Acute tracheitis is a clinical syndrome due to which the mucous membrane of this organ becomes inflamed. Such symptoms are a manifestation of respiratory infections, which can be both acute and chronic. Most often, tracheitis occurs in the winter, autumn and spring season.
What is tracheitis?
As mentioned above, tracheitis is a process that affects the shell of the trachea. In adults, this disease is not isolated. Most often, he joins pharyngitis and laryngitis, forming laryngotracheitis and so on. How long acute tracheitis lasts depends entirely on its shape. Chronic disease is protracted, so it usually lasts longer. The state of the immune system also affects. The more active the body will fight this inflammation, the faster the person will feel relief. As a rule, with timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable. The duration of the disease ranges up to 2 weeks.
There are several types of acute tracheitis. There is viral, bacterial, infectious, allergic, as well as bacterial-viral and infectious-allergic tracheitis.
If we talk about a combination with other diseases, then tracheobronchitis is known, that is, inflammation of the bronchi and trachea immediately; larengotracheitis, disease of the trachea and larynx; pharyngotracheitis is an inflammation of the nose, pharynx, and trachea. As already explained earlier, the disease is acute and chronic. Let's consider each form separately.
Acute form of the disease
Most often it is acute tracheitis. In its symptoms and course, it resembles acute respiratory infections. This disease occurs suddenly, and a person is sick with it for about 2 weeks. When the necessary treatment is not carried out, this disease becomes chronic. It manifests itself in remission and exacerbations.
Chronic tracheitis
It is a consequence of the acute form of the disease. Exacerbation is promoted by smoking, alcohol, decreased immunity, poor ecology and occupational factors, diseases of the heart and kidney systems, chronic runny nose, sinusitis and so on. It should be noted that when hypertrophic tracheitis occurs, the vessels in a person begin to expand, respectively, the mucous membrane is very large in size. The discharge becomes intense. A person may experience sputum with pus. Chronic atrophic tracheitis causes an effect in which the mucous membrane is greatly depleted. It turns gray, acquires a smooth shiny appearance. Crusts and causes a cough. Very often, this type of disease occurs with inflammation of the airways. In order to prevent the development of a chronic form, treatment of acute tracheitis should be started on time. Symptoms in adults are pronounced.
Causes of the disease
Most often, the causes of tracheitis are laryngitis, pharyngitis and rhinitis. Thus, staphylococcus viruses, streptococci and others cause it. If poor treatment is carried out or it is completely absent, then this process extends to the trachea. Accordingly, tracheitis occurs. In addition, cold air or too humid, irritation of the respiratory tract with gases or vapors, allergens, hypothermia, tobacco smoke, dustiness of the air, and also too long in a damp room can provoke the acute stage of the disease.
Acute tracheitis, which is associated with allergic factors, is a common body reaction that manifests itself in response to inhalation of allergens. We are talking about pollen, wool, chemical compounds, the air content of various industrial wastes, as well as dust.
Symptoms of tracheitis
The most important indicator of acute inflammation is coughing. It intensifies in the morning and at night. At first it is dry, then sputum begins to stand out. It should be noted that during an attack of coughing a person feels very severe pain in the sternum and in the throat. Because of this, he has problems with the respiratory system. In this case, the breath itself becomes superficial and tachycardia appears.
Symptoms of acute tracheitis mean that a person worsens, he rises in temperature, drowsiness and weakness appear. The patient quickly gets tired, the lymph nodes also increase in size. In addition, it should be noted that back pain may occur between the shoulder blades, insomnia, burning sensation in the throat, hoarseness of the voice, as well as wheezing in the lungs, very severe runny nose and sweating. The skin may take on a gray tint, appetite worsens.
additional information
With regards to the chronic form of the disease, it should be noted that a person develops cough with pus or mucous contents, and also the mucous membrane of the throat swells.
It should be noted that coughing is a symptom of any inflammatory process that affects the trachea, bronchi, lungs, and also the larynx. Very often with tracheitis, sputum does not go away on its own, since it forms a little. When visiting a doctor, patients complain of dry mouth, sore, burning, and tickling in the throat.
Complications
If a person has been diagnosed with acute tracheitis, and treatment has not occurred, then complications may appear. Very often, various changes and neoplasms associated with the trachea arise as them. Moreover, they can be both benign and malignant. They arise due to the fact that there is a constant inflammatory process, as well as due to changes in the mucous membrane.
As consequences, it should be noted diseases such as: emphysema, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, as well as some mixed types of diseases. Endotracheal neoplasms may occur.
