Cobblestone Throat: Pictures, Causes, Symptoms, Risks & Treatment

Health experts use the term cobblestone in throat to explain the visible lump and bump at the back of your irritated throat. These red bumps are caused by enlarged lymphatic tissues in the adenoids and tonsils, which are pockets of tissues in the back of the throat. Due to the extra mucus in the throat, lymphatic tissues often become irritated or inflamed.

Overview

Sometimes people are worried about some infections that are similar to cancerous ones. Cobblestone in throat, is one of them. A normal person is familiar that an abnormal growth of cells considered cancer when they notice the enlarged tissues, thinking that the formation of the bump is due to the cancerous growth. Fortunately, these red throat bumps are non-cancerous and harmless. 

In this piece of writing, we will discuss all facts about cobblestone throat infection such as Cobblestone Throat Pictures, signs, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, treatment with home remedies and why they are similar to throat cancer?

What is cobblestone throat?

Cobblestone in your throat is merely the inflammation of tissues present in the back of your neck, these tissues look bumpy.

If you see in the mirror the “cobblestone” is fluid-filled tissue that temporarily forms in response to an allergen, infection, or other irritants. 

As it can look distressing, cobblestoning throat is usually risk-free and easy to treat and bumps go away once the causative agents that cause the irritation resolve.

A healthy immune system can play an essential role in getting rid of irritants or germs that typically cause cobblestone in the throat. 

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Cobblestone throat symptoms

As the name suggests cobblestone in the throat has a pebble-like appearance. The bumps may look red, inflamed, or irritated. You will likely to have a sore throat also.

Other symptoms depend on causative agents or reasons for your cobblestone tonsils. They may comprise:

• Fever
• Hoarseness
• Dry cough
• Bad breath
• Feel pain when you talk
• Stuffiness
• You may feel there is something stuck in your throat
• A scratchy or tickly throat
• Pain when you swallow
• Nausea

What causes cobblestone in your throat?

Usually, cobblestone in the throat occurs due to irritation from post nasal drip, which refers to extra mucus dripping down the back of your throat.  Glands secret mucus in the throat and nose. It facilitates moistening dry air cleanses your nasal passage, prevents foreign materials from being inhaled, and trap harmful pathogen. 

Your tonsils are a couple of soft tissues situated in the back of the throat. Your adenoids are the scrap of soft tissue situated elevated in your nasal cavity behind the nose. Adenoids and tonsils stop germs from coming into your respiratory channels. The mucus covers these tissues and your passageways to further lock in germs.

However, in some circumstances, the production of mucus may elevate or create mucus thicker. Accumulation of this extra or thicker mucus, in the back of your throat, resulted in a postnasal drip (The mucus trickles and thickens down your throat), which can cause bumps on back of throat and irritation. These bumps  are an indication of this irritation.

Many things may cause postnasal drip, such as

• Dry and cold air
• Flu
• Allergies
• Respiratory infections
• Certain medications include birth control pills
• Acid reflux
• Vaping or smoking 

Cobblestone throat images

Here are some Cobblestone Throat Pictures that may helps you to understand how its looks in real.

Diagnosis

How cobblestone throat is diagnosed?

Your health expert will examine your throat to make a diagnosis. He will also inquire about symptoms other than the bumps. He possibly can do a throat culture to test for germs (bacteria and viruses) that may be reasoning cobblestone throat, like bacteria or virus. Since viruses are the most common causing factor.

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Treatment

You can treat throat with bumps by eliminating what’s causing postnasal drip and inflammation. Often immune system can cure bacterial and viral infections on its own. If not, your health expert can recommend medication that can help.

You can treat this infection by

• Preventing allergens that can trigger your body’s immune system
• Consuming antibiotics to help get rid of some bacterial infections
• Using non-drowsy antihistamines, decongestants, and OTC (over-the-counter)
• steroid nasal sprays to disintegrate extra mucus
• Losing weight
• Limiting your alcohol intake, but it’s better to quit
• Avoiding acidic foods, like chocolates, tomatoes, and citrus.

