A 25-year-old woman in China narrowly avoided a life-threatening medical emergency after dismissing a persistent sore throat as a common cold, only to discover she had a severe bacterial infection that was beginning to block her airway.
The woman, identified only by the pseudonym Xiaoxue, first developed a sore throat without any warning. At first, the pain was mild and did not affect her ability to eat or drink, so she assumed it was a minor illness and chose to rest at home without taking any medication.
Over the next two days, however, her condition worsened rapidly. Swallowing became increasingly painful, eventually making it difficult even to swallow saliva. She also began experiencing shortness of breath after climbing stairs or walking quickly.
Despite the worsening symptoms, she did not develop a fever, cough or hoarseness, leading her to believe it was nothing more than ordinary pharyngitis.
When she eventually sought treatment at Xiaoshan First People’s Hospital in Hangzhou, doctors performed a laryngoscopy and CT scan before diagnosing her with peritonsillar cellulitis accompanied by Grade 1 airway obstruction.
Doctors warned that if treatment had been delayed any longer, the swelling could have completely blocked her airway and caused suffocation.
She was admitted to hospital immediately and underwent intensive antibiotic treatment and supportive care before making a full recovery and being discharged.
According to Associate Chief Physician Zhang Wei from the hospital’s Ear, Nose and Throat Department, such cases are more common than many people realise.
He said the department treated 15 similar patients within a single month, with nearly all requiring hospitalisation because the infection develops deep within the tissues, making oral medication less effective while increasing the risk of airway compression.
Unlike ordinary acute sore throats, which affect only the surface lining of the throat, peritonsillar cellulitis occurs when bacteria spread beyond the tonsils into the surrounding soft tissues, causing rapid swelling that can compress the airway.
Doctors said the condition most commonly affects adults aged 20 to 35, particularly those who are sleep-deprived, have weakened immune systems, suffer from recurrent tonsillitis, or frequently smoke, consume alcohol or eat spicy foods.
Medical experts urged the public to seek immediate treatment if a sore throat continues to worsen for more than two days, especially if it is accompanied by severe pain on one side of the throat, difficulty opening the mouth, trouble swallowing saliva, drooling, or breathing difficulties.
They stressed that persistent throat pain should never be ignored, as early diagnosis and treatment can prevent potentially life-threatening complications.