Diagnosis of the disease
If a person has signs of inflammation, it is necessary to consult a therapist. Most likely, after a physical examination, he will advise you to contact the otolaryngologist. It is necessary to pass some tests. After the causes are analyzed, acute tracheitis will be easy to approve or refute.
As a rule, this disease is diagnosed very quickly, but sometimes additional examinations may be needed. However, this is only if the patient contacted too late.
Most often, doctors recommend making an X-ray, which will exclude pneumonia, laboratory tests of sputum, which will make it possible to identify the cause of the disease. And also allow you to understand what antibiotics for acute tracheitis can be prescribed. Spirography is necessary in order to understand whether there is a place for bronchial asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease.
Treatment
Most often, mild and moderate forms of tracheitis are treated at home. Even if it is a combination with other signs of infection. Treatment should identify and eliminate the cause of the disease. It can be an allergen, bacteria or virus. Therapy should stop the symptoms, as well as prevent the development of a chronic form and the appearance of complications.
In order to achieve the most effective solution, it is necessary to use drugs that are available in the form of aerosols. Thanks to this form, it is possible to process all departments of the trachea and directly of the bronchi. Such treatment of acute tracheitis will be most successful.
If we are talking about tracheitis, which develops due to bacteria, then antibiotics are used. Antiviral drugs are necessary in order to stop the virus type of illness, and antiallergic drugs, respectively, are used for allergic diseases. It is also necessary to prescribe expectorants.
Antibiotics are prescribed only in case of bacterial infection. In order to understand this, it is necessary to pass tests. The results usually come after 1-2 weeks. However, during this period, the disease must still be treated. Acute tracheitis can dramatically cause complications, so you can not wait. It is possible to suggest the development of a bacterial infection according to some symptoms: high fever, which lasts more than 3 days, increased white blood cells.
Drug Examples
Among antipyretic drugs, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Aspirin, or Analgin are often credited. However, they can only be used if the temperature is raised to 38 degrees. They allow you to get rid of some symptoms of acute tracheitis. Treatment should be supplemented with some drugs.
Of the anti-allergic doctors often choose “Tavegil”, “Suprastin” and others. These drugs are prescribed for viral tracheitis, as well as for acute respiratory infections. However, they are necessary only if such diseases were caused due to an allergic component. An antiviral agent such as Arbidol or Interferon is prescribed when tracheitis occurs due to a viral infection. During treatment, you must follow a diet. You can’t eat fatty, spicy and fried, you can drink warm drinks and in large quantities. It is necessary to put mustard plasters on the chest area, carry out wet cleaning in the room and constantly ventilate.
Treatment with folk remedies
Thanks to traditional medicine, it is possible, if not cured, then to stop the symptoms of various respiratory diseases. However, before using various herbs and tinctures, it is necessary to consult a doctor. You can use licorice root. This drug allows you to improve expectorant and antitussive properties of the body. Thanks to the tincture of this root, you can reduce the number of seizures, as well as make them the most effective.
You can gargle with onions. It is necessary to take the husk (two tablespoons), pour cool boiling water and insist for a couple of hours in a thermos. They need to gargle. In order to carry out inhalation, you can use mineral water. However, it must be alkaline. Such actions will help to remove sputum, which accumulates in the bronchi and trachea, as well as moisturize the mucous membrane.
If we are talking about allergic tracheitis, it is necessary to use the fruits of blackberries. You need to pour two tablespoons of boiling water and let it brew for about one hour. This solution should be drunk instead of tea. This allows you to get rid of the symptoms of acute tracheitis. Reviews about the treatment method are excellent.
Mustard foot baths can be used. Pour mustard into socks and put on feet. You can also make a compress of honey, mustard and vegetable oil. You need to take them one tablespoon, mix and heat in a water bath. You should add one and a half tablespoons of vodka to this solution, wrap the resulting mixture in a cloth and make a compress, leave it overnight.
Preventative measures
Prevention of tracheitis, both acute and chronic, should be aimed at quickly eliminating the causes of this disease. Especially, you need to be concerned about people who have a predisposition to the occurrence of diseases associated with the respiratory tract.
- It is necessary to avoid hypothermia, as well as a large concentration of people during the development of infection.
- Lead a healthy lifestyle.
- Get rid of bad habits.
- You should temper your body, for example, pour cool water on it.
- If ARI or SARS develops, then it is necessary to start treatment on time, otherwise it can lead to tracheitis.
- Chronic foci of infection must be eliminated in time, as well as their complications. Then you don’t have to think about how to treat acute tracheitis.
Accordingly, you need to eat right, be careful about your health, then no such problems will arise. You also need to remember that treatment and the causes of infection can only be established by a specialized doctor after the tests. In no case should you self-medicate, otherwise it can lead to more serious consequences.