Simply put, Pharyngitis refers to a sore throat. There is certainly a little more to it than that, but the word pharyngitis isn’t necessarily as alarming as one might think. Nonetheless, it is important to have a working idea of what this infection entails. It is just as important to know whether or not pharyngitis is contagious.
Whether Or Not Pharyngitis Is Contagious
Before answering the question of whether or not pharyngitis is contagious, it is perhaps a good idea to understand some basic talking points about the condition itself:
1. As stated before, pharyngitis is the medical term used to describe a sore throat.
2. Pharyngitis can be caused by either bacterial or viral infection.
3. Obviously, the main symptom of the infection is a sore throat.
4. Other symptoms for pharyngitis can include fever, coughing, congestion, aching in the body, and swollen lymph nodes.
5. Allergies, straining your voice, and even gastric reflux are all capable of causing pharyngitis.
6. Treatments for pharyngitis are generally very basic. There are even cases in which the inflammation can go away on its own.
7. In certain cases, untreated pharyngitis can lead to sepsis, which occurs when the infection joins with your bloodstream.
8. Strep throat is the most typical form of pharyngitis.
These are the basics of pharyngitis. With this information in hand, understanding whether or not pharyngitis is contagious becomes a much more straightforward matter to comprehend.
Typically, pharyngitis is indeed contagious. It’s important to keep in mind that with this condition we’re talking about symptoms that are caused by germs. There are a couple of noteworthy ways in which you can transfer pharyngitis from one individual to another. One way is through direct contact with infected substances. This can include mucus or saliva. The other popular method of transferring pharyngitis from one individual to another is through direct contact with an item or surface that has been touched in some way by an individual who is infected. If a person sneezes and discharges infected droplets from their body into their hand and then touches one of these items or surfaces, it is possible for someone else to develop pharyngitis by touching the item or surface afterwards.
Pharyngitis is typically not a serious condition. However, it is generally a very good idea to seek some form of treatment for the illness as soon as possible. Given the high probability for spreading the illness to others, the sooner treatment is obtained, the better off everyone is likely going to be.
