Viral throat infection in winter is a common phenomenon. It can be caused by an adenovirus infection, and in children it is often a complication of measles or influenza. In any case, it must not be left unattended.
Sore throat with a viral disease is its most important symptom. At the same time, it can be quite strong, and with an adenovirus infection, it even prevents a person from drinking, which leads to dehydration. Other symptoms characteristic of viral diseases are also observed. This, for example, is a general deterioration in well-being and weakness.
How to tell one disease from another?
How to determine whether a throat infection is viral or bacterial is of interest to many parents. Of course, only a doctor can make a diagnosis in each specific situation. But there are some nuances that parents themselves should remember.
Bacterial infection always gives a strong inflammatory process. If it is localized in the tonsils of the pharynx, then it is called tonsillitis, if on the mucous membrane of the pharynx - pharyngitis. The cause of both may be a viralinfection. But if there is a microbial infection, then the sore throat appears very quickly, and the temperature rises greatly, up to fever (with a viral infection, the increase will be small).
Bacterial diseases develop very quickly. It happens that a person feels completely normal in the morning, at the same time, by lunchtime he is already in severe pain, there may be difficulties with swallowing. With a viral infection, the state of he alth worsens gradually.
But only a doctor can say exactly what problem a person has encountered in a particular case - after laboratory tests. Indeed, in addition to a viral and bacterial infection, there may also be a fungal one.
Major diseases
There are various viral throat diseases in adults. To understand the symptoms, it is necessary to consider each separately. However, we recall once again that the final diagnosis should be made by a doctor. Moreover, delaying a visit to a specialist is fraught with a deterioration in well-being and the development of pathologies.
Adenoviral infection
It is accompanied by severe sore throat and swollen cervical lymph nodes.
The throat hurts just like with mononucleosis, it hurts to swallow, and, as noted above, dehydration of the body can occur.
The main signs of this disease include:
- gradual development of pain syndrome;
- marked deterioration in general condition;
- appearance of headaches, sometimes muscles and joints also hurt;
- fastfatigue, weakness.
The temperature rises slightly, but a runny nose can be very unpleasant, with copious discharge.
Pharyngitis
Adenovirus is not the only infectious disease of the throat and nose. Often in winter, both children and adults are faced with a pathology such as acute pharyngitis. In about 70% of cases, it is caused by viruses, although a bacterial infection should not be ruled out.
In addition, pharyngitis can be allergic and traumatic. That is, the inflammatory process can be caused by the ingress of a foreign body into the throat, the irritating effect of factors such as tobacco smoke, air into which chemicals from production enter, hot steam.
However, the main cause of pharyngitis is still rhino- and coronaviruses, as well as the parainfluenza virus and some others. And they can really capture not only the mucous membrane of the throat, but also the nose.
Symptoms of a viral throat infection in this case will be as follows:
- dry and scratchy throat;
- moderate pain that gets worse when trying to swallow saliva;
- a slight increase in temperature (with pharyngitis, it rarely rises above 38 degrees);
- cough at first dry, superficial, after a couple of days it becomes wet.
Additionally, a runny nose and symptoms of general intoxication, including headache, may be added. All this is characteristic of catarrhal pharyngitis, which is considered the mildest form of the disease. Existalso granular form. Its symptom is the formation of bright red tubercles (granules) on the mucous membrane. There is also a sore throat with a viral disease.
Subatrophic pharyngitis is more common in older people. With it, the temperature may not rise, but there is a feeling of dryness in the mouth, swallowing is difficult, there is bad breath.
Tonsillitis
It can also be both viral and bacterial in nature. This term is called inflammation of the palatine tonsils. It is manifested by an increase in their size, acute pain in the throat, fever.
In children
The most common viral throat infections in children are laryngitis and pharyngitis.
Laryngitis also starts with symptoms such as dryness and scratchy throat, but its hallmark is a loud cough that can be described as barking. After it, there is a wheezing - another striking symptom of laryngitis. The voice then becomes hoarse, and may even disappear, which indicates inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx. This is what laryngitis is dangerous for a child - inflammation leads to a narrowing of the larynx, and it becomes difficult for the child to breathe.
During sleep, coughing may intensify - this means that the disease becomes severe. All these are characteristic signs of laryngitis. Although, of course, if there is a viral throat disease in children (pictured), only a doctor can make a diagnosis. Moreover, the same laryngitis can haveand allergic nature (then inflammation is also accompanied by swelling of the mucosa). But most often the disease is provoked by various viruses - influenza, measles, and other viruses that spread by airborne droplets.
Another viral throat infection in children is pharyngitis. Most often it is caused by rhinovirus or adenovirus, sometimes influenza. Less common are cases where the cause of the disease is the Epstein-Barr virus.
A feature of acute pharyngitis in children is that it rarely occurs on its own, and is often accompanied by other diseases - for example, acute adenoiditis or tonsillitis. And they just can be caused by a bacterial infection. However, the doctor makes the decision to take antibiotics in each specific case, focusing on the overall clinical picture of the disease.
In young children, acute pharyngitis can be severe, accompanied by high fever. Babies become restless, lose their appetite, their sleep is disturbed. If the child allows his throat to be examined, then you can see that the mucous membrane becomes bright red.
The disease is also characterized by swelling of the posterior pharyngeal wall, in places a mucopurulent secret can be seen on its surface. The cough is dry, there is a sensation of a lump in the throat, the child may have difficulty swallowing.
Interestingly, unlike acute pharyngitis, the chronic form is not of an infectious nature, but can be caused by diseases of the digestive tract.
