Acute Epiglottitis Quiz
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Choking on saliva/spit
My throat is red
Throat pain when talking
Sore throat
Have a fever
Shortness of breath
Hoarse voice
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Acute Epiglottitis?
The epiglottis is a cartilage flap over the windpipe. Acute epiglottitis refers to life-threatening inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis, which can result in airway blockage. It can be caused by infection or injury (e.g., scalding or burning). It can affect anyone, but infants and the elderly are more vulnerable.
Typical Symptoms of Acute Epiglottitis
- Thick, muffled voice
- Fever
- Drooling
- Difficulty speaking due to pain
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
- Throat redness
- Sore throat
Diagnostic Questions for Acute Epiglottitis
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Is your voice muffled or unclear when talking?
- Do you have a fever?
- Do you drool due to difficulty swallowing saliva?
- Is speaking difficult because of pain?
- Do you have difficulty swallowing?
Treatment of Acute Epiglottitis
Emergency medical attention in a hospital is required. Initial treatment focuses on securing the airway to enable breathing. This may be done by wearing an oxygen mask, inserting a tube into the windpipe, or in severe cases, inserting a needle through the windpipe to create a passage for air to enter. Antibiotics and pain medications are also used.
Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency Medicine)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hard to swallow saliva
- Throat pain
- My body is hot
- Swallowing difficulties
- Recurrent fevers
- Hoarseness
- Periodic fever (>100.4°F / 38°C)
- Drooling (unable to swallow)
- Food stuck in my throat
- Fever then no fever then fever again
- Difficulty swallowing saliva
- Remittent fever of 102.2°F / 39°C
- Extremely high fever of 106.7°F / 41.5°C or higher
- Nasal regurgitation
- Difficulty speaking due to pain
See full list
Symptoms Related to Acute Epiglottitis
Diseases Related to Acute Epiglottitis
FAQs
Q.
Pain in Your Adam’s Apple? Why it’s Sore and Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Soreness over your Adam’s apple is usually from common, treatable issues like laryngitis, sore throat, acid reflux, or neck muscle strain, but thyroid inflammation, injury, or rare epiglottitis can also be causes, so there are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Medically approved first steps include resting your voice, staying hydrated, managing reflux, using appropriate over the counter pain relief, humidifying the air, and gentle neck care. Seek urgent evaluation for trouble breathing or swallowing, drooling, high fever, severe or worsening pain, a growing lump, unexplained weight loss, or hoarseness lasting more than 3 weeks, and find complete next steps and what to expect at a visit below.
References:
* Kim DD, Chang Y, Kim JH, et al. Differential diagnosis of anterior neck pain: current concept. J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Jul 6;35(26):e216. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e216. PMID: 32627409; PMCID: PMC7336151.
* Lechien JR, Finck C, Cali C, et al. Laryngopharyngeal reflux: an update in diagnosis and management. Laryngoscope. 2021 Jan;131 Suppl 1:S1-S12. doi: 10.1002/lary.29295. Epub 2020 Nov 2. PMID: 33136270.
* Nishihara E, Miyauchi A, Matsuzuka F, et al. Subacute thyroiditis: characteristics of 856 patients managed at a single institution. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Nov;91(11):4227-31. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-0545. Epub 2006 Aug 1. PMID: 16882743.
* Sherif N, Smith ME. Laryngeal trauma: diagnosis and management. Clin Otolaryngol. 2019 Jun;44(3):327-332. doi: 10.1111/coa.13327. Epub 2019 Apr 12. PMID: 30873617.
* Hameed M, Yaddanapudi S, Singh T, et al. Laryngeal perichondritis: an unusual presentation of head and neck infection. Case Rep Otolaryngol. 2013;2013:626189. doi: 10.1155/2013/626189. Epub 2013 Nov 26. PMID: 24371457; PMCID: PMC3867623.
Q.
Throat Closing? Why Your Epiglottis Is Swollen & Medical Next Steps
A.
