Hi

Thanks for the query

It is very unusual to have an extra piece of mucosa hanging besides the uvula, the probable causes being either a water filled mucosal cyst hanging besides the uvula or an inflamed piece of mucosa following snoring.

1. Due to dryness in the throat there are possibilities of blockage of the minor salivary gland present on the soft palate causing retention of the salivary fluid. Excessive accumulation of the fluid and the lax nature of the soft palate lead to drooping down of the mucosal cyst towards the gravity.

2. Secondly, due to excessive vibration of the uvula and the soft palate following snoring, there can be mucosal trauma over certain areas on the soft palate leading to inflammation. This inflamed tissue can be seen as an extra growth of tissue adjacent to uvula.

3. Finally, sore throat and running nose are the features of viral infection, which is usually self-limiting and clears off within a week.

Do not worry! This is not a serious issue and rarely does the extra tag of tissue remains in the soft palate for a long period. I would suggest you to drink plenty of warm water (to re-hydrate the dry mucosa), use saline nasal spray and perform steam inhalation to reduce the nasal congestion and the running nose. You can try taking anti-inflammatory medicines such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen for the sore throat. Avoid coffee, smoking and chilled beverages for a few days. If the symptoms do not subside within a week please do consult your doctor.

Hope I have answered your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

---