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I have uvula swelling due to drug side effects. How to treat it?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I have had a swollen uvula for four weeks with a lump in my neck and dry mouth due to the medication. It is not painful.

Also, I have a sore, scratchy throat.

Kindly help.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The uvula is reddish, inflamed, and swollen with the posterior part of the soft palate. You may have a dry mouth due to the medication. Please list the medications you are taking and their intended purposes. And I have a few questions to ask-

  1. Do you have any allergies to dust, cold, or anything?
  2. Do you have any nasal obstruction or nasal problems?
  3. Do you have any difficulty in swallowing?
  4. Did you see a doctor for this?

I recommend warming saline water and gargling five to seven times daily. Please reply with the answers so that I can help you with the proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Take care.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I take Sertraline (Zoloft) for anxiety and panic attacks. The only allergy I am aware of is hay fever, and I am not aware of any known winter allergies.

I do not have difficulty swallowing. It just feels like something is at the back of my throat because my uvula is touching my tongue. I snore, as I have a deviated septum. I have been using Difflam and saltwater, but it's not working.

I have seen GP. They have done swabs to rule out infection, which came back negative. I am scared it might be cancer.

Kindly help.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It looks like an inflammatory, non-malignant lesion. Please note that cancer grows rapidly, and it is usually painless and often associated with an ulcer.

The base of the uvula is swollen. Thus, it came down to the tongue. That is why I think the source is probably above in the nasopharynx. The soft palate is inflamed as well.

Please quit smoking or chewing habit if you have. Difflam is good, but I advise you to gargle with one percent Povidone-iodine mouthwash and continue warm saline water gargling. It has to reach and wash the uvula well. If it does not improve, then you should see an ENT (ear, nose, throat) surgeon.

Take care.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

Could snoring possibly cause this irritation?

Yes, my throat is always worse in the mornings but does not go down. My concerns are-

  1. Can it be due to an allergy?
  2. What is the lump next to the uvula?
  3. Are the lymph glands swollen because of the inflammation?

I do not drink alcohol or smoke. I am just unsure what can be causing it. I am worried whether my anxiety is making it worse, but it does not look sinister.

Kindly help.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Yes, snoring could be responsible for taking longer to heal, but the source could be behind the nasal aperture. In patients with a deviated nasal septum, it is common to have nasal problems, and often they complain that one of the nostrils is blocked. It shifts from left to right, but seldom do they have both open.

It is difficult to comment on the lump without the examination, you can understand, and I do not want to make any false diagnosis. But lymph nodes do not appear here.

You can try Povidone-iodine nasal spray along with gargling. Anxiety can delay the healing. Therefore, it is advisable to consult an ENT specialist for a proper diagnosis. He can also provide solutions for the snoring.

Take care.

Medically reviewed byDr. Vinodhini J.

Published At January 23, 2021
Reviewed AtOctober 24, 2025

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Mohammad Emranul Islam
Dr. Mohammad Emranul Islam

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

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