About two million people, including more than half a million children, suffer from inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, or laryngitis, every year. At the same time, many do not know how adults and children tolerate it, what are the symptoms of the disease and how to properly treat it. Some are even interested in whether it is possible to get rid of the disease with the help of traditional medicine or whether it is necessary to immediately call a doctor.
To answer such questions, one should consider the pathology itself in more detail.
Features
The larynx is the tube between the pharynx and the trachea. It is made up of cartilage, ligaments, muscles and joints. Its top during swallowing movements is closed by a thin elastic cartilage - the epiglottis.
This organ includes vocal cords connected to its cartilage. The epithelial tissue that covers the inside of the tube cleans the air for breathing through cilia.
The larynx is also involved in the formation of sounds, takes part in the process of swallowing. With laryngitis, these functions will be impaired to one degree or another, which will determine the choice of method to combat the disease.
Causes and conditionsoccurrence
There are two main forms of laryngitis - acute and chronic. Let's take a closer look.
Pathology acquires an acute form as a result of hypothermia, excessive tension of the vocal cords. The mucous membrane of the larynx can be affected by a fungus or mixed bacterial-viral infections. The causative agents of the disease can be viral infections such as influenza and parainfluenza, measles, coronaviruses and rhinoviruses.
Laryngitis takes on a chronic form as a result of constant exposure to such irritating factors on the mucous membrane of the organ:
- Dust, tobacco smoke, harmful fumes and gas.
- Excessive voice tension in people working in the constant noise of technological equipment, singers, teachers and lecturers.
- Persistent cough as a result of chronic pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.
The danger of a pathological process increases if there is a predisposition to it as a result of reduced immunity, intestinal and gastric diseases, allergies, voice changes in adolescence.
Adult patients most often suffer from laryngitis as a result of vocal strain, exposure to harmful substances (dust, allergens and toxins), after infectious diseases.
For many, this disease is a consequence of professional working conditions. Its frequency does not depend on sex and age. Everyone gets sick the same way.
Chronic laryngitis can take a form that requires the identification and treatment of the underlying cause to be successful.
Classification of pathology
The main forms of leakage are acute and chronic. The first includes subglottic, catarrhal and infiltrative laryngitis. Let's take a closer look.
Most often, children and adults develop acute catarrhal laryngitis as a result of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx. The aggravation occurs against the background of a cold and tension of the voice. He becomes hoarse, his throat tickles. The sensation of the presence of a foreign object in the larynx does not leave.
The temperature rises slightly. The disease is accompanied by a dry cough, with time expectoration of sputum begins. With the development of the disease, inflammation can affect the subglottic region, in which case the release of pus begins. With laryngitis, in case of timely access to a doctor, the prognosis looks quite favorable.
Acute infiltrative laryngitis is less common. In this case, all parts of the larynx become inflamed, from the ligaments and muscles to the perichondrium. If the patient has recently had a viral infection, the mucous membranes are damaged and minor injuries, which are breeding grounds for the bacterial flora. The reduced immunity of the patient contributes to the acceleration of the process.
The disease is accompanied by pain during swallowing movements, significant voice changes, manifestations of intoxication, high fever. When a cough occurs, there is a discharge of thick purulent sputum. Breathing is disturbed. Submandibular and cervical lymph nodes are enlarged. With the course of purulent laryngitis (onphoto) without fever also requires a referral to a specialist and treatment.
Causes of acute phlegmonous laryngitis
Inflammation is caused by the action of pathogenic bacteria. The cause of purulent laryngitis can be trauma and burns of the organ, the ingress of a foreign body into it. In addition, the disease can occur as a complication of syphilis, tuberculosis, cancer of the larynx, tonsillitis.
Suppuration begins in areas of a well-developed submucosal layer, after which it spreads further. If the area of inflammation is limited, an abscess may occur.
The disease is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the patient's condition, constant high fever, weakness, pain in the larynx, shortness of breath. The patient must be urgently hospitalized. The need for surgical intervention is not ruled out.
