Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T15:16:47.516Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A review on the mechanism of sore throat in tonsillitis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2013

S Bathala*
Affiliation:
Common Cold Centre, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
R Eccles
Affiliation:
Common Cold Centre, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr S Bathala, Common Cold Centre, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK Fax: 02920 874 093 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Background:

Sore throat is a common condition associated with acute upper respiratory tract infection, and recurrent episodes of infection may result in chronic tonsillitis. The current UK and USA guidelines for tonsillectomy use the incidence of sore throat episodes as an indication for surgery. However, the mechanism of sore throat is poorly described in the literature.

Objectives:

This review will provide basic information for the clinician regarding: the causes, pathophysiology and neurophysiology of sore throat; the mechanism of inflammation; and the role of transient receptor potential ion channels as nociceptors involved in sore throat. The review will present new ideas on the mechanism of ice therapy as an analgesic for post-tonsillectomy pain, and the role of vanilloid and cold receptors.

Type
Review Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1SIGN. Management of Sore Throat and Indications for Tonsillectomy. A National Clinical Guidance. Edinburgh: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, 2010Google Scholar
2Baugh, RF, Archer, SM, Mitchell, RB, Rosenfeld, RM, Amin, R, Burns, JJ et al. Clinical practice guideline: tonsillectomy in children. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2011;144:S1–30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Chan, TV. The patient with sore throat. Med Clin North Am 2010;94:923–43CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Eccles, R. Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza. Lancet Infect Dis 2005;5:718–25CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Weber, O. The role of viruses in the etiology and pathogenesis of common cold. In: Eccles, R, Webber, O, eds. Common Cold. Basel: Birkhauser Verlag, 2009;107–47CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Bisno, AL. Acute pharyngitis. N Engl J Med 2001;344:205–11CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Johnston, S, Holgate, S. Epidemiology of viral respiratory infections. In: Myint, S, Taylor-Robinson, D, eds. Viral and Other Infections of the Human Respiratory Tract. London: Chapman & Hall, 1996;138Google Scholar
8Foy, M. Adenoviruses. In: Evans, AS, Kaslow, RA, eds. Viral Infections of Humans: Epidemiology and Control, 4th edn.New York: Plenum Medical Book Company, 1997;119–38CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Niederman, J, Evans, A. Epstein–Barr virus. In: Evans, AS, Kaslow, RA, eds. Viral Infections of Humans: Epidemiology and Control, 4th edn.New York: Plenum Medical Book Company, 1997;253–83CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Ozturk, CE, Yavuz, T, Kaya, D, Yucel, M. The rate of asymptomatic throat carriage of group A Streptococcus in school children and associated ASO titers in Duzce, Turkey. Jpn J Infect Dis 2004;57:271–2Google ScholarPubMed
11Ozawa, A, Sawamura, S. Microbial ecology and tonsillar infection. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 1988;454:178–84CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Suzuki, K, Baba, S, Soyano, K, Kinoshita, H. Experimental and clinical studies of causative bacteria in tonsillitis. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 1988;454:185–91CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Gwaltney, JM. Clinical significance and pathogenesis of viral respiratory infections. Am J Med 2002;112:13S18SCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Evans, AS, Dick, EC. Acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis in University of Wisconsin students. JAMA 1964;190:699708CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Centor, RM, Witherspoon, JM, Dalton, HP, Brody, CE, Link, K. The diagnosis of strep throat in adults in the emergency room. Med Decis Making 1981;1:239–46CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Aalbers, J, O'Brien, KK, Chan, WS, Falk, GA, Teljeur, C, Dimitrov, BD et al. Predicting streptococcal pharyngitis in adults in primary care: a systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of symptoms and signs and validation of the Centor score. BMC Med 2011;9:67CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Rees, GL, Eccles, R. Sore throat following nasal and oropharyngeal bradykinin challenge. Acta Otolaryngol 1994;114:311–14CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18Doyle, WJ, Boehm, S, Skoner, DP. Physiologic responses to intranasal dose-response challenges with histamine, methacholine, bradykinin, and prostaglandin in adult volunteers with and without nasal allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1990;86:924–35CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19Enna, SJ, Steranka, LR. Receptors and the common cold. Trends Pharmacol Sci 1989;10:387–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20Sperber, SJ. The common cold. Infect Med 1994;11:235–42Google Scholar
21Steranka, LR, Manning, DC, DeHaas, CJ, Ferkany, JW, Borosky, SA, Connor, JR et al. Bradykinin as a pain mediator: receptors are localized to sensory neurons, and antagonists have analgesic actions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1988;85:3245–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22Viamontes, C. The sickness response: an adaptive brain–body reaction to medical illness. Psychiatr Ann 2010;39:985–96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23Moon, ML, McNeil, LK, Freund, GG. Macrophages make me sick: how macrophage activation states influence sickness behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011;36:1431–40CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Suarez, FR. The clinical anatomy of the tonsillar (Waldeyer's) ring. Ear Nose Throat J 1980;59:447–53Google ScholarPubMed
25Park, HP, Hwang, JW, Park, SH, Jeon, YT, Bahk, JH, Oh, YS. The effects of glossopharyngeal nerve block on postoperative pain relief after tonsillectomy: the importance of the extent of obtunded gag reflex as a clinical indicator. Anesth Analg 2007;105:267–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26Cosens, DJ, Manning, A. Abnormal electroretinogram from a Drosophila mutant. Nature 1969;224:285–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27Caterina, MJ, Schumacher, MA, Tominaga, M, Rosen, TA, Levine, JD, Julius, D. The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway. Nature 1997;389:816–24CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28Story, GM. The emerging role of TRP channels in mechanisms of temperature and pain sensation. Curr Neuropharmacol 2006;4:183–96CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29Banner, KH, Igney, F, Poll, C. TRP channels: emerging targets for respiratory disease. Pharmacol Ther 2011;130:371–84CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30Rentmeister-Bryant, H, Green, BG. Perceived irritation during ingestion of capsaicin or piperine: comparison of trigeminal and non-trigeminal areas. Chem Senses 1997;22:257–66CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31Chung, MK, Jung, SJ, Oh, SB. Role of TRP channels in pain sensation. Adv Exp Med Biol 2011;704:615–36CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32Hwang, SW, Cho, H, Kwak, J, Lee, SY, Kang, CJ, Jung, J et al. Direct activation of capsaicin receptors by products of lipoxygenases: endogenous capsaicin-like substances. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000;97:6155–60CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33Shin, J, Cho, H, Hwang, SW, Jung, J, Shin, CY, Lee, SY et al. Bradykinin-12-lipoxygenase-VR1 signaling pathway for inflammatory hyperalgesia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002;99:10150–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34Sylvester, DC, Rafferty, A, Bew, S, Knight, LC. The use of ice-lollies for pain relief post paediatric tonsillectomy. A single-blinded, randomised, controlled trial. Clin Otolaryngol 2011;36:566–70CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35Eccles, R, Loose, I, Jawad, M, Nyman, L. Effects of acetylsalicylic acid on sore throat pain and other pain symptoms associated with acute upper respiratory tract infection. Pain Med 2003;4:118–24CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36Eccles, R. Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter analgesics in the treatment of common cold and flu. J Clin Pharm Ther 2006;31:309–19CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37Akcay, A, Kara, CO, Dagdeviren, E, Zencir, M. Variation in tonsil size in 4- to 17-year-old schoolchildren. J Otolaryngol 2006;35:270–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38Potter, F. The use of menthol in diseases of the upper air passages. JAMA 1890;14:147–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar