Parents often lament over the frequent sore throats of their child. Traffic jams in the throat of a child in the glands are the result of a sluggish infection process with a decrease in immunity. Exacerbations of this process for various reasons becomes the main factor in the formation of purulent plugs.
A bit of anatomy
Tonsils or tonsils are accumulations of lymphoid tissue in the form of several formations concentrated in the pharynx:
- paired tonsils - between the sky and the tongue;
- pipe - at the opening of the Eustachian tube;
- unpaired - pharyngeal and lingual.
These 6 tonsils form the so-called. Waldeyer-Pirogov lymphoid ring. This ring is formed after 3 years, so talking about traffic jams in newborns and infants is absolutely illiterate. What kind of traffic jams can there be if the tonsils themselves are not there yet? Angina and chronic tonsillitis are different: angina is a process of acute inflammation of the tonsils, and chronic tonsillitis is a process of chronicity. It can occur not only from poorly treated tonsillitis, but also from childhood infections - measles and scarlet fever. Chronic tonsillitis occurs in 12-15% of children. It is divided into simple and complicated forms.
If the throat is often sore, perspiration, it is painful to swallow without other symptoms - this is a simple form. Bad breath, the presence of a sensation of a foreign object in the throat may be noted. Visually in the child’s throat, white plugs can be seen - these are purulent lumps that protrude from the space behind the palatine arches.
If, with the indicated signs, lymphadenitis of nodes under the jaw and cervical is added, it is a complicated form. The appearance of purulent plugs in the throat of a child in the tonsils is already a late symptom of tonsillitis.
Pathogens and causes
In 95% of cases, the causative agent of inflammation of the tonsils is beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Next are staphylococci, pneumococci, chlamydia, hemophilus bacillus, viruses, etc.
The likelihood of developing an ailment is always increased in the presence of chronic foci of infection in the nasopharynx: carious teeth, gingivitis, stomatitis, sinusitis, chronic other sinusitis, laryngitis, etc. The main role in whether a child becomes ill or not, belongs to the immune system. To activate opportunistic microflora, a decrease in immunity is necessary. The child is at risk when he is too cold, wet his feet, bathes in ice water, sits on cold surfaces, overeat ice cream, etc. So, the causes of traffic jams in the throat of a child:
- chronic inflammation of the nasopharynx and sinusitis;
- lack of oral hygiene;
- loss of immunity;
- improper diet - monotonous protein food, an abundance of carbohydrates, a deficiency of vitamins in the diet;
- trauma to the tonsils with the creation of a wound canal (for example, injuries with a fork, fish bone, etc. during eating), the wound canal in such cases attracts bacteria.
Signs of chronic tonsillitis
Chronic tonsillitis can be suspected in a child not only by frequent complaints of the throat, but also by symptoms (2-3 are enough for diagnosis).
- Thickened and hypertrophic palatine arches, even without exacerbations.
- The presence of adhesions between the arches and glands.
- Tonsils loose and hypertrophied.
- On the surface of the tonsils, caseous plugs are visible in the throat of a child, often containing pus.
- An increase in cervical and submandibular lymph nodes, their pain on palpation.
- Decreased appetite, headaches, weakness, fever may increase.
- Leukocytosis in the blood.
Signs of traffic jams in tonsils
White plugs in the child’s throat in tonsils (tonsillolitis) are the remains of dead bacteria, cells that have accumulated in the lacunae and calcified. With small sizes in remission, corks do not cause anxiety. The following signs will indicate the presence of traffic jams:
- Foreign body sensation in the throat. This is due to irritation of the nerve endings, which are affected by plugs in the throat of a child. Sometimes there is a dry cough from this, it does not bring relief.
- It becomes painful to swallow due to increased sensitivity in the mucosa.
- Bad breath - it occurs because some bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide.
- Sometimes plugs in the throat of a child can be determined visually. In other cases, you can press on the base of the tonsils, and they protrude to the surface.
The effects of tonsillitis
Chronic tonsillitis is very generous in complications: rheumatism, heart defects, myocarditis, arthritis, nephritis, hyperthyroidism, psoriasis, scleroderma, eczema.