A swollen epiglottis can make your throat feel like it is closing; common triggers include bacterial infection, severe allergy, or throat injury, and it can quickly block breathing, so urgent medical care is essential. There are several factors to consider, including red flag symptoms that mean go to the ER now and what treatment usually involves, like airway support, IV antibiotics, and steroids. For step by step next steps, risks, and when to call emergency services, see the complete guidance below.
References:
* Bhatia P, Kashyap B, Marwaha K, Gupta P. Acute epiglottitis in adults: a review of the current evidence. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022 Jan;11(1):15-19. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1427_21. PMID: 35110825; PMCID: PMC8922904.
* Patel M, Bhatia P, Shah V. Acute epiglottitis: a review of current management. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2020 Jul-Sep;36(3):305-310. doi: 10.4103/joacp.joacp_37_19. Epub 2020 Jul 15. PMID: 32677931; PMCID: PMC7458117.
* Shah RK, Lander L, Nixon A. Acute epiglottitis in children: current concepts in diagnosis and management. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Dec;25(6):467-472. doi: 10.1097/MOO.0000000000000407. PMID: 28989599.
* Gulraiz A, Khan FA, Khan AS, Hussain M, Awan NR, Hassan SM. Adult Epiglottitis: A Review of Current Literature. Cureus. 2018 Apr 17;10(4):e2499. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2499. PMID: 29778235; PMCID: PMC5999268.
* Solomon P, Sethi R, Patel A, Sethi S. Acute epiglottitis in adults: a review of diagnosis and management. Emerg Med J. 2015 Jan;32(1):44-8. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2013-203362. Epub 2014 Aug 29. PMID: 25166418.
Q.
Throat feel blocked? Why your epiglottis is swollen & medical next steps
A.
A blocked or tight throat can be from a swollen epiglottis that narrows the airway, often from bacterial infection but also from allergies, burns or smoke, viral illness, or reflux, and it may progress quickly with severe throat pain, painful swallowing, drooling, or noisy breathing. Seek emergency care now for any breathing trouble, drooling, or rapid worsening; otherwise arrange an urgent same day evaluation since treatment may include antibiotics, steroids, and close airway monitoring. There are several factors to consider that can affect the right next steps for you, with important details below.
References:
* Al-Mutairi A, Al-Otaibi F, Al-Qahtani A, Aldokhayel S. Acute Epiglottitis: A Review of Diagnosis and Management. Cureus. 2020 Apr 16;12(4):e7672. doi: 10.7759/cureus.7672. PMID: 32313647; PMCID: PMC7161676.
* Kim S, Kim M, Lee SY, Jeon YJ. Acute Epiglottitis in Adults: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 3;11(1):218. doi: 10.3390/jcm11010218. PMID: 35011928; PMCID: PMC8750892.
* Shah RK, Roberson DW, Arcand P. Acute Epiglottitis: Changes in Epidemiology and Management. Laryngoscope. 2018 Sep;128(9):2044-2047. doi: 10.1002/lary.27218. Epub 2017 Aug 22. PMID: 28833180.
* Di Capua B, Peroni R. Acute epiglottitis in adults: a retrospective study. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2017 Oct;37(5):387-391. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-1433. PMID: 29019914; PMCID: PMC5666750.
* Adnet P, Delore V, Maignan M, Baud M, Baudry T, Vacher S, Vessiere D, Goujon M, L'her E. Epiglottitis in Adults: Still a Potentially Life-Threatening Condition. J Int Med Res. 2014 Apr;42(2):331-7. doi: 10.1177/0300060513518536. Epub 2014 Jan 24. PMID: 24760822; PMCID: PMC4006138.
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Jan L, Boute P, Mouawad F. Pasteurella multocida acute epiglottitis. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2021 Mar;138(2):100-102. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2020.06.008. Epub 2020 Jun 27. PMID: 32600824.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879729620301472?via%3DihubAllen M, Meraj TS, Oska S, Spillinger A, Folbe AJ, Cramer JD. Acute epiglottitis: Analysis of U.S. mortality trends from 1979 to 2017. Am J Otolaryngol. 2021 Mar-Apr;42(2):102882. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102882. Epub 2021 Jan 4. PMID: 33429180.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0196070920305767?via%3Dihub