Swollen Uvula Causes
6. Bacterial Infection
The most common bacteria that affects the throat is streptococcal bacteria. Specifically, Streptococcus pyogenes causes the inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils, leading to what we know as strep throat. Uvulitis can develop in severe cases of strep throat. If you have tonsillitis, for instance, the back of your throat including the uvula can be swollen because of the infection and inflammation. Sometimes, only one tonsil becomes inflamed along with your uvula. In severe cases, this can lead to deviation of the uvula away from the affected tonsil.
Abscesses in the tonsils or within the tissues that surround them (peritonsillar abscess) can also cause uvulitis. They usually present with a deviated uvula, fever, tonsilitis, sore throat, spasms of the jaw muscles (trismus), and “hot potato” voice. Finally, bacterial infections can cause the inflammation of the epiglottis (epiglottitis), which is the tissue that prevents food from entering the windpipe. Epiglottitis can also present with uvulitis.
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