Acute tracheitis is a clinical syndrome due to which the mucous membrane of this organ becomes inflamed. Such symptoms are a manifestation of respiratory infections, which can be both acute and chronic. Most often, tracheitis occurs in the winter, autumn and spring seasons.
What is tracheitis?
As mentioned above, tracheitis is a process that affects the lining of the trachea. In adults, this disease does not occur in isolation. Most often, it joins pharyngitis and laryngitis, forming laryngotracheitis and so on. How long acute tracheitis lasts depends entirely on its form. Chronic illness is protracted, so it usually lasts longer. It also affects the state of the immune system. The more actively the body will fight this inflammation, the faster the person will feel relief. As a rule, with timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable. The duration of the disease varies up to 2 weeks.
There are several types of acute tracheitis. There are viral, bacterial, infectious,allergic, as well as bacterial-viral and infectious-allergic tracheitis.
If we talk about the combination with other diseases, then tracheobronchitis is known, that is, inflammation of the bronchi and trachea at once; larengotracheitis, disease of the trachea and larynx; pharyngotracheitis is an inflammation of the nose, pharynx and trachea. As already explained earlier, the disease is acute and chronic. Consider each form separately.
Acute disease
The most common is acute tracheitis. In its symptoms and course, it resembles acute respiratory infections. This disease occurs suddenly, and a person is ill with it for about 2 weeks. When the right treatment is not carried out, this disease becomes chronic. It manifests itself in remission and exacerbations.
Chronic tracheitis
He is a consequence of the acute form of the disease. Exacerbation is facilitated by smoking, alcohol, decreased immunity, poor ecology and professional factors, diseases of the heart and kidney systems, chronic runny nose, sinusitis, and so on. It should be noted that when hypertrophic tracheitis occurs, the vessels in a person begin to expand, respectively, the mucous membrane increases very much in size. The secretions become intense. A person may have sputum with pus. Chronic atrophic tracheitis causes an effect in which the mucous membrane is greatly depleted. It becomes gray in color, acquires a smooth shiny appearance. Covered with crusts and causes coughing. Very often this type of disease occurs withairway inflammation. In order to prevent the development of a chronic form, treatment of acute tracheitis should be started on time. Symptoms in adults are pronounced.
Causes of disease
Most often, the causes of tracheitis are laryngitis, pharyngitis and rhinitis. Thus, it is caused by staphylococci, streptococci and others. If poor treatment is carried out or it is completely absent, then this process extends to the trachea. Accordingly, tracheitis occurs. In addition, cold or too humid air, irritation of the respiratory tract with gases or vapors, allergens, hypothermia, tobacco smoke, air dustiness, and too long exposure to a damp room can provoke an acute stage of the disease.
Acute tracheitis, which is associated with allergic factors, is a common reaction of the body in response to the inhalation of allergens. We are talking about pollen, wool, chemical compounds, the content of various industrial wastes in the air, as well as dust.
Tracheitis symptoms
The most important indicator of acute inflammation is a cough. It intensifies in the morning and at night. At first it is dry, then sputum begins to stand out. It should be noted that during an attack of coughing, a person feels very severe pain in the sternum and in the throat. Because of this, he has problems with the respiratory system. At the same time, breathing itself becomes superficial and tachycardia appears.
Symptoms of acute tracheitis imply thata person's condition worsens, his temperature rises, drowsiness and weakness appear. The patient quickly gets tired, the lymph nodes also increase in size. In addition, it should be noted that there may be back pain between the shoulder blades, insomnia, a burning sensation in the throat, a hoarse voice, as well as wheezing in the lungs, a very severe runny nose and sweating. The skin may turn gray, appetite worsens.
More information
As for the chronic form of the disease, it should be noted that when a person coughs, pus or mucous contents are released, and the mucous throat swells.
It should be noted that cough is a symptom of any inflammatory process that affects the trachea, bronchi, lungs, and also the larynx. Very often with tracheitis, sputum does not come out on its own, as it is formed a little. When visiting a doctor, patients complain of dry mouth, itching, burning, and tickling in the throat.
Complications
If a person has been diagnosed with acute tracheitis, and treatment has not come, then complications may appear. Very often, various changes and neoplasms associated with the trachea occur as them. However, they can be both benign and malignant. They arise due to the fact that there is a constant inflammatory process, and also due to changes in the mucous membrane.
As a consequence, diseases such as emphysema, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, as well as some mixed types of diseases should be noted. May occurendotracheal neoplasms.
Diagnosis of disease
If a person shows signs of inflammation, it is necessary to consult a therapist. Most likely, after a physical examination, he will advise you to contact an otolaryngologist. Some tests need to be done. After the causes are analyzed, acute tracheitis will be easy to approve or refute.
