Chronic tonsillitis is an infectious disease that regularly affects the palatine tonsils. Otherwise they are called tonsils. Located on the sides of the velum of the palate, in the depression between the tongue and the soft palate, they are part of the lymphoid pharyngeal ring, which creates a protective barrier for harmful microorganisms that try to enter from the outside.
Causes of inflammation in the tonsils
A systematically repeated, difficult to treat protracted inflammatory process, in other words, a neglected sore throat, leads to the fact that the tonsils cease to cope with their natural functions. Microorganisms that have penetrated inside are not destroyed and are the sources of the onset of the inflammatory process, first acute and then chronic.
The reason for its occurrence are infectious pathogens remaining in the lymphoid tissue of the tonsils and throat after poorly treated acute tonsillitis, the appearance of which occurs due to:
- violations of the naturalnasal breathing, often due to a deviated nasal septum;
- presence of infectious foci in other organs - sinusitis, rhinitis, caries, adenoids;
- deterioration of the immune system;
- overgrowth of polyps.
Possible consequences of the disease
During chronic tonsillitis, the tonsils are characterized by a bright red color, they are enlarged, edematous, compacted, adhesions form in the holes, liquid pus collects and toxins are released. They cannot leave the normal channels, thereby involving other organs (kidneys, skin, intestines), which causes immune disorders and the development of side diseases: sepsis, psoriasis, thyrotoxicosis, eczema.
Chronic tonsillitis is a key cause of frequent pharyngitis, bronchitis, diseases of internal organs (rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, endocarditis), allergic and autoimmune diseases. Under the influence of a constantly present infectious focus, such complications of angina as heart defects and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can develop. Unfavorable clinical conditions, irrational nutrition, hypothermia of the body and, as a result, tonsillitis after tonsillitis act as "provocateurs". The transition of a common disease to the chronic stage is most characteristic of the adult category of the population. It is an adult who, due to the crazy rhythm of life and constant employment, most often suffers diseases on his legs, without thinking what complications of angina may be in the future. Sometimes chronic anginadevelops as an independent disease: microbes that get on the tonsils "settle" in other places: the nose or mouth.
How angina is transmitted
There are several ways in which this disease can be transmitted from one person to another:
- Airborne droplets resulting from social contact. The peak of epidemics is observed in the off-season or in winter - the time when a person most often coughs and sneezes. How is angina transmitted from loved ones? In the process of using some personal hygiene items, dishes or through a kiss.
- Alimentary way - through the use of products infected with staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, before eating, you should always wash your food thoroughly.
- Autoinfection. This is hypothermia, stress, any decrease in immunity, causing the activation of pathogenic bacteria that live on the tonsils of any he althy person.
Symptoms of the chronic form of the disease
Chronic tonsillitis is a disease that requires therapeutic therapy both in the stage of repetitions and outside the periods of exacerbation, because the tonsils lose their protective properties under the constant influence of infection. Exacerbations occur up to several times a year, weakened people can face this process every month. Symptoms specific to this disease:
- discomfort and sore throat;
- red, swollen and hot tonsils with a coating of white or yellow;
- feeling of stiffness when turning the neck;
- increased body temperature;
- difficulty swallowing saliva, water, food;
- hoarse voice;
- abdominal pain;
- appearance of symptoms of intoxication.
Temperature with angina is one of the main signs of an active inflammatory process in the body. In the first 2-3 days, its indicator is often 38-39oС, then it gradually decreases. Sometimes, extremely rarely, there is no temperature with angina. This phenomenon occurs after a severe infection and indicates a pronounced suppression of the immune system.
At the same time, during the period of relapse, untreated tonsillitis may not manifest the above symptoms, but be limited to some deterioration in well-being, tolerable pain when swallowing, which quickly disappear, sometimes even without drug therapy. This does not mean that the disease has left the body. On the contrary, it is in the process of development, which persistently damages he alth. Outside the period of exacerbation, chronic tonsillitis is manifested by periodic bouts of weakness and bad breath.
Treatment of disease
Treatment of tonsillitis is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor and consists in restoring the function of the tonsils themselves and getting rid of concomitant foci of infection.