Children's disease
The defeat of subglottic laryngitis (aka false croup) occurs at the age of 5-8 years. The state of fiber in the subvocal region of the children's larynx is characterized by increased friability and is easily susceptible to the irritating influence of negative external factors and infections. The already narrow passage of the tube narrows even more with pathology (stenosis). With the horizontal position of the child's body, the swelling increases. This explains the attacks of suffocation at night. They can be renewed during sleep.
To facilitate breathing, it is enough to provoke a gag reflex in a child by pressing a spoon on the root of the tongue. To prevent seizures from recurring, the baby's body must be given a semi-recumbent position.position, calm him down.
At the beginning of the disease, the upper respiratory tract becomes inflamed, the nose is stuffed up, a cough appears, the temperature ranges from 37.1 to 38 degrees. During the day, the condition of the child does not cause concern. At night, it will not be possible to avoid attacks of suffocation, cyanosis of the nose and nails, coughing, shortness of breath. This can last from several minutes to an hour. This is followed by a recession of the attack, sweat is plentiful, the child calms down and falls asleep. However, everything can resume again.
Treatment of children
Home remedies for acute purulent laryngitis in children are categorically contraindicated. The child must be hospitalized. Therapy in a hospital is based on taking antibiotics. A positive effect is given by inhalations from mixtures of drugs that reduce swelling. Antihistamines and sedatives are used.
Treatment of children from laryngitis is the task of district otorhinolaryngologists and pediatricians. Parents should understand that it is for babies that the complications of the disease can cost their lives. Already the first signs of pathology should be the reason for contacting a specialist. And if the doctor suggests hospitalization, you cannot refuse it, because in the future the condition of a sick child can worsen almost instantly, and the ambulance team cannot always arrive on time.
But when prescribing outpatient treatment, you should ask what symptoms should be the impetus for calling an ambulance.
There is no special treatment for home treatment. You need to focus on the condition of the child. If it is normal, short walks are recommended. Fresh air is simply necessary for the patient, so the room where he is located needs regular ventilation. It is advisable to use a humidifier. During periods of attacks of false croup, the child should be calmed, placed in the bathroom and open a hot water tap. If the asthma attack does not go away, you need to provoke a gag reflex in the baby and call an ambulance. The main thing is not to panic.
Purulent laryngitis: symptoms and treatment in adults
Not everyone knows what they should do if such a pathology is diagnosed. First of all, it must be remembered that it is unacceptable to treat laryngitis at home on your own. The patient must scrupulously follow all the prescriptions and recommendations of the attending physician. Smoking and the use of strong drinks (except tea) during the period of therapy should definitely be abandoned.
The treatment of laryngitis in adults at home must be approached responsibly. Most people consider it a mild ailment or mistake the symptoms of a pathology for a common cold. But the study of the causes, the determination of the type and form of the disease, the choice of treatment methods should be carried out by a qualified specialist based on the history data. Mistakes in the treatment of laryngitis will lead either to dangerous complications or to a chronic form of the course of the disease, which will significantly complicate the life of the patient, cause a lot of trouble and trouble.
Many are interestedthe ability to conduct therapy outside the hospital. It is quite possible to treat laryngitis in adults at home if the disease does not occur in an acute form and without life-threatening complications. The decision on this issue is made by the doctor.
If the patient's condition worsens, a doctor should be called immediately. If the patient's condition is satisfactory, nothing prevents him from visiting a doctor in a clinic on his own. It should be remembered that patients with a weakened immune system, serious concomitant pathologies, the development of false croup, as well as the diagnosis of phlegmonous laryngitis, are subject to unconditional hospitalization.
If the attending physician considers a viral infection to be the cause of the disease, antiviral drugs, which are inducers and interferons, are prescribed as treatment. Most often, children are treated with such means, less often adults. Physiotherapeutic methods of treating purulent laryngitis are also quite effective.
Use of antibiotics
The use of such drugs is a necessity. If the examination of the patient reveals that a bacterial infection is to blame, the doctor may prescribe antibiotic treatment.
