laryngitis is chronic, only maintenance therapy is carried out.

Tuberculosis lesions are treated in an anti-tuberculosis dispensary. Special medications are prescribed for a long period of use. Laryngeal injuries are treated with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial medications.

An additional cause is damage to the cervical spine. We are talking about osteochondrosis. After such a diagnosis has been established, treatment is carried out with NSAIDs, vitamins and compliance with the recommendations for exercise therapy.

Greater importance is given to the problem of neoplasms of the larynx; this organ plays a role not only in the formation of the voice, but also in the conduction of air. Once the diagnosis is made, surgical treatment is carried out in combination with radiation therapy.

Bibliography

When writing the article, the otolaryngologist used the following materials:

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