Laryngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx. The disease can be an independent pathology or a complication of a cold, viral lesions. The patient has a sharp cough ("barking"), whistling can be heard during breathing, sometimes the voice disappears.
Causes
The disease occurs in adults and children for a number of reasons, namely:
- Infection. The mucous surface of the larynx is directly affected. The most common causes of viral laryngitis are influenza, adenoviruses, Coxsackie virus, streptococci, staphylococci, fungal infections, etc.
- Physical damage. The group of factors includes - cold drinking and food, hypothermia, mouth breathing, work in harmful conditions, excessive load on the vocal cords.
- Allergy. Detergents, intolerance to certain products, smoke, etc. become a provoking factor. In this case, laryngeal edema will be an additional symptom.
- The autoimmune nature of the disease is extremely rare and most often is part of the general damage to the body in such diseases - amyloidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Wegener's granulomatosis, etc.
Also, pathology can appear due to the contents of the stomach falling on the larynx, which occurs due to a weakening of the gastric sphincter. A predisposition to laryngitis appears in some conditions and diseases. For example, smokers and alcohol addicts are more likely to suffer from throat diseases. Contributing to the appearance of pathology are chronic diseases of internal organs, metabolic disorders, weakening of the immune system, dry air, and many other causes.
Common symptoms
The disease is divided into several types, each of them has special symptoms. Treatment is differentiated. But there are general signs indicating the development of the disease:
- Dryness, tickling, lump in throat.
- Swelling of the larynx may appear.
- The voice loses its normal timbre, it can disappear, the patient can only speak in a whisper.
- Dry cough, tearing apart bronchi.
- Body temperature does not have significant fluctuations, but chills often appear.
Chronic laryngitis - symptoms
Treatment is prescribed depending on the type of disease. The chronic form is a sluggish, prolonged inflammation of the larynx. It is diagnosed in patients of all age groups, but more often men suffer from this form of laryngitis, which is associated with professional activity, bad habits.
The factors that provoke laryngitis include untreated diseases of the respiratory system, harmful working conditions, increased stress on the vocal cords, bad habits, etc. Chronic laryngitis has the following types:
- Atrophic. The patient experiences constant dry throat, severe coughing. Voice formation and breathing are difficult, the larynx becomes inflamed. A long pathological process leads to a thinning of the vocal cords, in the larynx there is an accumulation of viscous secretions, crusts that cause coughing attacks. Chronic atrophic laryngitis is most difficult to treat.
- Hypertrophic. With this form of the disease, some sections of the larynx mucosa thicken, visually they look whitish or colorless growths. Increasing in size, hypertrophied tissue interferes with the closure of ligaments, their deformation occurs, and voice formation is disturbed. Difficulty breathing.
- Catarrhal. With catarrhal (usual) laryngitis, breathing is not difficult, cough with sputum is observed, the voice is broken (hoarseness, hoarseness), sometimes the patient can only speak in a whisper. On visual inspection, redness, swelling, and a slight laryngeal tightness are noticeable.
Each type of disease has its own characteristics, but there are general symptoms that are the same for all types of manifestations of the disease. The chronic form of the disease has the following general symptoms:
- Voice disturbance for a long time. Hoarseness, loss of normal sound, volume and fullness is manifested. Throughout the day, the voice changes - sometimes the patient can only speak in a whisper, experiencing difficulties with the tension of the vocal cords.
- Frequent bouts of coughing, with sputum or choking dry, morning bouts are especially painful.
- A lump is felt in the throat, burning of the back wall of the larynx, pain when swallowing.
- The patient considers his general condition as normal.
Hyperplastic laryngitis. Appearance factors
The treatment of this type of pathology depends on the reasons why it appeared. Hypertrophic changes in the vocal cords with inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa most often affect singers, lecturers, teachers, broadcasters. Constant loads on the ligaments cause thickening and densification of tissues, a change in the timbre of the voice. This type of disease has two varieties - diffuse and localized laryngitis.
The development of pathology is due to such factors:
- Weakening, deformation of the ligaments (congenital, acquired).
- Complications after an allergy.
- Age-related changes.
- Surgery, injuries.
- Decreased protective functions of the body, circulatory disorders.
Hypertrophic (hyperplastic) laryngitis is often found in smokers. The disease may be accompanied by bronchitis, tonsillitis or sinusitis. The diagnosis is established on the basis of examination, instrumental diagnostics, a series of laboratory tests, taking into account the symptoms.
Treatment of laryngitis of this form involves eliminating the cause of the pathology, reducing the voice load, quitting smoking and alcohol. Remediation of chronic throat infections is required. The complex of therapy includes inhalations of soda, corticosteroid, oil preparations that relieve puffiness. It is not possible to cure this type of laryngitis by conservative methods, and in most cases surgical intervention is necessary to remove areas of the expanded mucous membrane.
