Today we will tell you in detail about what laryngotracheitis is, what are the causes of this disease, its symptoms and treatment methods.
General information
Laryngotracheitis (symptoms and treatment will be discussed below) is an inflammatory disease that affects the larynx and trachea. This happens due to some kind of bacterial or viral infection.
Diagnosis
Before treating laryngotracheitis, the patient should consult a doctor. After all, the diagnosis of such a disease is carried out only in the process of examining the patient, auscultation and percussion of the lungs, microlaryngoscopy, CT scan of the trachea and larynx, radiography of the lungs, microscopic and bacteriological examination of sputum, as well as other tests that can identify the pathogen.
Causes of occurrence
Chronic or acute laryngotracheitis most often occurs as a complication of diseases such as pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, adenoids, rhinitis and sinusitis. In addition, this deviation may appear due tothe spread of inflammation in the lower respiratory tract, which is accompanied by the development of bronchitis, pneumonia or bronchiolitis. It is worth noting that the symptoms of laryngotracheitis in children differ from the signs of this disease observed in adults. And this is due to the fact that the child's larynx has not yet been properly formed. That is why in children under 6 years old, against the background of the presented disease, a narrowing of the lumen of this organ is quite often formed, leading to such respiratory disorders as false croup.
Among other things, viral laryngotracheitis can occur as a result of adenovirus infection, parainfluenza, SARS, influenza, rubella, measles, scarlet fever and chicken pox. As for the bacterial disease, it can be caused by staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, pneumococcus, treponema pallidum (quite common in tertiary syphilis), mycobacterium tuberculosis (for example, tuberculosis of the larynx), as well as chlamydial or mycoplasma infection.
Infection with this disease occurs by airborne droplets (during the patient's sneezing or coughing). But if a person has a good immune system, then the development of laryngotracheitis may not occur.
Acute laryngotracheitis: symptoms in adults and children
Signs of acute laryngotracheitis may appear against the background of already existing symptoms of respiratory infections (upper). These manifestations include:
- high body temperature;
- runny nose;
- nasal congestion;
- pain andsore throat;
- discomfort while swallowing.
It is also worth noting that acute laryngotracheitis, namely its clinical signs, may well occur after the patient's body temperature drops to subfebrile numbers. Such a situation should alert a person, because every moment his condition will worsen significantly.
Symptoms of laryngotracheitis (acute) are characterized by a rather strong dry cough. Due to the narrowing of the larynx, this sign becomes "barking". During and after such a cough, the patient may complain of pain in the sternum. Most often, the symptoms of laryngotracheitis appear in the morning, as well as at night. But often a cough can disturb a person during the day as a severe attack. As a rule, this happens after inhaling dusty or cold air, laughing, crying, and sometimes even as a result of a simple deep breath. In this case, the cough is most often accompanied by small secretions of mucous and viscous sputum. As the disease progresses, it may become profuse and liquid, acquiring a purulent character.
In addition to coughing, symptoms of acute laryngotracheitis include hoarseness or hoarseness, and discomfort in the larynx (such as burning, tickling, foreign body sensation, and dryness).
Patients with this diagnosis often have enlarged and painful cervical lymph nodes.
Chronic laryngotracheitis: symptoms and treatment
With such a deviation, a person can complain aboutcough, voice disturbance and discomfort in the larynx (behind the sternum). It is worth noting that dysphonia in a patient with laryngotracheitis most often varies from slight hoarseness, which is especially evident in the morning and evening, to constant and severe hoarseness.
Symptoms of chronic laryngotracheitis in some people manifest as fatigue after a significant vocal load. Also, dysphonia can be aggravated as a result of unstable climatic conditions, and in the fairer sex, during hormonal changes (for example, during pregnancy, menopause and the onset of menstruation).
Permanent loss of voice indicates structural changes in the ligaments, which are mainly keratotic or hypertrophic in nature. If a person is engaged in activities that require oratory skills, then this disease may well become a traumatic factor, which will eventually lead to depression, sleep disturbance and neurasthenia.
As mentioned above, the symptoms of laryngotracheitis in adults and children may vary. However, a persistent cough in the chronic course of the disease manifests itself in everyone. It is worth noting that such a symptom is accompanied by a slight sputum discharge. A persistent and severe cough in patients is most often due to such unpleasant sensations in the larynx as tickling, dryness, tickling, etc.
Possible Complications
If the infectious process from the tracheaspread to the underlying parts of the respiratory system, this will lead to the appearance of pneumonia or tracheobronchitis. In chronic laryngotracheitis, bronchiolitis often occurs in children. As a rule, such a disease is accompanied by an increased body temperature, as well as a significant increase in the symptoms of intoxication. In this case, the cough may become permanent. Due to the fact that in acute lagingotracheitis, sputum accumulates in the lumen of the larynx of a person, it is quite possible for a small child to develop a false croup, which is a mortal danger.
With constant irritation of the mucous membrane of the trachea and larynx during coughing and as a result of inflammation, chronic laryngotracheitis can cause the development of a benign tumor of the organs presented. Moreover, such a disease, and in particular its hypertrophic form, refers to the so-called precancerous conditions. After all, it can easily lead to abnormal transformation of mucosal cells, which will subsequently cause the development of a tumor of the larynx. That is why you should not hesitate to treat this disease, especially in young children.
Treatment measures for laryngotracheitis
If you have symptoms of laryngotracheitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. As a rule, the treatment of such a disease is reduced to antibacterial or antiviral therapy, in which the patient is prescribed mucolytic, antitussive, antihistamine, antipyretic and other drugs, as well asphysiotherapy. Most often, laryngotracheitis therapy is performed on an outpatient basis. If the child has a false croup, then it is required to immediately hospitalize him in a hospital.
Medications for treatment
To understand how and how to treat acute or chronic laryngotracheitis, let's name the most common and effective drugs used for this disease:
- Antiviral drugs: Nazoferon, Arbidol, Remantadin and Proteflazid.
- Antibiotics (for mixed and bacterial laryngotracheitis): Cefuroxime, Amoxicillin, Sumamed, Ceftrioxone, Azithromycin.
In addition, alkaline and oil inhalations, as well as electrophoresis on the trachea and larynx area, have a fairly good effect in patients with laryngotracheitis.
For the treatment of a chronic disease, immunomodulating agents are used (for example, Broncho-munal, Immunal, Likopid), as well as carbocestein, vitamin C and other multivitamin complexes. In addition, the patient is referred for physiotherapeutic procedures, namely drug electrophoresis, UHF, inductothermy and massage.
If a patient has acute laryngotracheitis or an exacerbation of a chronic one, then, in addition to medicines, he is recommended to drink plenty of warm liquids (tea, compote, jelly, etc.). At the same time, in the room where the patient is located, the air must not be cold and sufficiently humidified.
Case Requiring Surgery
Surgical intervention during such a disease is indicated only in some cases with hypertrophic laryngotracheitis (usually chronic). An operation is also prescribed if drug treatment has not given the desired result, and there is a high risk of a malignant tumor.
