If you have inflamed tissue in the back of your throat that looks bumpy, it is called Cobblestone throat. Maybe you panic like other people to see these inflamed tissues resembling look like with cancerous growth. But the fact is that “Cobblestone throat are not dangerous”. If you see your throat tissues having cobblestone throats in the mirror or take a picture, they look like fluid-filled tissues. These inflamed tissues temporarily appear as a result of an allergen, infection, or other irritants.
Cobblestone bumps can go away once you resolve the cause. In this article, we will further provide you with all the facts about that such as symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management with home remedies.
Read More: 11 warning signs of magnesium deficiency
Is Cobblestone Throat Contagious?
Several people think thatcontagious infection. However, it is not contagious, but, it can result from contagious conditions such as bacterial infections such as strep throat or flu. In these conditions, you can bypass a viral infection leading to a throat infection.
Both bacteria and viruses are contagious and they can cause cobblestone in your throat. Other causes such as acid reflux, or allergies are not contagious but can cause.
Symptoms:
The bumps of the cobblestone throat look inflamed, red, or irritated. But these symptoms may resemble sore throat.
Other symptoms are
- Hoarseness
- Dry cough
- Fever
- Stuffiness
- Bad breath
- A scratchy or tickly throat
- Feel pain when talking
- You feel like there is stuck something in your throat
- Pain while swallowing
These symptoms depend on the cause .
Causes:
The bumps of cobblestone throat appear when adenoids and tonsils become inflamed and irritated. Adenoids are a patch of soft tissue placed high in your nasal cavity behind the nose. While, tonsils are pairs of soft tissues situated in the back of your throat.
These adenoids and tonsils prevent your respiratory passage from entering germs. The mucus covers these tissues and the passageways to trap germs.
Occasionally, invaders such as viruses cross these barriers and trigger your body’s immune system. After this, throat tissues inflamed and mucus production elevated. The elevation of mucus production helps with flushing out the germs. The mucus trickles down and thickens your throat (called postnasal drip), irritating your adenoids and tonsils. The bumps appearance is a sign of this irritation.
Here are the causes of cobblestone throat:
- Vaping
- Smoking
- A cold
- Flu
- Acid reflux
- Allergies
- Breathing dry air
- Other respiratory infections
Diagnosis:
Your healthcare provider may suggest you throat culture test other than examining your throat. This test is performed to grow throat bacteria or viruses in the laboratory that can lead to cobblestone throat.
Treatment:
Cobblestone throat can be cured if you eliminate what’s causing postnasal drip and inflammation. Generally, the natural defense system (immune system) of your body can cure these bacterial and viral infections on its own. If not, then your provider will prescribe you medications to ease your cobblestone throat.
Your healthcare provider may suggest you follow treatment such as
- Over-the-counter (OTC) treatment: to thin the excess mucus irritating the throat such as non-dozy antihistamine and steroids nasal spray.
- Avoid allergens: that can trigger the immune system of the body.
- Taking antibiotics: to help eliminate some bacterial infections.
Can HPV Cause Cobblestone Throat:
Several people panic due to they think the bumps are cancerous lumps or signs of an HPV infection that may lead to throat cancer. However, a cobblestone bump in the back of the throat is not associated with throat cancer or HPV.
With cobblestone throat, HPV, and oral cancer, you may experience a sore throat. However, neither an oral HPV infection nor throat cancer produces the characteristic bumps associated with cobblestone throat. If you have a high-risk strain of HPV, you are more likely to notice a lump in your neck or a red or white patch in your throat. Often, HPV doesn’t cause any symptoms.
Home Remedies to Ease Cobblestone Throat:
You can try one of the home remedies to ease cobblestone throat symptoms such as
Gargle with salt water: the salt water can thin the mucus and filter out some of the allergens such as dust, pollen, and molds. These allergens irritate your throat. The recipe is 1 tsp salt + 1 cup of hot water.
Drink plenty of hot fluids: drinking hot liquids, such as tea, green tea, or soup, can thin your mucus and soothe the throat.
Use a humidifier: a humidifier elevates the moisture in the air. When you inhale, this moisture softens the tissues in the sinuses and assists in thinning your mucus.
Try sucking on lozenges: lozenges produce medicine that can lubricate the throat, cool it, and battle bacteria that can lead to inflammation.
Use honey: Honey can ease a sore throat. If you coat your cobblestone throat with honey such as Manuka honey can fight the bacteria and ease the inflammation.
Sleep upright: sleeping in the upright position can prevent your mucus from further irritating and pooling at your throat.
