Temperature in chronic pharyngitis

Pharyngitis is a disease of the larynx and lymphoid tissues, the causes of which are often viral infections, and less often bacteria. The disease can be either acute or chronic. With the development of pharyngitis, the patient experiences the manifestation of the main symptom caused by an increase in body temperature. An elevated temperature means the immune system is resisting viruses and bacteria that have entered the body. Everyone knows that at elevated temperatures it should be reduced, since at a critical value a person can die. Let's figure out what this disease is, how it manifests itself, and what means can be used to reduce the fever.

How does pharyngitis manifest?

The primary signs of pharyngitis are the following types of ailments: runny nose, general malaise and the development of headache. With further spread of the virus, a severe cough develops, as well as a sore throat. If the symptoms of cough, fever and dry throat last for a long time over one week, then we can conclude that the disease is bacterial in nature.

In addition to the above-mentioned symptoms, the patient may experience redness of the mucous membrane, which can be detected by visual examination, as well as swelling of the lymph nodes and pain when swallowing. All of the above symptoms are characteristic primarily of the acute form of pharyngitis. With chronic pharyngitis, only some symptoms may appear in a mild form. With acute pharyngitis, the temperature can rise quickly enough to 39 degrees. Such a high temperature can be reduced with the help of antipyretic drugs.

It is important to know! With chronic pharyngitis, patients experience maintenance of low-grade fever, that is, its low value throughout the entire period of the disease.

If the temperature rises in children with pharyngitis, then there is no need to worry about it, the main thing is to take timely measures to reduce it. Many parents try to give their child medicine against the virus, which is wrong. All that parents should do if they detect a child’s temperature above 38 degrees is to give an antipyretic. After the temperature drops, you should consult a doctor who will make a diagnosis and prescribe a drug that will quickly and effectively combat viruses or bacteria.

It is important to know! Depending on whether the cause of pharyngitis is a virus or bacteria, the treatment method will differ.

Manifestation of the disease

Inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa is accompanied by a severe cough, sore throat, dryness and rawness in the throat, and if these symptoms do not subside within a week, we can talk about an acute bacterial infection.

Untimely treatment of exacerbation of pharyngitis can cause complications in the form of [tonsillitis], [laryngitis] and [scarlet fever].

An increase in temperature, as a rule, is considered a common symptom of bacterial etiology of the disease, accompanied by chills, headache and aches throughout the body.

Severe malaise is observed in the patient with low-grade fever; an increase in temperature above 38.5°-39° C is accompanied by intensive production of antibodies and improvement in the patient’s condition.

Antipyretic drugs are not prescribed at temperatures below 38° C, since the body must cope with the infectious pathogen on its own.

[In children, pharyngitis] in most cases is of a viral nature and affects the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, tonsils, paranasal sinuses and middle parts of the respiratory system; in this case, an increase in temperature to 39°C is considered a classic manifestation of the disease.

The course of pharyngitis depends on the state of the immune system, so some patients continue their usual lifestyle during illness, while others do not get out of bed.

If pharyngitis has a streptococcal etiology, the course of the disease can last up to a year, accompanied by the release of purulent mucus, an increase in temperature to 38.5 ° C; children may experience vomiting and worsening appetite.

With pharyngitis, it is not so much the high temperature that is important, but the period during which it lasts; a long duration of the disease can be complicated by otitis media, meningitis or sinusitis.

Important to know: How to cure cough with pharyngitis

High fever and fever are accompanied by redness of the throat, cough, mucous discharge from the nose and pain when swallowing.

First of all, treatment should be symptomatic, aimed at eliminating fever and reducing temperature, therefore, along with inhalations and rinses, the patient should drink large amounts of warm liquid and take anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by the doctor.

How long can a high temperature last?

Every parent wonders how long a child’s fever with pharyngitis will last? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to initially find out the cause of provoking the disease.

With pharyngitis in children and adults, the temperature can last for a couple of days or several weeks. If the temperature lasts from one to three days, then this indicates a viral cause of the disease. When the temperature does not decrease for more than three days, this means that the disease is bacterial in nature, which is a more complex form of the disease. In order to cure bacterial pharyngitis, you will need to resort to taking antibiotics, which only the attending physician can prescribe.

