Injury
The uvula may swell and enlarge if it is injured. Intubation, endoscopy, and complications from tonsillectomy are major culprits of damage. During an endoscopy, a surgeon utilizes special equipment to see and treat the body’s interior organs. It enables surgeons to view bodily issues without requiring extensive cuts. For example, through the mouth, a surgeon puts an endoscope (a tube with a built-in camera) that lets the surgeon view the digestive tract. Then, a surgeon uses scissors and forceps to extract tissues for biopsy.
An upper endoscopy may cause throat irritation. Shortly after the procedure, some may experience a cough or a raspy voice and might experience swelling on the uvula and throat.
Uvula swelling can also be linked to the intubation procedure. A medical professional performs intubation on a patient by inserting a tube through the mouth and then into the windpipe. The tube maintains the trachea’s opening, allowing air to pass. A device that distributes oxygen can be attached to the tube. Fluid accumulation, dental damage, vocal cord injury, infection, and throat injury are the possible negative outcomes of intubation.
Tonsillectomy and other surgical operations may cause swollen uvula. This Injury-related uvulitis typically gets well for about two weeks.