Casein plugs in the throat of a child may be complicated:
- paratonsillar abscess (inflammation of the nearotonsillar tissue with all signs of intoxication);
- phlegmon neck (extensive purulent inflammation without clear boundaries) - phlegmon in general can lead to sepsis;
- the development of scars on the tonsils as a result of inflammation.
What can not be done with pus on the tonsils
It is not necessary to remove the white dots themselves, while it is possible to damage the mucous membrane, and the infection will spread.
Self-medication is also strictly contraindicated.
Do not try, without skills, to squeeze out pus: the release of pus can intensify and expand. Pustules arise inside the tonsils, where there is no access. You can not do hot compresses, especially at night, drink hot drinks, for example, milk, warm your throat with a blue lamp, and visit public places so as not to infect others.
Treatment principles
How to get rid of purulent plugs in the throat? Treatment full of chronic tonsillitis is a long, but real process. Therapy should be comprehensive, consistent and complete, that is, not interrupted when signs of improvement appear. Treatment for congestion in a child’s throat is usually conservative. It always includes antibacterial therapy, general and local treatment, general strengthening treatment, immunomodulators, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation of foci of infection.
Local treatment is antiseptic irrigation, rinsing, inhalation, tonsil lubrication, etc. With severe sore throat, resorption of painkillers will help. By the way, the famous pediatrician Komarovsky E. considers the use of antiseptics ineffective. When prescribing antibiotics, it is necessary to identify the type of pathogen and its sensitivity to antibiotics. Then the treatment will be successful.
The drugs of choice are:
- penicillins ("Augmentin");
- cephalosporins ("Cefazolin", "Cefotaxime");
- macrolides ("Azithromycin", "Clarithromycin").
First, the first 2 groups are assigned. Macrolides are reserve antibiotics; they are not inferior in effectiveness to others.
Antiseptics, anti-inflammatory and analgesics can be single drugs ("Tantum Verde", "Hexoral") or can be combined ("Lisobakt", "Strepsils"). Combination drugs are preferable, in which the selected drugs are synergistic. Local treatment with any drugs is allowed for children after 3-5 years.
With viral etiology, antibiotics are not used. Treatment courses are usually carried out in spring and autumn, with a complicated form - every 3 months.
Komarovsky considers the saliva of the child to be the best antiseptic, so a sick child needs to drink plenty of warm liquid so that saliva is produced in sufficient quantities, and to sanitize the oral cavity at the dentist. The room should not have tightly shut windows and heaters - this must be removed and maintained at a temperature of 18-20 degrees, air humidity should be at least 70%. All dust collectors such as carpets, soft toys, etc. should be removed from the apartment, and a child should often walk in the fresh air with a child.
Surgery
It is used rarely in children, it is prescribed only when the tonsils lose their ability to maintain immunity by neutralizing pathogens and themselves become a constant source of infection.
To remove the tonsils:
- removal of the glands (tonsillectomy);
- cryodestruction (destruction of tonsils with liquid nitrogen);
- laser radiation.
Cryodestruction is widely used; liquid nitrogen with a temperature of -190 degrees is used. The process is painless, and the recovery period is very short, the patient immediately goes home after the procedure.
Laser removal of tonsils - the safest in terms of complications and accurate method, is performed in the clinic. Anesthesia - Tonsil irrigation with lidocaine. The bottom line is that the tonsil is cut off with a laser instead of a scalpel. The duration of the procedure is about 30 minutes, and the patient goes home.
What can be done at home?
This is permissible in the presence of certain experience and with small sizes of plugs. How to remove a cork in the throat of a child? They can be removed:
- using the language;
- cotton swab;
- washing tonsils.
Tongue squeezing
The patient himself with the base of his tongue presses on the base of the affected tonsil and anterior palatine arch. You can try loosening the cork with the tip of your tongue first. If several attempts fail, the procedure is terminated. Applicable for small traffic jams. The advantage is that the tongue cannot injure the mucous membrane.
Cotton swab
It is performed with clean hands, 2 hours after eating, in good light. The oral cavity should be cleaned. The edge of the cheek is pulled, then the same pressure on the base of the tonsil is made with a sterile cotton swab. The tampon moves to the top of the tonsil, trying to squeeze the cork out of the gap. She then emerges on the surface of the glands.
