Inflammation of the tonsils is a very common disease that can affect both adults and children. The reasons for it can be a variety of factors. Consider in more detail the symptoms of inflammation of the tonsils and methods of treating this ailment.
Inflammation of the tonsils: causes
Inflammation of the tonsils can occur for the following reasons:
1. The defeat of the tonsils streptococcal infection.
2. Strong hypothermia of the body.
3. Smoking.
4. Strong psycho-emotional overstrain, which led to a decrease in immunity. In this condition, a person becomes more vulnerable to various diseases, including inflammation of the glands.
5. Viral lesions of the tonsils usually lead to acute inflammation.
6. Acute infectious diseases of the nasopharynx (tonsillitis, scarlet fever).
7. Hereditary predisposition to inflammation of the tonsils.
8. Non-compliance with the rules of hand hygiene, which led to a direct infection in the mouth.
9. Foci of inflammation in the mouth or nose (caries, purulent sinusitis, etc.) can also spread pathogenic bacteria and lead to inflammation of the tonsils.
10. An acute shortage of nutrients and vitamins.
11. The use of contaminated water.
12. Inhalation of dirty air and dust (most often this happens with professional activities in poor conditions).
13. Untimely or improper treatment of the acute form of the disease leads to chronic inflammation of the glands.
Inflammation of the tonsils: symptoms and signs
Most often, inflammation of the tonsils is accompanied by such manifestations in patients:
1. The disease develops rapidly. On the first day a person develops weakness and aches in the body. The temperature rises.
2. Gradually, the patient begins to feel discomfort and burning in the throat. After a few days, the glands become red and covered with white or yellow plaque (depending on the cause of the disease).
3. In the throat area, lymph nodes increase significantly. The patient feels all the symptoms of intoxication (nausea, headache, sleep disturbance, muscle pain).
4. If you do not start treatment in the first three days after infection, then a person will have characteristic wheezing in his breath. The voice will disappear.
5. The inflammation of the glands is also characterized by the appearance of acute pain when swallowing. In this case, sometimes the pain syndrome is so strong that the patient literally can not eat and talk.
6. With a severe infection with a bacterial infection, rot odor can be felt. It is also likely that purulent discharge from the glands appears, especially in the morning.
7. Bad taste in the mouth is due to the spread of infection and pathogens in the oral cavity.
Inflammation of the glands: diagnosis and treatment
If the first symptoms of the disease occur, you should immediately contact an otolaryngologist. At the initial appointment, a specialist will examine the oral cavity, tongue and tonsils. He will also ask you to tell in detail about the symptoms of the disease, the duration of its course and the presence of chronic pathologies.
After that, the doctor will prescribe such mandatory diagnostic procedures:
• swab from glands for bacteriological examination;
• general analysis of blood and urine;
• an extended clinical blood test for the presence of streptococcus bacteria;
• identification of immunoglobulins.
Treatment of inflammation of the tonsils is selected for each patient individually, depending on the cause of the pathology, symptoms and general condition of the person. Such therapy, first of all, is aimed at eliminating the pain syndrome and the focus of inflammation.
The traditional treatment of inflammation of the tonsils has the following features:
1. The patient is recommended to observe bed rest, and refuse any physical exertion.
2. In case of lesions of the glands by streptococci and other bacterial microorganisms, the patient should be prescribed antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action. The antibacterial drugs of the penicillin group (Amoxicillin, Ampicillin) help best. If the patient does not tolerate such drugs, then the drug Cephalexin can be used to replace them.
The duration of antibiotic treatment should be 7-10 days. After this, you need to take a second smear from the glands for research and, when the infection is suppressed, antibiotic therapy can be stopped.
3. At high temperature, the patient is prescribed antipyretic drugs (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol).
4. To reduce swelling of the throat, antihistamines should be used.
5. To suppress the virus, you must use antiviral and immunomodulating drugs.
6. Analgesics are prescribed for pain. It can be either oral medications or lozenges for resorption from sore throats (Faringosept).
7. Throat sprays with antibacterial effect (Ingalipt spray, Chlorophyllipt) help very well.
8. After each meal, the patient is recommended to gargle with a warm decoction of chamomile. It has a strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect.
9. During the treatment period, the patient should refuse to eat spicy, fatty, fried and acidic foods, as it will irritate the larynx mucosa and cause even more pain.
Also, you should not eat too cold or hot food, so as not to injure an already sore throat.
In the absence of a positive effect from traditional drug treatment, the patient is prescribed a surgical procedure to remove the tonsils. Typically, this method is used when a person develops breathing problems due to illness (the glands become so large that they block the normal flow of air into the pharynx).
It is important to know, that the operation to remove the tonsils is contraindicated in pregnancy, hemophilia and other blood disorders, as well as in patients with diabetes.
The recovery period after this procedure is usually 1-2 weeks.
Tonsil inflammation: treatment, complications, prevention
If timely diagnosis and treatment are not carried out, then this disease can cause such complications in the patient's condition:
1. Impaired respiratory function.
2. Shortness of breath and dizziness.
3. Chronic weakness and sore throat.
4. Violations of the cardiovascular system.
5. The appearance of rheumatic diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
6. Deterioration of the thyroid gland of the patient.
7. The appearance of failures in the kidneys.
8. Strong intoxication of the body with damage to bacteria and viruses.
9. Due to the fact that with acute inflammation of the tonsils in a patient's throat, streptococci and other dangerous microbes actively multiply, they secrete toxins that enter the patient’s blood.
These dangerous particles are carried through the bloodstream and affect the lymphatic system. As a result, a person may develop inflammation of the lymph nodes, which is also called lymphadenitis.
10. With purulent inflammation of the tonsils, the patient may develop sepsis. This condition is very dangerous. It requires immediate surgical, medical, and sometimes resuscitation treatment.
In order to prevent inflammation of the glands, you should adhere to the following recommendations of the otolaryngologist:
1. Avoid severe hypothermia. Especially need to "warm" the legs, neck and lower back, as they are most exposed to freezing.
2. Stop smoking and take alcohol.
3. Start tempering. Moreover, such procedures should be done gradually. It is best to practice wiping with a cold towel first.
4. Strengthen immunity in every way. To do this, it is useful to start playing sports, take more walks in the fresh air and eat a balanced diet so that the body receives all the necessary nutrients and vitamins.
5. When the first signs of inflammation of the tonsils appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is not recommended to practice self-medication, since first you need to find out the root cause of the disease, and on the basis of this, select the appropriate drugs.
6. When working in poor conditions and inhaling dust, be sure to wear a face shield.
7. Drink only purified water (preferably boiled).
8. It is very important to timely treat those diseases that can lead to inflammation of the tonsils. This especially sways pathologies of the teeth, nasopharynx and sinuses.
9. Refuse the use of cold food and liquids.
10. During periods of outbreaks of respiratory diseases, vitamin complexes and preparations should be taken to strengthen the body's defenses (immunomodulators). They should be prescribed by a doctor. Also, for prevention, you can gargle with decoctions of chamomile, sage or St. John's wort. Do this procedure twice a day (morning and evening).
