Any of us have had a sore throat at least once in our lives. Everyone remembers that unpleasant feeling of soreness in the throat and loss of voice for a week or more. But few people know that scientifically this ailment is called laryngitis. Is laryngitis contagious or not? Weird question. The answer, of course, is yes. And we will deal with the reasons a little later, because everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance.
Definition
Laryngitis has such a name from the word "larings", which in Latin means larynx. This is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract associated with colds or infectious diseases, such as measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough. The development of the disease is facilitated by systemic or local effects of low temperatures, prolonged breathing through the mouth, overstrain of the vocal cords (singing, speech).
Laryngotracheitis is also an inflammatory disease of the larynx, which also covers the upper sections of the trachea.
In both diseases, there is hoarseness of voice, dry mucous membranes, cough, sore throat. In rare cases, there is swellingneck skin, cyanosis and pain when swallowing. Is laryngitis contagious to others? It all depends on the agent that caused the inflammation, but usually yes.
Varieties of laryngitis
In clinical practice, there are several variants of laryngitis.
- Catarrhal. The mildest form, which is manifested by soreness, sore throat, cough, hoarseness of voice. Usually warm drinking and silence can cure such laryngitis even without medication.
- Hypertrophic. Symptoms of catarrhal laryngitis increase, nodules the size of a pinhead form on the vocal cords. They give the voice a specific hoarseness. Sometimes with age, hoarseness in children disappears. This is due to the release of hormones during puberty. The tubercles are cauterized with lapis lazuli or surgically removed.
- Atrophic. The disease is manifested by thinning of the mucous membrane. Patients have a hacking cough, a hoarse voice. Sometimes the cough is so strong that the capillaries in the mucosa burst. The cause of this condition, as a rule, is the abuse of spicy and hot food. Usually such laryngitis occurs in the inhabitants of the Caucasus.
- Professional. It occurs in singers and teachers due to excessive voice tension. Nodules appear on the ligaments that interfere with closure and the normal passage of air.
- Diphtheria. Associated with the defeat of the tonsils bacillus Leffler. The inflammatory process descends, and dense fibrin films cover the mucosalarynx. They can break off and cut off airflow, causing croup.
- Tuberculosis. Usually a secondary infection. Nodules appear in the mucous membrane of the larynx with cheesy detritus inside.
- Syphilitic. It is a complication of the primary disease, with a secondary infection, ulcers can form, and with a tertiary infection, scars and stenosis of the larynx, which lead to hoarseness and loss of voice.
Etiology of acute laryngitis
How contagious laryngitis is can only be judged by knowing its cause. In typical cases, it is damage to the larynx and/or trachea, causing an inflammatory reaction. Damage can be caused by both mechanical stimuli and hypothermia, voice overvoltage, as well as pathogenic and opportunistic microflora, which is constantly in the oral cavity. Inflammation may spread to the epiglottis, vocal folds, and subglottic cavity.
Pathophysiology and clinic
Acute laryngitis is contagious only if it is caused by a virulent bacterial flora. The mucosa in this disease becomes red and swollen, especially on the eve of the larynx. Pathologically dilated vessels can rupture, and the blood will soak the tissues, forming purple-purple spots.
In isolated forms of the disease, edema and hyperemia are expressed only on the epiglottis. If the pathological process extends to the trachea, then this causes a hacking cough with sputum.
Clinically, laryngitis is manifested by increasedfever, pain when swallowing, hoarseness. Difficulty in breathing is observed due to the narrowing of the glottis due to its spasm and swelling or even abscess of the larynx. Patients complain of sore throat, dry cough, rough or silent voice.
False croup
Is acute laryngitis contagious? Given the variety of possible pathogens, more likely yes than no. In preschool children, a special form of inflammation of the larynx develops - false croup. It is named so because of the similarity of the clinical picture with the manifestations of diphtheria.
Due to mucosal edema, the free passage of air into the lungs is impaired, but in some cases, the edema is accompanied by a spasm of the vocal cords, and the child begins to choke. As a rule, this condition occurs unexpectedly and at night. Children become pale, bluish, covered with sweat. Breathing is either absent altogether, or frequent and noisy, there may be a barking cough. The attack lasts up to half an hour, then the child calms down and falls asleep.
Causes and symptoms of chronic laryngitis
Laryngitis (contagious or not - we have already found out) if left untreated, it quickly becomes chronic. This is facilitated by long-term infections of the pharynx and larynx, inflammation of the nose and sinuses, alcohol abuse and smoking. Often an occupational disease of teachers and singers.
Patients complain of hoarseness, sensation of a foreign body in the larynx, perspiration, cough. After prolonged exertion, all symptoms are aggravated.
Is laryngitis contagious? Chronic - no. This is more likely a consequence of excessive stress, reinforced by bad habits, than the result of the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria.
Diagnosis
Laryngitis is contagious or not, can only be said after a thorough examination of the larynx and taking swabs for bacterial examination. First, the doctor interviews the patient in order to have an idea about his disease. Then he asks the patient to open his mouth and visually examines the larynx, assesses the condition of the vocal cords and voice. If necessary, the patient may be referred to an ENT doctor.
To examine the larynx, doctors use special equipment that helps not only to better examine the anatomical structures, but also to take tissue particles for pathomorphological examination. This is necessary to exclude tumor diseases of the ligamentous apparatus of the larynx.
Treatment
How to cure laryngitis? Contagious or not is a moot point, but you still need to get rid of it. First of all, the patient is recommended to provide complete rest to the throat, that is, do not talk, do not sing, do not smoke or drink alcohol. From food you need to exclude hot, spicy and spicy. Doctors recommend gargling with warm solutions of furacilin or chamomile, making compresses on the neck area. It will be useful to drink warm alkaline mineral waters, for example, Borjomi or Essentuki.
Patients with chronicinflammation of the larynx may require more stringent methods: drug therapy or surgery. It all depends on the degree of damage to the vocal cords and the duration of the disease.
