What Should I Do About Chronic Pharyngitis During Pregnancy?
May 25, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Guo Xiheng
Introduction
Pregnant women may drink certain herbal teas to alleviate pharyngitis, such as teas brewed with honeysuckle, jasmine flowers, wild chrysanthemum, asparagus root (tian dong), and monk fruit. Drinking these teas at regular intervals daily can help relieve throat discomfort. Additionally, washing olives thoroughly, chewing them slowly, and gradually swallowing the olive juice may also provide some therapeutic benefit for pharyngitis. Pregnant women should maintain adequate indoor humidity and avoid placing any substances with irritating odors indoors.
Chronic pharyngitis is a chronic condition that is difficult to cure completely. If it develops during pregnancy, timely treatment is essential. So, what should be done about chronic pharyngitis during pregnancy?
Managing Chronic Pharyngitis During Pregnancy
Pregnant women may drink certain herbal teas to alleviate pharyngitis—such as teas brewed from honeysuckle, jasmine flowers, wild chrysanthemum, asparagus root (tian dong), and loquat fruit (luo han guo). Drinking these teas at regular intervals each day can help relieve throat discomfort. Chewing olives slowly and swallowing the juice gradually may also provide some therapeutic benefit for pharyngitis. Pregnant women should maintain adequate indoor humidity and avoid placing any items with strong or irritating odors indoors. During winter, when using heating systems, attention must be paid to both temperature and humidity levels. If the air becomes excessively dry, a humidifier may be used, or a damp towel can be placed over the radiator before bedtime. Maintaining appropriate humidity helps reduce throat irritation.
Dietary choices should be tailored to the individual’s constitution. For those with a “heat-excess” (excessive internal heat) constitution, foods that moisten the throat and clear heat—such as sugarcane juice, white radish, snow pear, water chestnuts, and mung bean soup—are recommended. For those with yin deficiency and hyperactive fire, foods that nourish yin, moisten dryness, and clear heat—such as silver ear fungus, soft-shelled turtle soup, lotus root juice, carrots, lily bulbs, bird’s nest, and duck meat—are advised. Rinsing the mouth with diluted salt water each morning—or drinking a cup of honey water—can also be beneficial. If swallowing is difficult, easily digestible, nourishing porridges such as vegetable congee, preserved egg and lean pork congee, or corn congee are recommended. These foods help clear internal heat while providing essential nutrition.
Pregnant women generally avoid medications unless absolutely necessary; therefore, managing pharyngitis through dietary adjustments is strongly encouraged. This condition typically does not adversely affect fetal development, and symptoms can often be alleviated with appropriate dietary modifications. We hope this information proves helpful!