Symptoms of Allergic Laryngitis
Treatment of laryngitis of an allergic nature begins with the exclusion of contact with the pathogen of irritation. The course of the disease has the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing. The patient may experience suffocation, lack of air.
- Frequent coughing.
- Sore throat. A feeling of a foreign body in the larynx, burning on the back of the throat.
Symptoms of allergic laryngitis are very similar in their manifestations to the chronic form of the disease, but the nature of its origin is different. Particles of substances, getting on the mucous membrane of the larynx, gradually irritate it and cause swelling. Sometimes there is a rapid reaction to irritation, so experts distinguish between two types of pathology - chronic and acute.
In the acute form of the course of the allergy, the patient needs emergency care, since laryngeal edema can occur almost instantly, which will lead to suffocation with a threat to human life. Chronic allergic laryngitis does not have vivid manifestations. The patient feels a constant tickle in his throat, coughing, changing the tone of his voice. All symptoms of this form of the disease disappear as soon as contact with the allergen is eliminated.
The basics of therapy in children
Up to 6 years, symptoms of laryngitis in children are often manifested. Treatment Komarovsky E.O. recommends the following:
- A plentiful warm drink.
- Fresh air.
According to statistics, in 99 cases out of 100, children's laryngitis will be of viral origin. Parents just need to survive this period, giving the child's body the opportunity to cope with the disease. Do not use antibiotics, antiviral or antiallergic drugs.
If symptoms of laryngitis in children are detected, Komarovsky treatment recommends that only symptomatic treatment be provided. You can bring down the temperature with drugs with ibuprofen or paracetamol, and give the child oral rehydration preparations as a drink.
How is the disease manifested?
In the preschool period, symptoms of laryngitis in a child are often manifested. Treatment is carried out until complete recovery, otherwise severe complications will arise. Boys are more susceptible to pathology. During this period, the children's body continues to develop rapidly, the immune system is still vulnerable.
Features of the course of the disease:
- Appears against the background of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, lesions of staphylococcus, adenovirus, etc.
- Laryngeal edema.
- The risk of spasm of the respiratory system (shortness of breath, respiratory failure).
- Pain when swallowing.
- Attacks of suffocation, often sudden, during a night's rest. May be accompanied by blue lips, severe cough. Attacks can be repeated every 15 or 20 minutes.
- The acute form of the course of the disease requires hospitalization.
Do not panic when you find symptoms of laryngitis in children. Treatment must be entrusted to the pediatrician. The doctor will conduct a thorough diagnosis and give recommendations on therapeutic measures, including advising on folk recipes.
Parents often confuse the symptoms of laryngitis and pharyngitis. The treatment of these two diseases has similar manifestations, but in the case of laryngitis, the larynx is affected, and with pharyngitis, inflammation affects the mucous membranes of the pharynx.
From infancy to a year
Each age has its own characteristics of the course of the disease. Having discovered symptoms of laryngitis in a child up to a year old, parents should begin treatment immediately. The best thing you can do is to see a doctor.
Symptoms in infants do not differ from the signs of the disease in an older child, but there are much more dangers. The baby has a narrow lumen of the larynx, there is a tendency to swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and vocal cords quickly, and immunity is also imperfect.
Laryngitis at this age develops rapidly, more often during the night's sleep, which is fraught with rapid narrowing of the larynx and suffocation.
What to do before emergency care arrives:
- To soothe a crying baby, free the body from tight clothes.
- Keep the child upright, after reaching six months, you can sit in a crib (lean on pillows).
- To hold the child near a jet of hot water, giving him the opportunity to breathe warm, moist air. Such a measure will relieve spasm of the respiratory tract.
- To stop choking, induce a gag reflex by touching the larynx with the handle of a spoon, with a spatula.
- Give a child 1 month of life drink 1-2 teaspoons of mineral water, older children 1 tbsp. teaspoon of warm water every 15 minutes.
Approximately such symptoms of laryngitis in a child of 1 year. The treatment is prescribed sparing - plentiful drink, clean air. A good addition would be humidification in the room where the baby spends most of his time. This is achieved using special humidifiers, and if the equipment is not available, then it is enough to hang wet towels in the room.
Preschool children
There are few age differences in the symptoms of laryngitis in children 2 years old. Treatment in general tactics involves drinking, peace, and clean, moist air. Drinking regimen must be strictly observed, in addition to warm water, the child can already be given fruit compotes and dried fruits, tea with honey, if there is no allergy to beekeeping products.
If the child has an allergy, then the corresponding symptoms will be observed with laryngitis in children 2 years old. Treatment for a chronic form of the disease requires elimination of contact with the irritant and further rehabilitation therapy. In the case of an acute course of allergic laryngitis, an ambulance is immediately called. Laryngeal edema can cause airway obstruction.
