It would seem that laryngotracheitis is a disease that should not occur in adults. Immunity in people of mature age is formed. A he althy person is protected from most colds that children suffer from. However, there is laryngotracheitis in adults. What is the cause of this disease, what complications can occur and what measures should be taken to get rid of the disease?
Brief description of the disease
By the way, some experts are of the opinion that laryngotracheitis in adults develops more often than in children. The thing is that most parents monitor the he alth of their children much better than their own. If a child has symptoms of a cold, caring mothers and fathers immediately take him to the doctor and begin treatment. Adults, on the contrary, try not to notice signs of illness for a long time, go to work, continue to contact with patientsand lead an active lifestyle. For this reason, various complications can occur, resulting in chronic diseases.
In adults, laryngotracheitis is an inflammatory process affecting the larynx and trachea. The cause of the development of this respiratory pathology is considered to be infection with a bacterial or viral infection. Symptoms of laryngotracheitis in adults are no different from the clinical picture observed in children. Characteristic manifestations of this respiratory disease are considered a change in voice, hoarseness, a wet cough with copious sputum discharge, discomfort in the retrosternal space.
To confirm the diagnosis, the general practitioner examines the patient, listens to his lungs by percussion and auscultation, directs him to undergo a series of instrumental and laboratory procedures. In particular, microlaryngoscopy, CT of the larynx and trachea, radiography of the lungs, bacteriological examination of sputum, and PCR analysis help to put an end to the definition of the disease. All these measures together make it possible to establish the type of pathogen and select an effective therapeutic program.
How dangerous is laryngotracheitis if left untreated?
The infectious-inflammatory process in this disease quickly spreads to the upper respiratory tract. Laryngotracheitis in adults often develops as a complication of pharyngitis, rhinitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, adenoids, sinusitis. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, the pathological process can go to the lower respiratory tract and cause the development of diseases such as bronchitisor pneumonia. In addition, against the background of laryngotracheitis in adults, a syndrome may occur, leading to a narrowing of the laryngeal lumen and, as a result, respiratory disorders. In medicine, this phenomenon is called “false croup.”
Pathogens
Before treating laryngotracheitis in adults, it is fundamentally important to determine what triggered the development of the disease. Since all types of this pathology have an infectious etiology, the range of possible causes narrows down to the identification of bacterial and viral pathogens. So viral types of diseases are much more common than microbial ones. The disease can develop against the background of:
- adenovirus;
- acute respiratory infection;
- flu;
- rubella;
- scarlet fever;
- windmills.
Laryngotracheitis of bacterial origin, as a rule, is provoked by beta-hemolytic streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, mycoplasmas, chlamydia, tubercle bacillus. Rarely, the cause of the inflammatory process in the larynx and trachea is the causative agent of syphilis - pale treponema. Both viral and bacterial agents are transmitted from a sick person to a he althy person by airborne droplets.
Who is at risk
First of all, adults with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop laryngotracheitis. Adverse factors that contribute to the development of this respiratory disorder are:
- frequent colds;
- chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis,duodenitis, etc.);
- liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis);
- renal dysfunction (glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis);
- diabetes mellitus;
- cardiovascular disease;
- obstructive pulmonary disease.
The likelihood of developing laryngotracheitis is much higher in those patients who smoke, as well as in those who breathe more through the mouth than through the nose (for example, due to a deviated nasal septum, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis). Too hot and dry air, high dust content, the presence of irritating substances in the atmosphere and increased voice load can contribute to the onset of the disease.
Forms of the disease: what are the differences
The main classification of laryngotracheitis in adults is the division of the disease into acute and chronic. So let's continue. If left untreated, acute laryngotracheitis in adults can become chronic. During the period of relapse, the patient's laryngeal mucosa is hyperemic, accumulation of purulent exudate is noticeable in its lumen, due to which the back wall becomes visually thicker. At the initial stage of the disease, the exudate is liquid, but as laryngotracheitis progresses, the secret becomes thicker, a fibrinous film forms on the mucosa. If the cause of the disease was a bacterial infection, yellow-green crusts form on the back of the larynx.
