Inflammation of the lymph nodes is a fairly common phenomenon, and often a similar process is observed precisely in the submandibular structures. This disease affects both adult patients and children. So what is a disease? What is the treatment for submandibular lymphadenitis? Is the disease dangerous? The answers to these questions will be of interest to many.
What is lymphadenitis? The main causes of submandibular lymphadenitis
According to statistical studies in modern medicine, a disease called submandibular lymphadenitis is quite common. ICD-10 (international classification of diseases) contains a description of the various forms of this disease.
Lymphadenitis is an inflammation of the lymph node, which is associated with the activity of a particular infection. The most common cause of the inflammatory process is the activity of streptococci or staphylococci. To date, it is customary to distinguish the primary and secondary form of the disease.
Primary lymphadenitis is extremely rare. This form of the disease develops if the infection enters directly into the lymph node from the external environment, which is possible, for example, with an injury.
But most often pathogenic microorganisms enter the lymph node along with lymph flow from another focus of inflammation. This is how secondary lymphadenitis develops. The inflammatory process in the submandibular nodes is often associated with diseases such as gingivitis, caries, periodontitis and some other pathologies of the oral cavity. In addition, chronic nasopharyngeal ailments, including tonsillitis and sinusitis, can be attributed to risk factors. In any case, in the process of diagnosis it is extremely important to determine the cause of inflammation, since the treatment of submandibular lymphadenitis depends on this.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
Inflammation of the lymph node can be both acute and chronic - its symptoms depend on the form of the disease. The acute inflammatory process is accompanied by very characteristic signs. In the initial stages, patients complain of pain. The affected lymph nodes increase in size, they can easily be felt or even seen with the naked eye. Soreness increases with the development of the disease, becomes more intense when swallowing, sometimes patients can not even open their mouths.
Tissues around the affected lymph node swell, and in later stages the skin becomes red or even bluish. Perhaps an increase in body temperature, general weakness and other symptoms of intoxication.
In chronic inflammation, the clinical picture is not so clear. Fever and weakness are absent, and patients complain only of a slight soreness and swollen lymph nodes. An effective treatment of submandibular lymphadenitis depends on the form of the disease and the stage of its development.
Conservative treatment
In the initial stages, drug therapy is possible. First of all, the patient must undergo a diagnosis. Only after receiving the test results, the doctor will be able to make a final diagnosis of "submandibular lymphadenitis." Antibiotic treatment is really effective, but, as in any other case, the success of therapy depends on the correct selection of drugs.
As a rule, the patient is first prescribed a puncture of the lymph node, after which its contents are examined in the laboratory. Bacteriological culture allows you to accurately determine the nature of the pathogen and the degree of its sensitivity to a particular drug.
Most often, patients are prescribed penicillin-type antibiotics in the form of injections. The duration of treatment is at least seven days.
What is dangerous submandibular lymphadenitis?
In fact, this disease can be dangerous. After all, quite often in the lymph node, a purulent process begins. With the accumulation of a large amount of pus, the probability of a node rupture increases, as a result of which purulent masses spread to the surrounding soft tissues. That is why, when the first symptoms of such a disease appear, it is worthwhile to seek help from a specialist. Only qualified assistance will help to avoid dangerous consequences.
What does surgical treatment look like?
Unfortunately, in the presence of suppuration, treatment of submandibular lymphadenitis is most often carried out surgically. In addition, similar procedures are prescribed if conservative therapy does not give the desired effect and there is a high probability of rupture of the inflamed node.
In most cases, the surgeon performs a puncture of the affected node, during which it cleans it of purulent contents. Sometimes patients are given special drainage, which provides a free outflow of pus. Only in the most difficult situations is the complete removal of the affected node indicated. As a rule, along with surgical procedures, the patient is prescribed antibacterial treatment.
Submandibular lymphadenitis in children: treatment and its features
According to statistics, pediatric patients are no less susceptible to this disease than adults. But it is worth noting that submandibular lymphadenitis in children, as a rule, develops after reaching the age of three - it is during this period that the formation of the lymphatic system is completed.
In the early stages, you can do without surgical intervention. It is extremely important to undergo a diagnosis in time, determine the primary source of infection and eliminate it. In addition, doctors recommend that you carefully monitor the cleanliness of the oral cavity: brush your teeth, rinse your mouth and throat. In the presence of suppuration, antibiotics are required, the dosage is determined by the attending physician. Surgical methods are resorted to in extreme cases.
Sometimes doctors prescribe special compresses to the child. But in no case should you resort to self-medication or warm the affected lymph node, since heat contributes to the development of the inflammatory process. The child must be observed by a doctor.
Submandibular lymphadenitis: treatment with folk remedies
Of course, traditional medicine has a lot of recipes that help get rid of inflammation. But immediately it is worth noting that home remedies are not effective in the treatment of purulent lymphadenitis and, if used improperly, can only complicate the situation. You can apply traditional medicine recipes only in the early stages and exclusively with the permission of the attending physician.
Fresh dandelion juice, from which compresses are made, is considered quite effective. They need to be applied to the affected node twice a day and left for two hours. For compresses, you can also use crushed fresh peppermint leaves, which well relieve inflammation. The alcohol tincture of echinacea also has a good effect. The solution purchased at the pharmacy should be diluted with water (1: 2), moisten gauze in it, which is then applied to the inflamed lymph node and left overnight. By the way, tincture can also be taken orally - it increases the activity of the immune system.