For extra mucus-related medication talk to your health experts. He may be able to change your dose or switch it out for different medicines that don’t have the same side effects. Conversely, if your cobblestoning is related to LPR, you may require some lifestyle changes to manage your health regarding cobblestone throat. 
If you still have LPR symptoms, you need to take medicines such as antacids, proton pump, or H2 blockers to lessen stomach acid.

Cobblestone throat HPV

Can HPV cause bumps in back of my throat?

Bumps and lumps can appear anywhere on your body, you may experience a spark of fear of cancer because usually, people with cobblestone throat worry that these bumps are the signs of HPV that become throat cancer. The truth is that the cobblestone throat is not associated with high-risk strains of throat HPV or cancer.

You may have a sore throat if you have red bumps in back of throat, oral cancer, or HPV. Neither, throat cancer nor an oral HPV infection produces the characteristic bump related to cobblestone throat or cobblestone tonsils. You are more probable to notice a throat with bumps or a white or red patch in your throat if you have a high-risk strain of HPV. Typically, HPV doesn’t cause any symptoms. 

If you are concerned about cancer around your throat, inform your health expert if you have any of these symptoms mentioned below, further to cobblestone throat, especially if they do not seem to get away;

• A lump on your neck
• Ear pain
• Hoarseness
• Unexplained weight loss
• Feel trouble while swallowing

Home remedies 

There are many tested and tried home remedies that can help you to lighten cobblestone in the throat symptoms and lessen the bumps and swelling.

1. Gargle with warm salt water mixture

Gargle with warm salt water may help in thinning throat mucus and reducing cobblestone throat. Saltwater has the ability to moisturize your throat tissues with a solution just like our body’s natural saline, so using saline (salt water mixture) can wash your sinuses.

Saltwater will ease throat pain and stop mucus development in the throat and nasal canal. It also helps in the elimination of hazardous germs, bacteria, and viruses from the mouth.

2. Drink lots of warm water

Drink warm liquids such as tea or soup. Hot soups or teas have the ability to thinner mucus and filter out some of the allergens like dust, mold, pollen, etc which irritate your throat.

3. Use throat numbing spray

Numbing spray may help you against sore throat

4. Drink turmeric milk

Turmeric milk is an effective home treatment for throat infections. It can cure colds, sore throats, and chronic coughs and helps reduce pain and swelling. As it has a high potency of oxidation, it can combat a wide range of dangerous infections, diseases, and wounds.  

Gargle with the mixture of salt (1/2 tsp), water and turmeric (pinch) can relieve sore throat. Drink turmeric milk before going to bed is better to combat infection.. 

5. Take apple cider vinegar 

ACV (apple cider vinegar) is acidic in nature, so it has the ability to kill microorganisms present in throat. If the mucus formation is due to an infection AVC can help with cold. A combination of herbal tea with ACV (1 tsp) can relieve the symptoms of sore throat or you can just gargle with  ACV and warm water.

6. Use honey 

Honey has a hypertonic effect, which means it can drag irritated tissues. This helps to reduce inflammation and throat edema.  However, honey has high viscosity it acts as a defensive obstacle against viral and bacterial infections. It has an antioxidant property to speed up your recovery from diseases.   

You can take a spoonful of honey or add a few drops of lemon in water or mix it with ginger extract to overcome cobblestone in the throat.   

7. Drink herbal tea

You can make a herbal tea with two parts cinnamon, two parts ginger, and two parts licorice. Keep this mixture in water for 5 to 10 minutes and drink a minimum of 3 times a day. 

8. Suck on lozenges

Lozenges such as strepsils have numbing, cooling effects on the throat. They can help with throat soreness, nasal congestion, and irritation from a little bump in back of throat.

9. Buy a humidifier for your room

Humidifier is a good option in dry and cold weather. 

Humidifier elevates the moisture in the air, which can stop coughing at night. That’s why it is very effective in the winter. 