When visiting a doctor, be sure to inform him about how many days the patient’s temperature lasts. Based on this information, the doctor will be able to predict the complexity of the disease. Medicines are prescribed only after the patient has been tested and the doctor is convinced of what actually causes the development of inflammatory processes in the pharyngeal mucosa.

What temperature can there be with pharyngitis?

An increase in temperature with pharyngitis may not be a common symptom. We are talking about a non-infectious disease.

Severe hyperthermia is observed with weak protection of the immune system, increased aggression of the pathogen and concomitant diseases of the respiratory system.

Increased temperature with pharyngitis is observed for the following reasons:

• When the disease is infectious. Infection of the body with viral or bacterial pharyngitis is accompanied by intensive proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms with manifestations of symptoms of intoxication. The causative agents can be viruses of various origins, streptococci and staphylococci.
• With a fungal attack of the disease, which is called non-infectious and is not always accompanied by hyperthermia. Non-infectious pharyngitis occurs from hypothermia, dirty air, smoking and other factors that irritate the mucous membrane of the throat. Hyperthermia is not observed with fungal pharyngitis until it is accompanied by an infectious form of the disease.

The usual course of pharyngitis is accompanied by a temperature of 37-37.5⁰. But there are cases when there is an increase or absence of it:

• if the temperature of an adult shows a value of 38-38.5⁰, and the temperature of a child with pharyngitis instantly rises to 40⁰ - this is evidence that a secondary bacterial infection has joined the viral infection;
• the presence of a bacterial form of pharyngitis is indicated by high thermometer readings for more than 5 days;
• with a non-infectious form of pharyngitis, there may be no temperature at all or its indicators may not be higher than 37.5⁰;
• no fever with fungal pharyngitis;
• the body does not fight the disease and the temperature does not rise in people suffering from cancer, tuberculosis, or HIV infection.

A temperature above 38⁰ is the limit for the normal functioning of the liver, whose task is to neutralize toxic substances and remove them from the body.

What is needed to reduce body temperature in children

If parents assume that the child has a fever, then there is no need to rush to use antipyretics. First, you should use a thermometer and find out the exact temperature value. If the child is small, then measuring the temperature with a thermometer is quite difficult, but in any case, giving antipyretics without information is strictly prohibited.

In many children with the development of pharyngitis, body temperature is maintained within a range of no higher than 37.2 degrees. With this value, it is not necessary to knock it down, since the child’s immunity is able to independently cope with viruses that infect the body. If the value is above 38 degrees, then you should resort to the use of antipyretics. Children can be given the following types of antipyretic drugs:

• Paracetamol, as well as medications that contain this component, such as Panadol.
• Ibuprofen, which has also proven itself to be good.

Such drugs can be given to children from three months, which is their main advantage over other antipyretic drugs. If the temperature persists for the third day while taking antipyretic drugs, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe the necessary medications for treatment.

After taking an antipyretic drug, a decrease in temperature occurs in approximately 1-1.5 hours. If rectal suppositories are used, the process can begin after 20-40 minutes. If the child’s body temperature does not rise to 38 degrees, this does not mean that he can not bring it down. To reduce body temperature to 38 degrees, you should resort to the following actions:

• Give your child plenty of fluids, preferably in the form of warm water. This will prevent the development of signs of dehydration. You can also give your child a variety of natural juices, fruit drinks, compotes, and also give warm tea with honey and lemon. It is recommended to feed the child frequently, but in small quantities.
• At temperatures above 37 degrees, the child will shiver, so it is recommended to cover him with a warm blanket. It is imperative to control the air humidity in the room, avoiding overdrying it. It is unacceptable to create a draft in the room. You can only ventilate the room when the patient is not in it.
• Apply compresses or wipe it with water at room temperature. Applying a cold roller to your head is prohibited, as this will worsen the situation.
• Give your child ascorbic acid, which will help boost immunity.
• Use antiviral suppositories that have an effect on viral microorganisms. If, after using suppositories, the child feels normal, then this therapy should be continued for several days.

It is necessary to go to the hospital in the following cases:

1. If the patient (adults or children) has a high fever for more than 3 days.
2. If you experience convulsions and difficulty breathing.
3. If every day the intensity of pain in the throat becomes more and more pronounced.
4. With the development of dehydration of the body.

