Does chronic pharyngitis require treatment?

Chronic pharyngitis refers to chronic inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, commonly associated with unhealthy lifestyle habits—including irregular diet and作息 (daily routines)—as well as adjacent organ diseases and infections. So, does chronic pharyngitis require treatment?

Yes, chronic pharyngitis requires treatment.

Treatment for chronic pharyngitis primarily focuses on alleviating local symptoms. For patients experiencing a foreign-body sensation, dryness, or tightness in the throat, traditional Chinese medicines such as Xuan Mai Gan Ju Granules, Yang Yin Qing Fei Oral Liquid, Er Chen Wan, and Shen Ling Bai Zhu Granules may be prescribed to relieve symptoms. Thick, viscous secretions accumulating on the posterior pharyngeal wall can irritate the pharynx and cause discomfort; gargling with warm saline solution or furacilin solution may help alleviate these symptoms. In cases of chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis—particularly when prominent lymphoid follicles on the posterior pharyngeal wall cause significant foreign-body sensation—procedures such as plasma knife ablation, laser therapy, or microwave coagulation may be used to remove the lymphoid follicles and improve symptoms.

For simple pharyngitis, oral hygiene is maintained using 2% boric acid solution or compound borax solution; afterward, iodoform lozenges or Yin Huang lozenges may be administered. In cases diagnosed as chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis, cauterization of lymphoid follicles with 20% silver nitrate solution is indicated. If chronic pharyngitis is attributed to “excess internal heat” (a TCM concept), herbal formulas that nourish yin and clear heat may also be prescribed for regulation.

Chronic pharyngitis often develops due to long-term smoking, alcohol consumption, or recurrent infections, and typically manifests as a foreign-body sensation or burning sensation in the throat, sometimes accompanied by mild pain. We hope this information proves helpful!