Removing plugs by washing tonsils
At home, most often it does not give an effect. You can rinse with soda solution, saline, "Furacilin", using a syringe without a needle.
Removing plugs by a doctor
The doctor removes the traffic jams after a full examination of the child and assesses his general condition. How to get rid of purulent plugs in the throat? As a treatment, you can apply lacunae washing, physiotherapy, laser sealing of lacunae (cryptolysis).
The doctor can also use lacunae washing to remove purulent plugs, but the success of the manipulation is much more likely than at home. For washing the gaps used:
- syringe with a special tip - a thin curved cannula;
- vacuum method.
Washing the tonsils with a syringe is carried out with a solution of an antiseptic, which is injected directly into the lacuna, and the purulent contents are washed out under pressure. Since all the lacunae communicate with each other, it is enough to introduce a solution into 2-3 of them. For full flushing, 10 procedures every other day are enough.
Washing of tonsils lacunae with a vacuum method is carried out after treatment of tonsils with anesthetic by a special vacuum apparatus to reduce the swallowing reflex. An antiseptic is introduced into the peeled tonsils, preventing a new accumulation of bacteria. A course of 10-15 procedures, every other day. The plus of the procedure is that it has no age restrictions.
Physiotherapeutic procedures
They are prescribed during remissions. They reduce the activity and severity of inflammation. Most often prescribed:
- UFO - has a bactericidal effect and improves local immunity.
- Laser irradiation - has a pronounced antimicrobial effect, improves blood and lymph flow in the tonsils. On a course - 5-6 procedures.
- Ultrasonic aerosols - with a special ultrasonic device, drugs are injected deep into the gaps.
- For therapeutic purposes, antibacterial agents are used: "Lizobact", "Hydrocortisone", "Dioxidin". In this case, the medicine settles on the gaps for a long time.
Sealing tonsil lacunae with a laser
A modern method that solves the problem forever. Its essence is that the infected tissue is burned out with a special laser, purulent masses are removed with them. Healing is scarred, as a result of which the walls of the gaps are completely glued and the entrance to them is sealed so that there is no penetration of a new infection and its development. The procedure is safe and takes place within 15-20 minutes. The course may need 2-3 sessions.
Is there a sore throat without fever?
Angina without fever occurs in the following cases:
- Decreased immunity - then a protracted course and frequent complications are assumed.
- A few viruses got into the body - this is possible with catarrhal processes.
- There is no temperature with angina with immunodeficiency with HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and oncology.
So, is there a sore throat with plugs in the throat of a child without fever? Yes, but that does not mean her spontaneous self-healing. There may be no symptoms, and then complications will suddenly appear. Sore throat without fever is just as contagious as it is with fever.
Symptoms of a sore throat without fever
She looks like a common cold. Manifestations:
- mild sore throat;
- dryness and perspiration in the mouth;
- there is no temperature, but chills and weakness may be felt;
- sometimes a headache;
- myalgia and leg pain.
Upon examination, revealed:
- tonsil redness;
- cloudy mucus on the glands;
- swelling and hyperemia of the tonsils and the posterior pharyngeal wall ;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Symptoms are still mild.
Sore throat treatment
The treatment of congestion in the throat of a child without fever is similar to regular sore throat. It:
- bed rest;
- taking antibiotics;
- analgesics;
- local treatments.
Preventive actions
The best prevention of chronic tonsillitis is the hardening of the child. There should also be a fortified balanced diet. Evgeny Komarovsky advises parents not to create greenhouse conditions, the risk of getting sick from this only increases. It is not necessary to forbid the child to eat cold food, drink water from the refrigerator, since cold is useful for enhancing local immunity. Ice cream can harden your throat.
Constant warmth and mashed food increase the risk of illness. In the off-season, it is better not to take the child to places with a large crowd of people, not to travel by public transport without special need. But walking is a plus. In addition, prevention includes: personal hygiene - brushing your teeth in the morning and in the evening, full treatment of arising sore throats, drinking regimen, timely treatment of chronic inflammation of the ENT organs, prevention of hypothermia.