The disease in this case proceeds with pronounced manifestations of intoxication, the presence of high temperature and a serious deterioration in the patient's condition. Often the development of a bacterial infection occurs against the background of a viral pathology in the body.
Antibiotics are the most commonly used to treat laryngitispenicillin group. If the patient's body does not tolerate them, macrolides are used. Antibiotics are taken exactly as prescribed by the doctor, treatment is continued, despite the fact that immediately after the start of their use, the patient feels relief. The course must be completed.
Commonly used drugs (dosage - strictly prescribed):
- Penicillin group: Amoxicillin, Amoklav, Augmentin. Relatively safe drugs are used to treat laryngitis in children (suspensions) and adults (tablets). May cause gastrointestinal disturbances, allergies, taken after meals.
- Cephalosporins: Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Cephalexin. Side effects - similar to penicillins. In children, the drug is used under the supervision of a doctor.
- Macrolides - "Azithromycin". It has a weak immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect. Prescribed for allergies to other drugs, taken before meals.
- In case of severe infections, reserve drugs (fluoroquinolones, carbapenems, etc.) are used, which are used if the patient's body does not respond to other drugs.
Using sprays and inhalations
Drugs that have a disinfecting effect and suppress inflammation are especially effective.
Sometimes patients try to use these spray medications. In this case, this will not bring any result, since the agent penetrates only the back wall of the pharynx and the drug almost does not enter the larynx. A much greater effect is achieved by usinginhalation. It is performed using medications.
If a patient needs urgent help, he is given inhalation with the use of corticosteroid hormones, which relieve swelling well and help restore breathing. Antihistamine (antiallergic) drugs are also indicated for use to reduce the symptoms of inflammatory processes.
Inhalation using agents based on the corticosteroid hormone budesonide is used as an emergency aid for patients with false croup. The drug "Pulmicort" is better known for these purposes.
For the inhalation procedure, a patient with such a diagnosis will need a device called a nebulizer. If it is not available, you can use any other device suitable for the use of hormonal drugs.
If the procedure does not give the desired result, the following emergency aids are used for the patient:
- Intravenous injections of prednisolone or dexamethasone.
- Inhalation using epinephrine (adrenaline).
- Tracheal intubation, conicotomy and tracheostomy are surgical interventions used in the absence of the effect of passive treatment of false croup, when its development reaches the terminal stage.
Need for surgery
With an abscess of the larynx, it is impossible to do without a surgical operation. During manipulation, abscesses are opened and emptied. Further treatment is carried out usingantibiotics, antihistamines, sometimes hormonal drugs and analgesics. If the patient has an increasing stenosis of the larynx, an urgent tracheostomy is performed.
Danger of severe respiratory distress and suffocation (asphyxia) requires a conicotomy. This is the name of the operation, similar in effect to a tracheostomy, but more sparing. During it, tissue is cut between two cartilages to allow air to enter the lower respiratory tract.
Using folk remedies
Laryngitis has been known for a long time. In the absence of the opportunity to receive help, the people developed their own methods of getting rid of the disease, accessible to everyone. Nowadays, such funds are allowed to be used as concomitant treatments.
In the fight against catarrhal laryngitis, traditional medicine recommends drinking hot milk with honey. To gargle, chamomile and sage are brewed, while it is recommended to strain it less or be silent altogether until the disease subsides. Warm inhalation is contraindicated as mucosal edema may increase.
Infiltrative laryngitis is not treated with folk remedies. There is no effect from such therapy, and the time to contact a specialist will be missed. To combat it, it is necessary to select antibiotics, which only a professional can do.
To alleviate the condition of a patient diagnosed with false croup, the effect is brought by distracting procedures: hot foot baths, mustard plasters on the calf muscles, air humidification.
But still,wondering how to treat laryngitis at home, you need to understand that it is dangerous. The only way to help the patient in getting rid of the disease is to see a doctor in a timely manner.
As for preventive actions, it is recommended to strengthen the immune system, give up bad habits: smoking and alcohol. It is also undesirable to supercool your body, and if a runny nose occurs, treat it in a timely manner, since it is often one of the first symptoms of laryngitis.