Conservative therapy consists in the use of special techniques and medicines and consists of a whole range of activities, such as:
- Modern medicine offers hardware treatment for this, most often it is the most effectivemethod for this form of the disease. The essence of this treatment is a special injection, after which the lacunae of the tonsils are cleaned with a vacuum, and the voids formed are filled with a drug.
- Laser therapy, the result of which is a decrease in swelling of the throat and inflammation occurring in the tonsils.
- UVR, considered the most proven and effective method of sanitizing foci of chronic infection, causes the destruction of bacteria, the speedy healing of cells, increased nutrition and blood supply in the treated area.
The above manipulations are carried out in courses of 5 to 15 sessions.
Drug therapy
Drug therapy in the treatment of chronic angina is aimed at destroying the infection, regenerating the immune system and includes:
- Antibiotics. These drugs are taken with bright exacerbations of the disease, until the pathogen disappears completely. Often use "Sumamed", "Azithromycin", "Cefazolin". Belonging to the group of macrolides, such drugs are characterized by high efficiency in treatment and the ability to accumulate in the focus of inflammation - lymphoid tissue. Antibiotics of this group are active against pathogens of frequently aggravated atypical pneumonia and tonsillitis: chlamydia and mycoplasmas. They are also characterized by antimicrobial activity, which is especially useful for preventing oral thrush, which often occurs after long-term use of other antibiotics.
- Probiotics. Contribute to the restoration of microfloraintestines, which positively affects the immune system. Popular drugs - "Bifidum", "Lineks".
- Resorbable tablets, sprays for inhalation.
- Immunostimulating drugs. To increase local immunity in the oral cavity, doctors often prescribe Imudon.
Angina: how to gargle a sore throat?
A mandatory method of therapy in the treatment of chronic tonsillitis is gargling, for which you can use different solutions.
The most simple and effective is the therapeutic composition of s alt, iodine and soda. To do this, a teaspoon of soda and s alt and 5 drops of iodine must be dissolved in a glass of boiled water.
Beetroot juice is a powerful remedy that relieves inflammation and swelling of the throat. To prepare it, you need a glass of beetroot juice and 20 ml of apple cider vinegar. Gargle the sore throat with the resulting composition every 3 hours.
Herbal decoctions contribute to a quick recovery. It can be an infusion of wormwood, plantain, calendula, chamomile or eucalyptus. The composition of elderberry, mallow flowers and sage is also effective. In the pharmacy you can find many ready-made fees. A tablespoon of any of them must be brewed in a glass of boiling water, strained and used for its intended purpose. Of the medicinal formulations in the treatment of angina, "Chlorophyllipt", "Iodinol", "Furacilin", "Lugol", "Miramistin", "Octenisept", "Dioxidin" are effective.
Features of nutrition during the period of illness
Paying attention to the correct use of drugs, you should definitely follow the diet. Food mustbe warm and semi-liquid. An important factor in the treatment of chronic sore throat is a plentiful and warm drink, the action of which is aimed at preventing dehydration of the body and warming up the throat.
When medical treatment is ineffective, as an extreme option, doctors use a surgical method, which consists in partial or complete removal of the tonsils. Avoiding surgery will allow timely access to a doctor.
Folk methods
Drug treatment of chronic angina can be successfully combined with folk methods, proven by more than one generation of connoisseurs of their properties. An effective decoction of sage flowers, plantain and sundew, taken 50 grams each. This composition must be crushed and boiled for a couple of minutes in a liter of boiling water. Then insist for an hour, filter. Take a tablespoon three times a day. Regular consumption of honey, lemon, onions and green onions is very useful.
It is worth increasing the amount of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries in your diet.
Complete examination of the body with angina
In the treatment of chronic angina, not only the oral cavity, but also the gastrointestinal tract should be examined. After all, the tonsils, which ceased to fully fulfill their natural functions, could allow infections to penetrate into the body. If a single sore throat requires regular irrigation of the oral cavity, taking antibiotics, vitamins and other medicines, then with its chronic form in order to identify the causediseases, it is important to go through all medical specialists: from an immunologist to a dentist. After all, the timely detection of foci of infection helps to save a person from many sufferings.
