Sore throat leads to annoying tinnitus

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Van Thai - Ear, Nose Throat Doctor - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

1. Why does sore throat lead to tinnitus?

Pharyngitis is a respiratory infection that occurs when the lining of the throat is attacked by bacteria or viruses. Pharyngitis is characterized by symptoms such as high fever, a lot of cough, with or without sputum, and dry throat. Pharyngitis is a very common disease, anyone can have sore throat many times in their life. In addition to the typical symptoms above, many people have symptoms of tinnitus when having a sore throat.

Ear-nose-throat are parts that are very closely related to each other. The pharynx is the intersection of the nose and mouth, the nose connects to the pharynx through the nasopharynx, and the ear connects to the pharynx through the eustachian tube openings located in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. Because of the connection with each other, when there is an infection in one part, the infection can easily spread from one organ to another. When you have a sore throat, infectious agents will move to the ear through the connection between the ear canal and the throat, thereby causing ear diseases such as eustachian tubes, ear infections. Tinnitus is one of the symptoms of these conditions.

2. How to treat sore throat leading to tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a sensation in the ear that has noises or crackles, this is not a disease but a symptom of a certain disease. In the case of pharyngitis with tinnitus, when tinnitus occurs, it shows that the pharyngitis is already severe, bacteria from the throat have affected the ear cavities. Therefore, the infection in the throat should be treated aggressively, if left untreated, pharyngitis will progress to cause dangerous complications such as upper respiratory infection, sinusitis, otitis media, pressure posterior pharyngitis, bronchitis, lymphadenitis, sepsis. When a sore throat is completely treated, the symptoms of the disease, including tinnitus, will completely disappear.
When there are symptoms of pharyngitis, especially sore throat with tinnitus, patients should go to medical facilities for examination and treatment. Some prescribed drugs include:
● Antipyretic, pain reliever: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, ... to help reduce symptoms of sore throat, fever caused by sore throat.
● Antibiotics: commonly used antibiotics are
○ Beta-lactam group: Amoxicillin, Cephalexin, Cefuroxime, Amoxicillin+clavuanic acid,..
○ Macrolide group: Erythromycin, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin,...
○ Note: pharyngitis can be caused by a virus or bacteria, antibiotics are only effective in cases of bacterial pharyngitis and not if the cause is viral. Therefore, patients are not allowed to arbitrarily buy antibiotics for treatment. The prescription of antibiotics must be done by a doctor, after examining and performing laboratory tests to determine the cause of pharyngitis is caused by bacteria. Improper use of antibiotics can lead to the risk of drug resistance, which is a danger to public health.
● Anti-inflammatory drugs: Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone, ... help limit the growth of pathogens, relieve pain, reduce swelling in the throat.

In addition to the above treatment drugs, patients can use additional supportive treatments such as:
Lozenges containing active ingredients such as menthol, melaleuca essential oil, eucalyptus oil, honey, Ginger, lemon, ... have antiseptic and antiseptic effects, soothe coughs, and soothe the pharynx.
● Using folk remedies such as using garlic, honey, drinking ginger water,... to help reduce symptoms and shorten the duration of the disease.
● Gargling with physiological saline 2 times a day in the morning and evening has a very good effect on treating and preventing sore throat.
During the illness, the patient should strengthen the diet, eat enough nutrients to increase the body's resistance. Pay attention to add foods with high content of vitamins A, C, D, E, zinc, magnesium, green vegetables, fruits,...

3. Prevention of sore throat with tinnitus

To prevent pharyngitis leading to tinnitus and other complications of pharyngitis, patients should practice good habits to limit the occurrence of the disease such as:
● Keeping ears-nose-throat warm, hygiene Ear-nose-throat often
Wash hands often with soap
● Wear a mask to limit exposure to dust and chemicals
● Do not let dirty hands touch your eyes, nose, mouth
● Do not share items with patients, limit contact with patients
● Enhance exercise and sports, eat enough to improve physical strength, body's resistance
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the The hospital not only ensures professional quality with a team of leading medical professionals, a system of modern equipment and technology, but also stands out with comprehensive and professional medical examination, consultation and treatment services; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space.
BSCK II Nguyen Van Thai was formerly a Doctor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology - Hue Central Hospital with more than 17 years of treatment experience, especially in the field of Head and Neck Surgery. Currently, he is an Otolaryngologist at the Inter-Specialist Clinic of the Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine, Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.
Customers can directly go to Vinmec Health system nationwide to visit or contact the hotline here for support.
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