ENT – Throat / Larynx
General information about complaints of the throat and larynx
Acute tonsillitis
An acute tonsillitis often starts with severe sore throat, accompanied by fever or elevated temperature. The tonsils are swollen, often reddened, with pus or fibrin coating. The causes are often viruses (adenoviruses, coxsackieviruses, Epstein-Barr viruses, etc.), less often bacteria (streptococci, staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae, etc.). As a rule, therapy with painkillers (ibuprofen, paracetamol), mucous membrane-anesthetizing and antiseptic lozenges and gargling with sage tea or chamomile tea is sufficient. Physical rest is also important to avoid further complications. In some cases, antibiotic therapy is then necessary.
Tonsillitis is infectious! Without treatment or with viral diseases, you can be infectious for up to 3 weeks! With successful antibiotic therapy for bacterial inflammation, the contagiousness disappears after 2 days.
Chronic tonsillitis
If the tonsillitis and sore throats recur again and again, it is a chronic tonsillitis. It leads to scarring of the tissue, dead cells and food residues collect in the depth, which appear as “tonsil stones” on the surface of the tonsils and are responsible for an unpleasant bad breath. This focus of inflammation can cause diseases of other organs (heart, kidney, joints, skin). The therapy here is then the removal of the tonsils.
Sore throat
One of the most common reasons to see a doctor. It often occurs with COVID-19 infections. If you suspect you have a COVID-19 infection (especially if you have had contact with people infected with COVID-19, i.e. are a K1 person, or also have fever, cough, chills, extreme feeling of illness, shortness of breath or chest pain), please follow the instructions under the COVID-19 guide and please do not come directly to the office to protect other patients.
Habitual throat clearing
The constant clearing of the throat can have many causes, starting from dry mouth due to poor nasal breathing to reflux disease (rejection of stomach acid) and much more. With careful investigation of the causes, an effective therapy can be initiated.
Hoarseness
Hoarseness is caused by edematous thickening or loss of movement of one or both vocal cords, the vocal folds cannot close exactly, air escapes, the voice becomes rough and often also weak.
With an endoscopic examination, I can assess the vocal folds and initiate the appropriate therapy.
Important! In case of hoarseness, rest your voice, i.e. do NOT speak at all. Whispering strains the vocal cords, so either be silent or try to speak “normally” with the hoarse voice, just don’t whisper! Nicotine abstinence should be observed! Be careful with lozenges, they can be easily swallowed!
Globus sensation
A disturbing feeling, with often fortunately only a minor cause. A careful endoscopic examination then provides relief and the appropriate therapy can remove the “lump”.
Salivary gland diseases, cervical lymph nodes
Here, imaging diagnostics (ultrasound, MRI, CT) are often additionally required to reliably detect diseases.