Treatment
With adenovirus infection and viral pharyngitis or tonsillitisantibiotics won't help. The question arises, how to treat a viral throat disease. In such cases, the doctor prescribes antiviral drugs like Viferon and Novirin. If the disease is accompanied by a temperature, you can drink antipyretics based on paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Other measures should be the same as for bacterial infections. In particular, for severe pain, special lozenges are recommended - local anesthetics containing diclonin, phenol, benzocaine. These components reduce pain sensitivity. Additionally, for the same purposes, menthol is included in the composition of such funds. It softens the throat and thereby reduces pain.
You can buy lozenges. There are several types. For example, these are drugs that contain enzymes that damage bacteria and viruses ("Geksalyz"), as well as drugs belonging to the group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ("Strepfen").
There is a group of medicines, which include lysates - something like "fragments" of pathogens such as pharyngitis ("Imudon"). Preparations of this type increase immunity - when confronted with lysates, the body activates protection. However, such funds are needed only for sluggish forms of the disease.
In the treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis, lubrication of the throat with solutions of protargol, iodinol, collargol can be prescribed. A 1-2% solution of silver nitrite is used. If it's aboutgranular form, then the tubercles described above are cauterized with liquid nitrogen or trichloroacetic acid - such procedures are done only in the clinic.
There are more effective modern methods using a laser. Various physiotherapy treatments may be prescribed, including hydrocortisone inhalations (this is a hormonal corticosteroid drug, so it should only be used with a doctor's prescription).
Phonophoresis with propolis gives good results (by the way, you can gargle with a solution of propolis - this is a fairly effective antiseptic). UHF and ultrasound therapy are also prescribed.
With subatrophic pharyngitis, destructive processes begin that lead to the destruction of the mucosa. It is almost impossible to restore it, but there is a way to alleviate the patient's condition.
In such cases, doctors suggest doing a pharyngeal blockade when drugs are injected that stimulate the formation of mucus (for example, this is aloe with novocaine). Injections are made directly into the mucous membrane, the whole course. Thanks to the production of mucus, the feeling of itching and dryness in the throat disappears.
Scientists have found that the treatment of a viral throat disease is greatly facilitated if mechanical cleaning of the mucosa is regularly carried out. Therefore, you need to gargle as often as possible (within reason, of course). For example, there is a classic recipe - 1 tsp. s alt in a glass of warm water or 1 tsp. soda for the same amount of liquid. There are good pharmaceutical preparations - for example, "Tantum Verde".
To alleviate the symptoms of adenovirus infection, it is recommended to gargle with a decoction of chamomile or sage (1 tbsp of vegetable raw materials per 500 ml of boiling water). Plentiful drinking is also recommended, but only the drink should be warm, not hot. Rosehip tea with honey proved to be a good remedy.
With laryngitis, it is recommended to do inhalations with mineral water, and if breathing is difficult, then use Berodual or other drugs that have a similar effect. But we must remember that inhalation is contraindicated at high temperature.
It is also recommended to protect your voice with laryngitis - you will have to be silent for several days. It is desirable to humidify the air in the room - this will alleviate the patient's condition. If you don't have a humidifier in your home, just hang a wet towel over the radiator.
Treatment in children
Often, parents ask questions to the pediatrician - if a throat infection is diagnosed in children, how to treat it? The modern medical protocol involves the use of three types of drugs - anti-inflammatory drugs, local antiseptics (these are various throat lozenges with analgesic effect), as well as immunomodulating agents.
Shows a sparing diet, which will not include sour, spicy, s alty foods, as well as carbonated drinks. A warm alkaline drink is recommended - for example, milk with honey, mineral water, from which gas is previously released. You need to drink as often as possible. Warm drink softens the throat, helps to restore the inflamed mucosa. On the day of the childdepending on age, you can drink 1.5-2 liters of liquid.
In addition to milk with honey, herbal tea with chamomile is also recommended in the treatment of a viral sore throat. Steam inhalation works well too. However, care must be taken with them so as not to cause a burn of the mucous membrane - it is best to breathe steam over a teapot, in the spout of which a rolled paper cone is inserted. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus and juniper essential oils to the water.
Since viral throat inflammation always occurs, you need to take a drug that will remove such processes. Among these drugs is "Erespal" ("Fenspiride").
It has anti-inflammatory properties, but works differently than corticosteroids or NSAIDs, and therefore lacks their side effects. "Erespal" is produced in the form of tablets and syrup. It is desirable for children to give the second form. The drug acts only on the respiratory tract, it is generally effective and safe.
Helpful tips
Many people are wondering if there are viral throat diseases in adults than to treat. In fact, it would be more correct to ask what to do so that the measures taken will quickly give an effect?
You need to follow these rules:
- Self-treatment of such diseases should last no more than 2-3 days. If the measures taken did not give an effect, then you need to consult a doctor (after all, the cause of the disease may not be a viral, but a fungal infection).
- You need to contact a specialist immediately, without waitingthe end of the three-day period, if the situation worsens and new symptoms appear - rashes, difficulty breathing, if the voice disappears. These may be signs of measles or rubella - adults also get sick, and in a much more severe form than children.
- Never smoke during treatment. This bad habit should be abandoned for another week after the end of the course of treatment, since tobacco smoke contributes to the drying of the mucous membrane, and the inflammation in the throat only intensifies.
- It is forbidden to drink alcohol, soda, sour juices, eat hot or spicy foods so as not to irritate the mucous membranes.
In no case should you take antibiotics just like that, for preventive purposes. If it is a viral disease, then they simply will not help. And if it is bacterial, but the drug was chosen incorrectly, this will only complicate the treatment.
Conclusion
Viral throat disease is common and requires timely treatment. In no case should the disease be ignored, and at the first symptoms it is recommended to consult a specialist to prescribe the correct treatment.
Based on the examination data, the doctor will select not only effective drugs, but also recommend effective procedures. Only an integrated approach will achieve the best result.
