Swollen Uvula

The word uvula is derived from the word "uva", a Latin word meaning little grape. Uvula is small projection hanging at the back of the throat. It is made up of connective tissues which further consists of racemose glands. Its main function is in the articulation of the sounds in the speech. It assists in eating and swallowing. When swollen, it expands 3 to 5 times more than its actual size. It is closely related to tonsillectomy. Both are mouth disorders and dysfunction of one of the organs can affect the other.

Causes

• Consuming alcohol in excess.
• Smoking
• Dehydration
• Viral and bacterial infections
• Tonsillitis and various allergies
• Snoring
• Acid reflux
• Throat infections

Treatment
As soon as you realize that you have this condition, consume ice creams. Drink lots of water as lack of water is one of the reasons for its swelling. You can drink different juices for hydrating your parched system. If the place where you live has dry weather, you can get a humidifier fixed in your home. Chewing of chips of ice can help. Ice will make the throat numb and will help in reducing the swelling. Gargle with warm water containing salt. Gargling should be done only after chewing ice chips. Make sure that the water is not too hot as it can hurt the organs present inside the throat. In a glass of chilled water, add a pinch of turmeric and mix it well. Drink this water which will prove beneficial for reducing the swelling. It will help in alleviating the accompanying disorders like cold or any kind of respiratory illness.

Applying honey will definitely help in curing the swelling. For a few minutes during the day, chew garlic. This treatment will take a week for reducing the swelling, nevertheless it is effective most of the time. Most of the time, the healing takes around 8 to 12 hours without any kind of medical treatment. But, is some cases, if the swelling is intense, appropriate medical treatment, at the earliest, is a must. In severe cases, the doctor might suggest the removal of uvula.

Swollen uvula can cause a problem in breathing, eating and swallowing. In some cases, it is known to cause sleep apnea. While suffering from this ailment, consumption of fried foods and meat should be completely avoided. If you are experiencing recurring problem, it may be a serious problem and visiting an ENT specialist becomes mandatory.