- Main causes
- 1. Cancer treatments
- 2. Infections
- 3. Cancer in the oropharynx
- 4. Foot-and-mouth disease
- 5. Herpangina
- 6. Behçet's disease
- Other causes
- Possible symptoms
- How the treatment is done
Throat blisters can be caused by several factors, such as infections, some treatments or some diseases, and can spread to the tongue and esophagus and become red and swollen, making swallowing and speech difficult.
Treatment depends on the cause of the problem and usually consists of taking painkillers, anti-inflammatories, using elixirs or using antibiotics if it is an infection.
Main causes
1. Cancer treatments
Both radiotherapy and chemotherapy are treatments that lead to a decrease in the immune system and thus cause several side effects, one of which may be the formation of blisters in the throat, for example.
What to do: To alleviate the side effects related to cancer treatment, it is important to keep your mouth and throat well hydrated and eat soft foods such as watermelon, bananas and vegetables.
2. Infections
The proliferation of microorganisms in the mouth can lead to the appearance of bubbles in the throat. The mouth is naturally made up of microorganisms, however due to situations that may alter the immune system or overexpose the mouth, there may be uncontrolled growth of microorganisms.
What to do: The most indicated in this case is to seek medical advice, so that it can be identified what type of microorganism that caused the appearance of blisters in the throat and, thus, treatment can be started, which can be done with antifungals, antivirals or antibiotics. In addition, it is important to perform proper mouth hygiene. Learn how to properly brush your teeth.
3. Cancer in the oropharynx
One of the symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer is the presence of blisters or sores in the throat that do not heal in 15 days. In addition, it is indicative of oropharyngeal cancer pain in the throat, irritation and the presence of red or white spots on the gums, tongue, lips or throat.
What to do: It is important to go to the doctor as soon as the first symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer appear so that treatment can be started as soon as possible. Treatment is usually done by removing the tumor, followed by sessions of chemo and radiation therapy. See what are the treatment options for oral cancer.
4. Foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease, popularly known as canker sore, corresponds to a round, whitish wound that can appear in the throat and cause discomfort to swallow or speak, for example. Find out what are the possible causes of cold sore in the throat.
What to do: The treatment for cold sore in the throat is done according to the doctor's guidance, being usually done with the use of ointments and suspension of the consumption of acidic foods, as they can increase discomfort. See which are the best remedies to treat thrush.
5. Herpangina
Herpangina is a viral disease that occurs most frequently in babies and children between 3 and 10 years of age, characterized by fever, sore throat and the presence of thrush in the mouth. Here's how to identify herpangina.
What to do: The treatment for herpangina is done with the guidance of the pediatrician, and the use of medications to relieve symptoms is recommended, such as Paracetamol or topical lidocaine, which must be passed in the mouth to reduce the discomfort caused by the wounds.
6. Behçet's disease
Behçet's disease is a rare disease, which occurs most frequently in people between 20 and 30 years of age, characterized by inflammation of different blood vessels, leading to the appearance of frequent diarrhea, bloody stools and sores in the genital area and in the mouth. Learn more about Behçet's disease.
What to do: Behçet's disease has no cure, and the use of medications to relieve symptoms, such as corticosteroids or anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, which should be used according to medical advice, is generally indicated. Learn how to relieve the symptoms of Behçet's disease.
Other causes
In addition to these causes, there are others that can cause blisters to appear in the esophagus and vocal cords, and can sometimes spread to the throat, such as gastroesophageal reflux, Herpes simplex virus infection, HIV, HPV, use of some medications, excessive vomiting or alcohol abuse, for example.
Possible symptoms
When blisters appear in the throat, there may be no more symptoms, however, in some cases the sores may also appear in the mouth and there may be difficulty in swallowing, appearance of white spots in the throat, fever, pain in the mouth and throat, appearance of lumps in the neck, bad breath, difficulty in moving the jaw, chest pain and heartburn.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of blisters in the throat depends on their cause, and it is very important to go to the doctor so that the correct diagnosis can be made. Thus, in the case of an infection, treatment consists of the administration of antibiotics or antifungals, which must be prescribed by the doctor.
To relieve pain and discomfort, analgesics, such as paracetamol, for example, or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or aspirin, can be taken. In addition, an antiseptic, healing and analgesic elixir can be used to gargle about 3 times a day to relieve discomfort.
It is also important to avoid spicy, hot or acidic foods, as they can irritate the blisters even more and you should also drink plenty of water, preferably cold and eat cold foods, which help to relieve pain and inflammation.
If the blisters are caused by gastric reflux, the doctor may prescribe antacids or inhibitors of acid production to prevent burning of the throat. See which remedies are used to treat gastroesophageal reflux.