The chronic form has three stages of development:
- catarrhal, which is characterized by slight redness and thickening of the mucosa,enlargement of small blood vessels;
- hypertrophic, in which there is epithelial hyperplasia, accumulation of infiltrate in the muscle fibers of the larynx and trachea;
- atrophic, accompanied by keratinization of the mucosa, the course of sclerosing processes of connective tissue elements in the submucosal layer, atrophy of muscles and glands.
In complicated cases of atrophic laryngotracheitis, thinning of the vocal cords occurs due to the drying of the mucosal secretion. The hypertrophic form of the disease is manifested by a point thickening of the ligaments, which doctors call "singing nodules" - these disorders are most often diagnosed in singers, lecturers, teachers, actors. With hypertrophic laryngotracheitis, the risk of benign tumors increases.
Signs of exacerbation
Depending on the symptoms, the treatment of laryngotracheitis in adults is prescribed individually. The following symptoms are considered common for this disease:
- increased body temperature;
- rhinitis and nasal congestion;
- hoarseness, hoarseness of voice;
- sore throat, itching;
- barking cough.
With laryngotracheitis in adults, the larynx narrows, which leads to a dry cough. It is called barking because it is rough, jerky, harsh, reminiscent of a dog barking. After an attack of coughing, there is a characteristic pain in the retrosternal region. Another attack can provoke a deep breath, inhalation of cold or dusty air. Coughwith laryngotracheitis, it is moist, accompanied by the release of viscous sputum. A few days later, the secret becomes purulent-mucous, abundant, liquid. Against the background of acute laryngotracheitis in adults, the lymph nodes in the neck increase.
Clinical picture in chronic laryngotracheitis
In contrast to the acute form, the symptoms of which disappear after 10-14 days, chronic laryngotracheitis in adults is characterized by stable dysphonia (impaired voice sound), cough and chest discomfort. During the day, patients with this disease feel satisfactory, but in the mornings and evenings, the manifestations of the disease increase. In adults, the symptoms of laryngotracheitis are expressed by fatigue after a vocal load. Against the background of unfavorable climatic conditions, the disease may progress.
Untreated, chronic laryngotracheitis in adults can lead to irreversible changes in the vocal cords of a hypertrophic nature. For people whose professional activities are related to singing, lecturing, dubbing, etc., the development of the disease often becomes a traumatic factor, which is the impetus for the development of depression, insomnia, neurasthenia.
Cough in the chronic form of the disease is permanent. At the same time, sputum is practically not separated. During periods of relapse, coughing attacks occur, the volume of expectorant secretion increases. The cause of cough in chronic laryngotracheitis is irritating sensations in the larynx, dryness, perspiration.
What could be the complications
The spread of the infectious-inflammatory process in the lower respiratory tract leads to the development of pneumonia or bronchitis. Inflammation of the lungs can be protracted, often accompanied by bronchiolitis. Moreover, such complications occur more often in children than in adults. Treatment of laryngotracheitis allows you to quickly stop the symptoms and prevent signs of general intoxication of the body.
At the acute stage of the disease, due to the accumulation of sputum in the larynx, reflex muscle spasm may occur. False croup is more often diagnosed in babies aged three months to three years, but in some cases it develops in adults. With an anomaly in the development of the trachea, this syndrome can pose a serious danger, as it is characterized by severe asphyxia.
Against the background of constant irritation of the mucosa, prolonged cough and chronic inflammation in catarrhal laryngotracheitis, adults sometimes develop benign tumors of the upper respiratory tract. As for the hypertrophic form of the disease, it is classified as a precancerous condition that can lead to malignant degeneration of cells.
Patient examination
Before starting treatment for laryngotracheitis in adults, the doctor must make sure that the diagnosis is correct. To confirm laryngotracheitis, the doctor carefully listens to the patient's complaints, studies his medical history. According to the results of the examination, percussion and auscultation of the lungs, the patient is prescribed laboratory and instrumental studies.