Symptoms of laryngitis in children 3 years old are common. Treatment involves symptomatic medication at elevated temperatures and a traditional set of treatment methods - heavy drinking, humidification.
In addition to the standard set of procedures for the appearance of symptoms of laryngitis in children 3 years old, the treatment is supplemented by inhalations with medicinal herbs, medications. It is imperative that you contact your pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis.
Home treatment
Patients are not always able to distinguish between symptoms of tracheitis and laryngitis. Treatment in both cases is aimed at relieving inflammation. But with tracheitis, damage to the mucous membrane of the trachea occurs. Among the causative agents of tracheal disease, in addition to the same factors that accompany laryngitis, there are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system.
Chronic laryngitis is treated at home, most often the doctor recommends the following measures:
- Voice mode The patient needs some time to minimize conversations, and it is better to remain silent at all until the mucous membrane is restored.
- Microclimate. In the room where the patient is located, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about 26 degrees Celsius, air humidity of at least 50%. The room should be well ventilated in the absence of the patient. The throat is wrapped in a warm scarf, walks are delayed until the moment of recovery.
- Drinking mode. The patient needs a warm drink. This dilutes and removes sputum, maintains the necessary moisture in the mucosa.
- Diet. Cold or hot meals and drinks, as well as spicy, salty foods, are not allowed. With allergic laryngitis, foods that contribute to weakening the immune system are excluded - smoked meats, chocolate, fried foods, fatty foods, etc.
- Hot baths for the lower extremities. The procedure reduces laryngeal edema by redistributing blood and outflowing it to the lower body. The same effect is achieved when applying mustard plasters on the calf muscles.
- Alcohol and smoking are excluded as factors that dry the laryngeal mucosa.
Folk recipes
In folk medicine, there are many recipes that eliminate the symptoms of laryngitis. Treatment with folk remedies is an addition to drug therapy, and in mild cases it can replace all other methods.
Gargle recipes:
- Decoctions of herbs (chamomile, eucalyptus leaves, linden inflorescences, leaves and stems of raspberries, calamus root, etc.). Dry raw materials are brewed at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon to 1 cup boiling water. The composition is required to cool and strain. Designed for regular gargling.
- Juice of raw root vegetables (carrots, potatoes) - dilute with water 1: 1 and use for sanitation of the throat.
- A solution of sea salt - 0.5 liters of warm water + 1.5 teaspoons of salt.
These recipes can be used if there are symptoms of laryngitis in children 4 years old. Treatment with alternative methods will be successful for a child of any age, provided that there is no allergy.
Recipes for inhalation:
- Heated mineral water (Borjomi, Essentuki, etc.).
- Decoctions of herbs with an antiseptic effect - chamomile, sage, calamus root, thyme, etc.
- Essential oils - they are added to hot water for inhalation, decoctions of herbs - to enhance the healing effect.
Traditional medicine treatment is indicated for adults and children with symptoms of laryngitis. Treatment Komarovsky E.O. (pediatric pediatrician) recommends starting with the first signs of the disease. He considers the best methods of voice peace, warm drinking in large quantities, a positive mood and fresh, but warm and humid air in the room where the sick child is. All of these guidelines apply to adults.
Strengthening immunity:
- Boil 2 cloves of peeled garlic in one cup of cow's milk. Use the elixir chilled to room temperature. One serving is drunk slowly, about 30 minutes. In total, no more than 3 glasses of drink can be consumed per day.
- Boil anise seeds (1/2 cup) in water (1 cup) for 15 minutes. Cool, strain. Add bee honey (2 tbsp.spoons) and cognac (1 tbsp.spoon) to the broth. Take 1 teaspoon every hour.
Reviews
Adults and children periodically experience symptoms of laryngitis. Reviews about the treatment of folk remedies are mostly positive. It is important that a thorough diagnosis is made in the clinic where you have to go. Therapy for most patients is prescribed depending on the type of laryngitis.
Most of the patients came to the conclusion that it is necessary to treat the disease after diagnosis, because few non-specialists can understand what kind of ailment affected the body. If you blindly follow the advice of friends and acquaintances regarding the treatment of laryngitis, then you can remain without a voice. The only reasonable way is to contact an otolaryngologist.
Parents noted that alternative methods effectively cope with the task of therapy, but a mandatory visit to a doctor is required. There are frequent cases of a sharp deterioration in the condition of the child. Many had to call an ambulance and treat an exacerbation in a hospital. Moms with this experience later tried at the first signs of laryngitis to follow the advice of Dr. Komarovsky - plentiful warm drinking, airing the room and humidifying the air. They also insist that a visit to the doctor must be made immediately to make sure that the measures taken are correct.
The general opinion is the desire to always listen to the reactions of the body, observe the condition of the child and not tempt fate, if there are deteriorations, but contact a qualified specialist for medical help.