Pharyngitis and pharyngeal cancer are two conditions that can affect your pharynx.
The pharynx, also known as the throat, is a hollow, muscular tube lined by mucous membrane. It runs from the back of the nose down into the neck, ending at the top of the windpipe and esophagus.
It contains three sections: the nasopharynx, the oropharynx, and the laryngopharynx, also called the hypopharynx.
The pharynx is part of the digestive system, and as the common channel for swallowing and breathing, the food and air pathways in the pharynx cross each other.
The following conditions can affect the pharynx:
Pharyngitis
As one of the most common reasons people visit their family practice physicians, pharyngitis is a sore throat caused by inflammation of the back of the throat.
Pharyngitis can make it painful to swallow, and you may experience soreness, discomfort, pain, or scratchiness in the throat.
Most sore throats occur during colder months and subside within a week or less. Sore throats are often caused by viral infections including the common cold, flu, mononucleosis ("mono"), measles, chickenpox, and croup.
However, bacteria such as strep throat (caused by Group A Streptococcus), whooping cough, and diphtheria can sometimes cause pharyngitis.
If your sore throat is caused by a virus, antibiotics won't help, but if your sore throat is a result of strep throat, chlamydia or gonorrhea — all of which are bacterial infections — antibiotics can help the healing process.
The following remedies may help soothe a sore throat:
- Getting rest
- Avoiding alcohol
- Drinking warm liquids, such as lemon tea or tea with honey
- Gargling with warm salt water (1/2 tsp of salt in 1 cup of water) throughout the day
- Drinking cold liquids or sucking on fruit-flavored ice pops
- Sucking on hard candies or throat lozenges (for adults only)
- Running a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier
- Taking over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Pharyngeal Cancer
Pharyngeal or throat cancer refers to cancerous tumors that develop anywhere in the pharynx, larynx (voice box), or tonsils. Pharyngeal cancer can also affect the piece of cartilage that acts as a lid for your windpipe.
Most throat cancers begin as thin, flat cells that look like fish scales. These cells develop genetic mutations that cause cells to grow uncontrollably and continue living after healthy cells would normally die. The accumulating cells can form a tumor in your throat.
Signs and symptoms of throat cancer may include the following:
- A cough
- Changes in your voice, such as hoarseness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Ear pain
- A lump or sore that doesn't heal
- A sore throat
- Weight loss
Treatment options for throat cancer vary depending on your condition, and may include one or more of the following, sometimes used in combination:
- Radiation
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted drug therapy
In 2014, there were an estimated 12,630 people diagnosed with laryngeal cancers and 14,410 diagnosed with pharyngeal cancers. Moreover, there were 3,610 deaths from laryngeal cancer and 2,540 deaths from pharyngeal cancers.
The following can reduce your risk of throat cancer:
- Quit smoking
- Not chewing tobacco
- Limiting alcohol consumption
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Pharyngitis - sore throat; National Institutes of Health.
- O'Rahilly, Müller, Carpenter & Swenson, Basic Human Anatomy.
- Pharynx and Larynx; Emory University.
- Throat (Laryngeal and Pharyngeal) Cancer; National Cancer Institute.
- Throat cancer; Mayo Clinic.