Methods for reducing temperature

Doctor-recommended fever reduction regimen:

• Drink plenty of warm drinks.
• Cool air in the patient’s room (preferably no higher than 20 °).
• Febrifuge.

For pharyngitis against the background of ARVI and fever, it is advisable to take paracetamol. For a bacterial infection that causes high fever, it is better to give preference to ibuprofen-based products.

In an adult

Adults can fight fever with pharyngitis using folk methods such as raspberry tea and cold rubdowns. But if the fever does not decrease, it is imperative to take medicine for the fever, following the dosage indicated in the instructions.

You can reduce high fever in adults with multicomponent medications, such as Fervex. They come in powder form, which must be diluted with warm water and drunk like tea. The main active substance in such drugs is paracetamol.

The child has

A high temperature with pharyngitis in a child is an indication for the use of antipyretic medication. Experimenting with traditional methods in children is not recommended. The drugs of choice for fever in young patients are paracetamol and ibuprofen. They are produced in various forms - syrups, rectal suppositories, tablets.

If you can't bring down the temperature

Situations often arise in which patients have not only a low-grade fever, but also a high temperature. If it is not possible to knock it down with traditional drugs, then you can use No-Shpa tablets. For children from one to 6 years old, it is allowed to give a quarter of a tablet; older children can be given a half of a tablet.

You should resort to taking No-Shpa only if the patient has a strong fever, and standard antipyretic drugs do not reduce it. If you do not help the body, vascular spasm may develop. No-Spa allows you to relieve spasms in blood vessels, due to the fact that antipyretic components enter the blood and spread throughout the body, providing the necessary effect.

After taking the No-Shpa tablet, a positive effect occurs in the form of a decrease in temperature after 15-30 minutes. No-Shpu should be used in exceptional cases, but often with the correct use of rectal suppositories, this is not necessary.

Useful video about pharyngitis

If the pharynx is inflamed, the temperature should be measured frequently (every 2-3 hours). If it increases, it means that the body is reacting to viruses, but the main thing is to determine how many days the fever lasts in adults.

If the temperature does not stop within 3 days, this means that the disease has acquired a bacterial form.

In addition, such infections are well eliminated by antibacterial agents, which are usually prescribed at a temperature that does not change for a long time.

If it decreases and then increases again, then the body overcomes the infection on its own, so there is no need to use drugs.

It is necessary to bring down the temperature if it is more than 38.5 degrees. And if after taking an antibiotic the fever does not go away, then you need to call an ambulance.

It is worth noting that at high temperatures in adults, interferon begins to be produced in the patient’s body. Therefore, even if it does not subside, the patient still experiences relief after a while.

If the heat becomes critical, then the reverse process occurs, which is detrimental to the body. Most doctors do not advise lowering the temperature if it is not higher than 38.5 degrees.

Therefore, it is better to carry out cold rubbing of the body or apply a cold compress to the forehead. And taking antipyretics is advisable only in case of high fever (38.5), when the body really needs emergency help.

If the fever persists despite the measures taken, you must call an ambulance or go to a medical facility yourself. Particularly unfavorable is the pallor of the patient’s skin and chills against the background of extreme heat. This is how the so-called white fever manifests itself. To stop it, antipyretic drugs alone are not enough; injections of drugs may be required.

Fever with pharyngitis is a common symptom that goes away with proper treatment of the disease. If the fever lasts for several days and it is not possible to normalize body temperature with the usual medications, you should definitely consult a doctor.

How to lower the temperature is not recommended

Folk methods of dealing with high temperatures are passed down from generation to generation. Such methods may have been effective and popular in the past, but today doctors do not recommend resorting to their use. It follows from this that lowering the temperature using the methods described below is strictly prohibited:

• alcohol wipes;
• using vinegar to wipe the skin;
• wrapping the patient with a wet sheet;
• use of cold baths.

All these methods lead to various negative consequences:

1. Rubbing with vinegar or alcohol causes these substances to penetrate the skin and cause harm to the body.
2. The use of wraps and cold baths can provoke the development of vasospasm and lead to seizures.

How to reduce the temperature?