Microlaryngoscopy helps to determine the form of laryngotracheitis - a procedure during which the doctor can perform a biopsy. To identify the type of infection, the patient is prescribed bacteriological sputum culture, throat swabs for PCR. If the analysis reveals a tubercle bacillus, the patient is referred to a phthisiatrician, if pale treponema, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis - to a venereologist.
Patients suffering from sluggish chronic laryngotracheitis are advised to consult an oncologist, especially in the presence of hypertrophic changes. To clarify the nature of the disease, frontal computed tomography of the larynx is performed and biomaterial is taken. In order to exclude and differentiate bronchopulmonary diseases, fluorography is prescribed. If laryngotracheitis is suspected, first of all, the presence of a foreign body in the airways, pneumonia, papillomatosis, oncology, bronchial asthma, and pharyngeal abscess are excluded.
Medicines and treatments
As a rule, outpatient treatment of laryngotracheitis (at home) is prescribed for patients. In adults, therapy is well tolerated, but in severe cases, hospitalization may be necessary.
In acute laryngotracheitis or relapse of the chronic form of the disease, it is recommended to drink plenty of warm water and bed rest. Treatment of laryngotracheitis in adults at home requires an optimal level of air humidity.
Medicated course of therapy is prescribed by a doctor, based on the type of disease and the individual characteristics of the patient. Maindrugs that are prescribed for laryngotracheitis are:
- antiviral agents ("Interferon", "Isoprinosine", "Umifenovir", "Remantadine") - used if a viral pathogen is confirmed;
- broad-spectrum antibiotics (Ceftrioxone, Azithromycin, Amoxicillin) for bacterial laryngotracheitis;
- immunostimulating drugs ("Immunal", "Likopid", "Bronchomunal");
- multivitamin complexes ("Aevit", "Duovit", "Alfavit").
Of no small importance is the symptomatic therapy of the disease, which involves taking antitussive, antiallergic and antipyretic drugs. With dysphonia, alkaline inhalations and electrophoresis demonstrate a good therapeutic effect. The treatment program for chronic laryngotracheitis also includes sessions of inductothermy, inhalation therapy and massage.
In cases of hypertrophic laryngotracheitis, the patient may be prescribed surgery. The decision to operate is made when conservative treatment fails and there is a threat of cell malignancy. Surgical intervention involves the removal of cysts, the elimination of ligament prolapse, and the excision of scar tissue. Most operations are performed using endoscopic techniques.
Treatment with folk remedies
Adult laryngotracheitis can be treated with alternative treatments. Among the useful tools that help to cope with the symptoms of this disease, users note the following:
- Grate 50 g of ginger root on a fine grater, add 5 tbsp. l. honey. Mix the mixture thoroughly and consume 1 tsp. before meals three times a day. Store ginger with honey in the refrigerator, but allow the product to warm to room temperature before use.
- Pass a small onion through a meat grinder, lean over it, cover yourself with a towel and inhale its smell for five minutes. Repeat the procedure several times a day.
- Mix chamomile and coltsfoot, taken in equal proportions, and pour 1 tsp. mixture with a glass of boiling water. Strained and cooled to a comfortable temperature, gargle the infusion at least five times a day.
These and many other recipes of folk remedies help to reduce the severity of symptoms of laryngotracheitis and improve the patient's well-being. Natural medicines help with coughs, help restore ligaments and eliminate discomfort in the throat.
Patient testimonials
Judging by the responses, laryngotracheitis is a very common disease in adults. Most often, they suffer from those who, by virtue of their profession, experience increased stress on the ligaments. Moreover, the disease develops against the background of a weakening of the immune system. According to reviews, the symptoms are aggravated in the cold season. Relapse usually begins with a barely perceptible sore throat, hoarseness, but gradually leads to painful sensations when talking, swallowing, coughing fits.
Manage the symptoms of the disease at an early stage for manysucceeds with the help of folk methods. As the users themselves note, in chronic laryngotracheitis, the preventive intake of immunomodulators and vitamin-mineral complexes is of great importance. The main thing, according to doctors, is not to start the disease, and start treatment at the first symptoms.
