3. SIMPLE PHARYNGITIS GENERAL CONSIDERATION
     Acute simple (catarrhal) pharyngitis is an acute inflammation of the mucosa of the pharynx that to some extent involves the lymphatic structures. It usually occurs as part of an upper respiratory tract disorder that may also affect the nose, sinuses, larynx and trachea. The most common causes are bacterial or viral infection and rarely, it is due to inhalation of irritant gases or ingestion of irritant liquids. Pharyngitis may occur as part of the syndrome of an acute specific infection.
     The inflammation may be diffuse or localized. Drying of the mucosa occurs in pharyngitis sicca.
     In traditional Chinese medicine, the disorder is called "Feng Ren Hou Bi," which means sore throat due to pathogenic wind and heat.
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
     In acute pharyngitis, the throat is dry and sore. Systemic symptoms are fever and malaise. The pharyngeal mucosa is red and slightly swollen, with thick and sticky mucus. The disease lasts only a few days.
     Chronic pharyngitis may produce few symptoms, such as throat dryness with thick mucus and cough; or recurrent acute episodes of more severe throat pain, dull hyperemia and mild swelling of the mucosa and thick tenacious mucus, often in the hypopharynx.
DIAGNOSIS
     ? The throat is dry and sore.
     ? Some patients with fever and malaise.
     ? The pharyngeal mucosa is red and slightly swollen with thick or sticky mucus.
TREATMENT
I. Treatment in Western medicine
     The treatment of acute pharyngitis in western medicine is symptomatic; rest,
light diet, analgesics, and warm, nonirritating gargles or throat irrigations. Antibiotics may be used for initial or complicating bacterial infection.
     Chronic pharyngitis is treated by removing underlying causes such as infections
of the nose, sinuses, or tonsils and by restricting irritants such as alcohol, spicy foods and tobacco. Local removal of the tenacious secretion with suction or saline irrigation and application of 2% silver nitrate are helpful.
II. Management in traditional Chinese medicine
     Because sore throat is due to wind and heat, the patient often complains of fever, mild chilly sensation, slight thirst, and the pharyngeal mucosa is red and slightly swollen with redness of the edges and tip of the tongue with thin yellowish coating, superficial and rapid pulse, etc.
     The general rule of treatment is to relieve the condition with the cold pungent
herbs. The effective formula is Yin Xiao San Jia Jian.
     Constituents:
     Honeysuckle flower  30g
     Forsythia suspensa 30g
     Achene of great burdock  12g
     Chrysanthemum  12g
     Root of Zhejiang figwort  20g
     Fresh or dried root of rehmannia  30g
     Tuber of dwarf lilyturf 30g
     Skullcap  12g
     Root of balloonflower  12g
     Puff-ball  12g
     Chinese thorowax  15g
     Peppermint  10g
     Decoction and dosage is the same.
     In addition, the ready made herb pills such as Lu Shen Pills and Nu Huang Xian
Yan Pills are all very effective for chronic pharyngitis.