Today, pharmaceutical companies produce a lot of medicines that have an antipyretic effect. It is worth noting that modern medicine no longer uses Analgin and Aspirin for this purpose. This combination has a lot of contraindications and side effects.

Now Paracetamol is considered the most effective and more or less safe drug. Moreover, its effectiveness in the fight against ARVI is justified and proven. Therefore, it is prescribed to patients of different age categories.

Ibuprofen is an equally effective and relevant remedy, but its dosage should only be calculated by a doctor. You can also reduce your fever with Nimesulide, but it can only be taken after 12 years of age, and with prolonged use it has a negative effect on the liver.

In addition, the leaders among temperature-reducing agents are:

1. Diclofenac is available in the form of a gel for external use and tablets for oral use. The drug quickly eliminates fever and inflammation, but it cannot be used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
2. Almiral is an analogue of Diclofenac.
3. Nurofen is an analogue of Ibuprofen.
4. Cefekon - rectal suppositories based on Paracetamol.

It is very important to read the instructions before taking these medications and strictly follow the dosage. Otherwise, reverse processes may begin in the body.

If the medicine must be taken every 8 hours, then this rule must be strictly followed. But if necessary, it is allowed to divide one dose into half and take the product 2 times every 4 hours.

Presence of contraindications in the development of a febrile state

If the symptoms of pharyngitis are complicated by the development of fever, then the patient is prohibited from:

• wrap yourself in warm blankets, as this will interfere with the process of heat transfer from the body;
• stay in a room where there are drafts and high humidity;
• drink hot drinks;
• carry out steam inhalations, with the exception of inhalations using a nebulizer.

Pharyngitis is not a dangerous disease if treated in a timely manner and the development of complications is excluded. If you do not react in a timely manner, pharyngitis leads to complications such as tonsillitis, sore throat, sinusitis, etc. In addition, if body temperature is not controlled, then everything can end in death for a patient with pharyngitis. And remember that it is much easier to prevent any disease than to treat it.

What to do if the fever does not subside?

The chronic form of pharyngitis differs from acute pharyngitis in that in the first case the temperature may not subside for several days even after the use of antipyretic medications. Vascular spasms occur, so even doctors cannot predict when relief will come.

If, during extreme heat, the patient’s limbs become cold, then it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. In the meantime, the patient can be given No-shpu. However, its use is advisable only when the temperature remains too high for a long time.

Moreover, No-Spa helps to dilate blood vessels, so blood flow becomes better, making the effect of antipyretic drugs more significant. As a rule, the drug acts immediately after administration, but in some cases it occurs after half an hour.

In addition, you can use rectal suppositories. But before introducing them, you should empty your intestines. Otherwise, the walls of the overcrowded intestine will not absorb medicinal substances, so taking the drug will be pointless.

It should be noted that at a temperature of 37 and above, which occurs in adults due to inflammation of the pharynx, the body cannot be wiped with alcohol or vinegar solutions. After all, the vapors of these substances will do more harm than good.

At the same time, it is also better to avoid cold baths and wraps. This will lead to spasm of blood vessels, which may result in seizures.

What temperature occurs with pharyngitis? The value of this physiological indicator depends on several factors:

• A type of pharyngitis.
• Features of the causative agent of the disease.
• Conditions of the immune system.

The highest fever is accompanied by acute streptococcal pharyngitis, in which the temperature reaches 39 ° C and may even be higher. With the viral nature of the inflammatory process, patients do not have such a high fever - the temperature fluctuates between 37.5-38.5 °C. With chronic pharyngitis, the temperature usually remains normal. It may increase slightly during exacerbations.

The temperature rises highest in people with a strong immune system (it begins to actively produce protective substances). But in weakened children and adults, the body cannot adequately respond to even the most acute form of the inflammatory process - the fever is mild, the disease lasts a long time, and often becomes chronic.

USEFUL: How to increase a child’s immunity if he is sick? Read more…

At high temperatures you cannot:

• Swimming in cold water, blowing cold air over the body, applying ice to the skin, etc. All these actions can provoke a sharp spasm of blood vessels and even worsen the condition.
• Drink alcohol.
• Take antipyretic medications uncontrollably.
• Make vinegar and alcohol compresses and rubbing.