BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuRetropharyngeal abscessRetropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. It can be a life-threatening medical condition. Causes Retropharyngeal abscess most often affects children under age 5, but it can occur at any age.Infected material (pus) builds up in the space around the tissues at the back of the throat. This can occur during or very soon after a throat infection. Symptoms Symptoms include:Breathing difficulty Breathing difficultyBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Difficulty swallowing Drooling DroolingDrooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article High fever High-pitched sound when inhaling (stridor) StridorStridor is an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound. It is caused by a blockage in the throat or voice box (larynx). It is most often hea...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscles between the ribs pull in when breathing (intercostal retractions) Intercostal retractionsIntercostal retractions occur when the muscles between the ribs pull inward. The movement is most often a sign that the person has a breathing probl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe throat pain Difficulty turning the head Exams and Tests The health care provider will perform a physical exam and look inside the throat. The provider may gently rub the back of the throat with a cotton swab. This is to take a sample of tissue to check it more closely. It is called a throat culture.Throat cultureA throat swab culture is a laboratory test that is done to identify germs that may cause infection in the throat. It is most often used to diagnose ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Other tests may include:Complete blood count (CBC) Complete blood countA complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan of the neck CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article X-ray of the neck X-rayX-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation, just like visible light. An x-ray machine sends individual x-ray waves through the body. The images...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fiber optic endoscopyFiber optic endoscopyEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Surgery is needed to drain the infected area. Corticosteroids are sometimes given to reduce airway swelling. High-dose antibiotics are given through a vein (intravenous) to treat the infection.IntravenousIntravenous means "within a vein. " Most often it refers to giving medicines or fluids through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. This allows th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article The airway will be protected so that it does not become completely blocked by the swelling. Outlook (Prognosis) It is important to get medical help right away. This condition can lead to blockage of the airway. This is a life-threatening medical emergency. With prompt treatment, a full recovery is expected. Possible Complications Complications may include:Airway obstruction Airway obstructionBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Aspiration AspirationAspiration means to draw in or out using a sucking motion. It has two meanings:Breathing in a foreign object (for example, sucking food into the air...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Mediastinitis MediastinitisMediastinitis is swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the chest area between the lungs (mediastinum). This area contains the heart, large blood...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article OsteomyelitisOsteomyelitisOsteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if you or your child develops a high fever with severe throat pain.Get medical help right away if you have:Breathing trouble High-pitched breathing sounds (stridor) Retraction of the muscles between the ribs when breathing Difficulty turning the head Difficulty swallowing Prevention Prompt diagnosis and treatment of a sore throat or upper respiratory infection can prevent this problem.Open ReferencesReferencesJames P, Hanna S. Upper airway obstruction in children. In: Bersten AD, Handy JM, eds. Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 106.Pappas DE, Hendley JO. Retropharyngeal abscess, lateral pharyngeal (parapharyngeal) abscess, and peritonsillar cellulitis/abscess. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 410.Roginski MA, Atchinson PR. Upper respiratory tract infections. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 61.AllVideoImagesTogThroat anatomy - illustration Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.Throat anatomyillustrationOropharynx - illustration Food passes from the mouth to the oropharynx (back of the throat) to the esophagus.OropharynxillustrationThroat anatomy - illustration Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.Throat anatomyillustrationOropharynx - illustration Food passes from the mouth to the oropharynx (back of the throat) to the esophagus.OropharynxillustrationRelated Information Peritonsillar abscess(Condition)Fever(Symptoms)Abscess(Condition)Aspiration(Special Topic)Breathing difficulty(Symptoms)Osteomyelitis(Condition)Mediastinitis(Condition) Review Date: 11/29/2022 Reviewed By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. 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Retropharyngeal abscessRetropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. It can be a life-threatening medical condition. Causes Retropharyngeal abscess most often affects children under age 5, but it can occur at any age.Infected material (pus) builds up in the space around the tissues at the back of the throat. This can occur during or very soon after a throat infection. Symptoms Symptoms include:Breathing difficulty Breathing difficultyBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Difficulty swallowing Drooling DroolingDrooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article High fever High-pitched sound when inhaling (stridor) StridorStridor is an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound. It is caused by a blockage in the throat or voice box (larynx). It is most often hea...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscles between the ribs pull in when breathing (intercostal retractions) Intercostal retractionsIntercostal retractions occur when the muscles between the ribs pull inward. The movement is most often a sign that the person has a breathing probl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe throat pain Difficulty turning the head Exams and Tests The health care provider will perform a physical exam and look inside the throat. The provider may gently rub the back of the throat with a cotton swab. This is to take a sample of tissue to check it more closely. It is called a throat culture.Throat cultureA throat swab culture is a laboratory test that is done to identify germs that may cause infection in the throat. It is most often used to diagnose ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Other tests may include:Complete blood count (CBC) Complete blood countA complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan of the neck CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article X-ray of the neck X-rayX-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation, just like visible light. An x-ray machine sends individual x-ray waves through the body. The images...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fiber optic endoscopyFiber optic endoscopyEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Surgery is needed to drain the infected area. Corticosteroids are sometimes given to reduce airway swelling. High-dose antibiotics are given through a vein (intravenous) to treat the infection.IntravenousIntravenous means "within a vein. " Most often it refers to giving medicines or fluids through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. This allows th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article The airway will be protected so that it does not become completely blocked by the swelling. Outlook (Prognosis) It is important to get medical help right away. This condition can lead to blockage of the airway. This is a life-threatening medical emergency. With prompt treatment, a full recovery is expected. Possible Complications Complications may include:Airway obstruction Airway obstructionBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Aspiration AspirationAspiration means to draw in or out using a sucking motion. It has two meanings:Breathing in a foreign object (for example, sucking food into the air...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Mediastinitis MediastinitisMediastinitis is swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the chest area between the lungs (mediastinum). This area contains the heart, large blood...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article OsteomyelitisOsteomyelitisOsteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if you or your child develops a high fever with severe throat pain.Get medical help right away if you have:Breathing trouble High-pitched breathing sounds (stridor) Retraction of the muscles between the ribs when breathing Difficulty turning the head Difficulty swallowing Prevention Prompt diagnosis and treatment of a sore throat or upper respiratory infection can prevent this problem.Open ReferencesReferencesJames P, Hanna S. Upper airway obstruction in children. In: Bersten AD, Handy JM, eds. Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 106.Pappas DE, Hendley JO. Retropharyngeal abscess, lateral pharyngeal (parapharyngeal) abscess, and peritonsillar cellulitis/abscess. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 410.Roginski MA, Atchinson PR. Upper respiratory tract infections. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 61.