As a rule, this disease is diagnosed very quickly, but sometimes additional examinations may be needed. However, this is only if the patient came too late.
Most often, doctors recommend taking an x-ray, which will rule out pneumonia, laboratory tests of sputum, which will make it possible to identify the cause of the disease. They will also allow you to understand which antibiotics for acute tracheitis can be prescribed. Spirometry is necessary in order to understand whether there is a place for bronchial asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease.
Treatment
Most often, mild and moderate forms of tracheitis are treated at home. Even if we are talking about a combination with other signs of infection. Treatment should identify and eliminate the cause of the disease. It could be an allergen, bacteria, or a virus. Therapy should stop the symptoms, as well as prevent the development of the chronic form and the occurrence of complications.
In order to achieve the most effective solution, it is necessary to use drugs that are available in the form of aerosols. With this form, you canprocess all parts of the trachea and bronchi directly. Such treatment of acute tracheitis will be the most successful.
If we are talking about tracheitis, which develops due to bacteria, then antibiotics are used. Antiviral agents are necessary in order to stop a viral-type ailment, and antiallergic drugs, respectively, are used for an allergic disease. It is also necessary to prescribe expectorants.
Antibiotics are prescribed only in case of a bacterial infection. In order to understand this, it is necessary to pass tests. Results usually come after 1-2 weeks. However, during this period, the disease still needs to be treated. Acute tracheitis can dramatically give complications, so you can not wait. It is possible to assume the development of a bacterial infection by some symptoms: a high temperature that lasts more than 3 days, increased white blood cells.
Examples of drugs
Among antipyretic drugs, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Aspirin or Analgin are often attributed. However, they can only be used if the temperature is raised to 38 degrees. They allow you to get rid of some of the symptoms of acute tracheitis. Treatment should be supplemented with some drugs.
From antiallergic doctors often choose "Tavegil", "Suprastin" and others. These drugs are prescribed for viral tracheitis, as well as for acute respiratory infections. However, they are only necessary if such diseases were caused due to an allergic component. An antiviral agent such as "Arbidol" or"Interferon" is prescribed when tracheitis occurs due to a viral infection. During treatment, you must follow a diet. You can not eat fatty, spicy and fried, you can drink warm drinks and in large quantities. It is necessary to put mustard plasters on the chest area, carry out wet cleaning in the room and constantly ventilate.
Treatment with folk remedies
Thanks to traditional medicine, if not cured, then stop the symptoms of various respiratory diseases. However, before using various herbs and tinctures, you should consult your doctor. You can use licorice root. This drug improves the expectorant and antitussive properties of the body. A tincture of this root can reduce the number of attacks and also make them most effective.
You can gargle with onions. It is necessary to take the husk (two tablespoons), pour boiling water over it and leave for a couple of hours in a thermos. They need to gargle. Mineral water can be used for inhalation. However, it must be alkaline. Such actions will help to remove sputum that accumulates in the bronchi and trachea, and also moisturize the mucous membrane.
If we are talking about allergic tracheitis, then it is necessary to use blackberries. You need to pour two tablespoons of boiling water and let the tincture brew for about one hour. This solution should be drunk instead of tea. This allows you to get rid of the symptoms of acute tracheitis. Reviews of the treatment method are excellent.
Can be appliedmustard foot baths. It is necessary to pour mustard into socks and put on your feet. You can also make a compress of honey, mustard and vegetable oil. You need to take them one tablespoon at a time, mix and heat in a water bath. You should add one and a half tablespoons of vodka to this solution, wrap the resulting mixture in a cloth and make a compress, leave it overnight.
Preventive measures
Prevention of tracheitis, both acute and chronic, should be aimed at quickly eliminating the causes of this disease. Especially, people who have a predisposition to the occurrence of diseases associated with the respiratory tract should be concerned.
- It is necessary to avoid hypothermia, as well as large crowds of people during the development of the infection.
- Keep a he althy lifestyle.
- Get rid of bad habits.
- You should harden your body, for example, douse yourself with cool water.
- If ARI or ARVI develops, then it is necessary to start treatment on time, otherwise it can lead to tracheitis.
- Chronic foci of infection need to be eliminated in time, as well as their complications. Then you won't have to think about how to treat acute tracheitis.
Accordingly, you need to eat right, be attentive to your he alth, then no such problems will arise. You also need to remember that the treatment and causes of infection can only be established by a specialized doctor after the tests. Under no circumstances should youself-medication, otherwise it may lead to more serious consequences.
