Ulcers in Throat

Ulcers can be very painful and annoying for the sufferer and there may be many causes. Most people associate ulcers with the tongue and mouth but they can form in the throat too. In most cases they are a symptom of an underlying condition that usually requires medical assessment and treatment.

Causes Of Throat Ulcers

There are many different causes for throat ulcers, and these can range from simple oral thrush, the same virus that cause cold sores (herpes simplex) and include the different forms of syphilis.

In a few rare cases the chicken pox virus may have attacked the throat along with other viral causes. Occasionally untreated tonsillitis that may result in the breakdown of the tonsil tissue may cause ulcers as the inflammation attacks.

Symptoms Of Throat Ulcers

Typical symptoms of throat ulcers are difficulty swallowing. This can be a minor discomfort or making it impossible to swallow at all.

When you look in the mirror, open your mouth and try and flatten your tongue to the bottom of the mouth so you have more visibility of the throat area. Throat ulcers usually appear as white spots on the tonsil area, in the later stages of deterioration the tissue can secrete pus and look grey as the cells of the throat die. In the occurrence of pus-secreting throat ulcers, it is also likely that you will experience a nasty taste in your mouth that may seem bitter or offensive.

You may also be more conscious of your breath as this may omit a sour aroma that can smell like infection.

Treatments For Throat Ulcers

In most cases, it is recommended that medical attention is sought to combat throat ulcers as they indicate that an infection has begun to affect the tissues which is difficult to treat without medication.

In the early stages of a sore throat it may help to ease the symptoms by using salt water throat gargles (do not swallow the solution) and by taking an anti-inflammatory such as a brufen based medicine or paracetamol.

Try and rest and drink plenty of clear fluids; if swallowing is difficult it may help to try thicker fluids such as milkshakes or soups that are easier to swallow.

Whilst you have a throat ulcer, you may want to take more care with your diet as spicy foods, those containing salts or chemicals may aggravate the pain and make it worse. It may also be helpful to clean your teeth and tongue more thoroughly or more often as you are more likely to suffer from bad breath.

Preventing Throat Ulcers

In some cases throat ulcers may not be avoidable as they come with many infections of the throat. If you can avoid throat infections (which is quite difficult) then your chances of getting throat ulcers are reduced.

Keeping healthy by watching your diet, including your alcohol and salt content, making sure you get enough of the important vitamins and minerals and by not smoking can significantly reduce the chances of throat ulcers.

Throat ulcers can be very painful and cause problems with swallowing, sometimes making it impossible. They are usually caused by simple viral infections but can be a symptoms of other more serious conditions that will need medical attention quite urgently.