10. Drink chicken soup 

This is a common remedy for colds and coughs in homes. Chicken soup’s broth soothes you and helps you to elevate neutrophils (white blood cells that help the immune system’s ability to fight infection) in the blood. 

Chicken soup will ease the pain in the cobblestone throat and thinner the extra mucus in the back of your throat. On top of that chicken soup is yummy.    

Furthermore, this hot liquid’s salt content support fluid retention in the tissues to encourage nasal mucus discharge and hydrate you to hasten your recovery.    

11. Suck garlic 

Garlic has a compound called allicin that can destroy the bacteria and fight the germs that may have caused the infection.

Chewing raw garlic may sound revolting but it really treats cobblestone tonsils

12. Sleep upright 

You can prevent mucus from collecting at the back of your throat and further irritation.

13. Coat your throat with honey 

Honey can help fight bacteria and relieve inflammation. It soothes a sore throat.

Prevention

How can I reduce my risk?

You can follow these tips to prevent cobblestone throat:

• Do not smoke or vape or expose yourself to smoke
• Identify or avoid substances that may lead to your allergies to flare up.
• Take measures to prevent viral and bacterial infection, for example, masking and social distancing as required, avoiding physical contact with infected people, and washing your hands more often.
• Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle such as exercise, adequate sleep (7-9 hours a night), and a nutritious diet. 

What should I expect If I have cobblestone throat?

The red bumps on back of throat should vanish within a week or two weeks if the flu or cold is irritated. Cobblestone throat does not go away may be due to nastier germs, allergies, or acid reflux that your body is having difficulty fighting. If the pumps in back of throat persist, immediately set an appointment with your health expert and get examined.

When should I see my health expert?

If you experience the following conditions set an appointment with your health expert:

• Severe throat pain, especially if you feel severe trouble breathing,
• Your symptoms got worsened after many days of treatment at home. 
• Your symptom has not improved after managing at home.
• If your infant is ill with cobblestone throat, get his checkup done with your health expert immediately. 

FAQs

What is the reason for cobblestone throat?

A. Cobblestoning throat caused by irritation in your throat due to allergic reactions and postnasal drip. These bumps on back of throat go away once what’s causing the irritation determines. 

What does cobblestone look like in the throat?

A. Red bumps on back of throat, a cobblestone appearance, known as “cobblestone throat” is present in some cases. This is a typical irritated, lumpy appearance of the back of the throat. It is visible on visual examination and caused by enlarged lymphatic tissues. 

Can cobblestone throat be left untreated?

A. Cobblestones in the throat can cause difficulty swallowing, sore throat, hoarseness, and coughing. If you left it untreated, pharyngitis can cause serious complications such as tonsilitis bumps (an infection of the tonsil), pneumonia, and laryngitis (a throat infection).   

What causes bumps in the throat?

A.  Appearance of bumps in the back of the throat is generally due to pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx). Common causes of pharyngitis are bacterial or viral infections. Most people with a cobblestone throat have pharyngitis which leads to the throat feeling swollen painful, and irritated.

How do I get rid of cobblestone's throat?

A. Generally, red throat bumps go away on its own within a week. Visit your health expert if it doesn’t. They may assist you in identifying the reason that is causing cobblestones in your throat and suggest treatment.  

Can postnasal drip cause cobblestone throat?

A. Yes, because postnasal drip causes a runny nose only in the back of your throat. The excess mucus irritates and drops down your adenoids and tonsils that cause the tissues to extend and become bumpy.

Is Vaping causing cobblestone throat?

A. Vaping could be caused Cobblestones in the throat as it can expose your body to chemicals that dry out your airways and irritates your sinuses. This irritation may cause post-nasal drip, sore throat, and ultimately Cobblestone Throat. 

What virus causes cobblestone in throat?

A. Cobblestone throat is an infection and approximately, 60 to 90% of cases of pharyngitis are caused by viral infections. Other viruses, for example; herpes, croup, mono, and chickenpox sometimes lead to a throat with bumps on back and swelling.