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 in which the larynx and trachea are affected. This occurs due to any bacterial or viral infection.
Diagnostics
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 of the trachea and larynx, lung X-ray, microscopic and bacteriological studies of sputum, as well as other tests to identify the causative agent.
Causes of occurrence
Chronic or acute laryngotracheitis most often occurs as a complication against diseases such as pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, adenoids, rhinitis and sinusitis. In addition, this deviation may occur due to the 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 larynx in a child has not yet been formed properly. That is why in children under 6 years of age, against the background of the presented disease, a narrowing of the lumen of this organ quite often forms, leading to such respiratory disorders as false croup.
In addition, viral laryngotracheitis can occur due to adenovirus infection, parainfluenza, SARS, influenza, rubella, measles, scarlet fever and chicken pox. As for a bacterial disease, it can be caused by staphylococcus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, pneumococcus, treponema pallidum (quite often with tertiary syphilis), tuberculosis mycobacteria (for example, laryngeal tuberculosis), as well as chlamydial or mycoplasma infection.
Infection with this disease occurs by airborne droplets (during a 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 can appear against the background of already existing symptoms of respiratory tract infections (upper). Such manifestations include:
- fever;
- runny nose;
- nasal congestion;
- sore 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. This situation should alert a person, because with every moment his condition will significantly deteriorate.
Symptoms of laryngotracheitis (acute) are characterized by a fairly strong dry cough. Due to the narrowing of the larynx, this symptom becomes “barking”. During and after this cough, the patient may complain of pain in the sternum. Most often, symptoms of laryngotracheitis occur in the morning, as well as at night. But often a cough can disturb a person during the day in the form of a strong 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, a cough is most often accompanied by small secretions of mucous and viscous sputum. As the disease develops, it can become abundant and fluid, acquiring a purulent character.
In addition to coughing, symptoms of acute laryngotracheitis include hoarseness or hoarseness of the voice, as well as discomfort in the larynx (for example, burning, tickling, foreign body sensation and dryness).
In patients with this diagnosis, enlarged and painful cervical lymph nodes are often found.
Chronic laryngotracheitis: symptoms and treatment
With such a deviation, a person may complain of coughing, 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 manifested in the morning and evening, to constant and severe hoarseness.
Symptoms of chronic laryngotracheitis in some people manifest as fatigue after a significant voice load. Dysphonia can also worsen as a result of unstable climatic conditions, and in the weaker sex with hormonal changes (for example, during pregnancy, with menopause and the onset of menstruation).
Constant loss of voice indicates structural changes in the ligaments, which are mainly keratotic or hypertrophic in nature. If a person is engaged in such activities where oratorical abilities are required, then this disease may well become a traumatic factor, which ultimately leads 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 this symptom is accompanied by a small sputum discharge. A constant and severe cough in patients is most often caused by such unpleasant sensations in the larynx as sore, dry, tickling, etc.
Possible complications
If the infectious process from the trachea spreads to the lower parts of the respiratory system, this will lead to the appearance of pneumonia or tracheobronchitis. In chronic laryngotracheitis in children, bronchiolitis often occurs. As a rule, such a disease is accompanied by increased body temperature, as well as a significant increase in symptoms of intoxication. In this case, coughing may become permanent. Due to the fact that with acute laginotracheitis, sputum accumulates in the lumen of a person’s larynx, a small child may have the appearance of 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 subsequently will cause the development of a laryngeal tumor. That is why you should not hesitate in treating this disease, especially in young children.
Therapeutic measures for laryngotracheitis
If you have symptoms of laryngotracheitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. As a rule, treatment of such a disease boils down to antibacterial or antiviral therapy, in which mucolytic, antitussive, antihistamine, antipyretic and other drugs are prescribed, as well as physiotherapy. Most often, therapy for laryngotracheitis is performed on an outpatient basis. If the child has a false croup, then it is required to immediately hospitalize him in a hospital.
Medicines for the treatment
To understand how and with what to treat acute or chronic laryngotracheitis, we name the most common and effective drugs used for this disease:
- Antiviral drugs: Nazoferon, Arbidol, Remantadine and Proteflazid.
- Antibiotic drugs (with mixed and bacterial laryngotracheitis): Cefuroxime, Amoxicillin, Sumamed, Ceftrioxone, Azithromycin.
In addition, alkaline and oil inhalations, as well as electrophoresis on the trachea and larynx, have a rather 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 the patient has acute laryngotracheitis or an exacerbation of chronic, then, in addition to drugs, he is recommended to drink plenty of warm liquid (tea, compote, kissel, etc.). At the same time, in the room where the patient is located, the air should be cold and sufficiently humidified.
Cases requiring surgery
Surgical intervention during such a disease is indicated only in individual cases with hypertrophic laryngotracheitis (usually chronic). Also, surgery is prescribed if drug treatment did not give the desired result, and there is a great threat of a malignant tumor.