When talking about the burn of the larynx, most people remember the circus trick in which the fakirs spectacularly swallow the fire and then blow it out, astonishing all their spectators. But, contrary to all stereotypes, such numbers rarely end sadly. Most often, a burn of the larynx occurs in everyday life, as a result of inattention and banal negligence.
Basic information
Burns are damage to body tissues caused by exposure to heat or chemicals. The latter are very often alkalis, s alts of heavy metals, acids, etc.
The burn of the mucous membrane of the larynx is closely related to the burn of the throat. These are not identical concepts, but very close.
A throat burn is an injury to the mucous membrane of this organ. It usually occurs due to the damaging effects of thermal or chemical factors. The most common cause of such a pathology is ordinary negligence.
Burn of the larynx - damage to the epithelium of the said organ. In severe cases, the influencing factor maytouch and such deep-lying tissues as muscles, ligaments and cartilage. The consequences of such injuries are extremely dangerous for a person.
In what situations occur?
Where can I get a burn of the larynx? Most often, such phenomena occur by chance in industrial or domestic conditions. Less commonly, burns are intentional injuries that result from a suicide attempt.
Under production conditions, the pathology in question may occur as a result of human inhalation of vapors of chemical compounds. This is usually due to the fact that the employee of the enterprise did not use personal protective equipment (for example, a respirator).
Types of burns, consequences
Depending on the type of influencing factor, burns are classified into:
- chemical;
- thermal.
Symptoms and first aid for these injuries may vary. However, it should be said that both thermal and chemical damage to the larynx almost always cause immediate pain, and also require urgent medical attention.
If the burn of the larynx has a mild degree of severity, then it can not be treated, since the epithelium of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract quickly heals itself. As for more severe and serious injuries, they often lead to disability and even death.
Possible causes of burns
Why does damage to the larynx occur? Causes of this mucosal burnorgans may be different. However, they are all caused by either chemical or thermal factors.
Chemical burn of the larynx
This kind of injury is quite a serious problem. Most often, the main cause of such a pathology is the intake of strong alcohol or certain medicines.
Few people know, but very often the banal treatment of tonsillitis with alcohol iodine or various tinctures leads precisely to a chemical burn of the throat. After all, the mentioned substances are aggressive elements that can cause serious damage to mucous tissues. The same applies to medicines such as Yoks and Lugol. These preparations are also produced on the basis of iodine. Their use in the presence of severe pharyngitis can easily result in a corresponding injury.
Specific foods that often cause chemical burns include the following:
- vinegar;
- citric acid;
- ammonia;
- acetone;
- soda;
- ethyl alcohol;
- acids and alkalis.
Burning of the larynx with gastric juice is also a common occurrence. In this case, a person can feel severe pain and burning in the chest area for a long time. Such symptoms indicate the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus. Usually, such a pathological process occurs in the presence of gastritis, accompanied by high acidity.
Thermal burn
This type of injury occurs when drinking steep boiling water or too hot food. Alsoa thermal burn of the larynx may well be formed by inhaling hot air. In this case, in addition to damage to the mucous membrane, the victim's general he alth worsens, vision problems develop, and the work of some internal organs is disrupted.
It should be noted that this type of burn is easier compared to chemical. This is due to the fact that hot substances act on the larynx for a short time. Moreover, they are quickly neutralized by cool water.
Injury symptoms
What are the symptoms of a burn of the larynx? Such a pathological phenomenon is practically always accompanied by a painful and intense pain syndrome, which is especially noticeable during swallowing. It is also characterized by burning and unpleasant sensation in the nasopharynx, dyspeptic disorders, profuse salivation, fever, redness and swelling of the mucosa, the appearance of areas of whitening and blisters on it, soreness and enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes, shortness of breath, change in voice tone, cough, palpitations.
Very often, a burn of the larynx with alcohol or other chemicals extends to the lower respiratory tract (for example, to the trachea or bronchi). At the same time, the general condition of the victim is significantly deteriorating.
If the esophagus is injured together with the larynx, the patient may complain of excruciating pain in the chest and epigastric region, prolonged hiccups, belching and heartburn.
When irritatedan impressive number of nerve endings, there are such serious consequences as reflex respiratory arrest. The most severe forms of burns cause toxic shock.
Other signs
Local burn of the pharynx is most often manifested by internal discomfort. If the injury is mild, then it goes away on its own in a few days. If the damage is more serious, then you should consult a doctor.
Thermal injury of the larynx usually occurs when hot food, liquid or hot air is inhaled. The pathology caused by boiling water cannot be isolated. It always spreads to the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, esophagus and trachea. Symptoms of such damage develop rapidly, which causes great discomfort. The victim has a sharp and rather excruciating pain, reflex vomiting, hypersalivation and other characteristic clinical manifestations.
As for the chemical burn, compared to the thermal one, it is less common. Although such a defeat is much more difficult. Moreover, it is much more difficult to treat.
It should be especially noted that burns of the epithelium of the larynx with various chemicals are extremely dangerous for humans. Despite the fact that they manifest clinically similar to thermal injuries, their consequences are much more serious. If chemical elements enter the respiratory tract, dysphonia and dysphagia can develop, as well as breathing problems.
First Aid
Treatment of a burn of the larynx should begin with first aid. Fromits speed and quality depends on the severity of the consequences.
The first thing to do is to establish the damage factor, that is, to find out exactly how the burn occurred. Next, assess the severity of the injury and the condition of the victim. If possible, it is recommended to examine the patient and the site of the lesion. With acid burns, a dry scab is noted on the mucous membrane, and with alkalis, it is jelly-like, moist.
The first emergency treatment for thermal injuries of the larynx is the usual use of crushed ice, cool water or gargling with anesthetics. The second option is most often used, since cold liquid is always available. Drinking water during a burn can stop its spread into the tissues. It should be drunk in small sips, holding it near the damaged area as long as possible.
If the victim managed to find pieces of ice, then they must be slowly absorbed in the mouth. To eliminate the pain syndrome, the use of a solution of novocaine or lidocaine also helps well.
First aid for chemical burns should be aimed at neutralizing alkalis and acids that have entered the human body. For acid injuries, a soda solution is used, and for alkaline injuries, a solution of acetic or citric acids. They also wash the stomach of the victim, give a glass of milk and a small amount of vegetable oil.
In order to at least slightly alleviate the patient's condition, it is desirable to provide him with fresh air. Also, the victim is advised to comply with the regimesilence and exclude from your diet foods that irritate the affected mucosa.
Inpatient treatment
How to treat a burn of the larynx in a hospital? Such injuries, namely 2 and 3 degrees of severity, should be eliminated by taking the following groups of drugs:
- painkillers ("Lidocaine", "Analgin", "Trimekain", etc.);
- sedatives ("Persen", "Afobazol", "Valoserdin");
- detoxification (glucose-s alt solutions, etc.);
- sulfonamides;
- broad-spectrum antibiotics;
- glucocorticosteroids ("Hydrocortisone", "Prednisolone");
- antiseptic ("Anestezin", "Akvalor", "Miramistin");
- antihistamines ("Suprastin", "Dimedrol");
- accelerating the regeneration and epithelization of tissues ("Retinol", "Aaevit", "Solcoseryl", "Aekol", "Methyluracil").
Folk methods
Traditional medicine is used only for the treatment of burns of the 1st degree of severity. For this purpose, procedures such as:
- cold compresses on throat area;
- rinsing with decoctions of medicinal herbs;
- irrigation of affected tissues with rosehip or peach oil;
- greasing the throat with sea buckthorn or olive oil;
- oil inhalation.
Surgery
Operations for burns of the larynx are extremely rare. As a rule, surgical intervention is indicated only in especially severe cases, when drug and local therapy do not have the desired effect. It should be remembered, however, that surgicalpractical methods are always fraught with the formation of scars and ulcers, as well as serious deformities leading to dysfunctions of the affected organ.
