Pharyngitis is called pharyngeal inflammation. This disease is quite common. In the article, we consider the causes, symptoms, and also methods of treating children and adults. We describe folk remedies and herbs that help with the development of pharyngitis.
Causes
The most common cause of pharyngitis, the symptoms of which are not very pleasant for a person, is a viral or bacterial infection. It occurs when the patient has a reduced immunity. Often a provoking factor is hypothermia. The viral form of pharyngitis is transmitted through the air, and infection occurs very quickly. People who are often in public places are especially susceptible to illness. Often a bacterial infection also joins a viral infection. Thus they develop simultaneously. Sometimes it happens that the second type of disease occurs on its own.
The most common causative agent of the disease is rhinovirus. It is considered the cause of almost 80% of cases of acute pharyngitis. In addition, the “popular” should be called influenza virus, coronavirus, adenovirus and some others. In addition to the above pathogens, a fungal infection must be isolated. With this type of pharyngitis, the symptoms will differ markedly. Accordingly, the treatment of this infection is completely different. Also, pharyngitis can cause allergies, pharyngeal trauma. The cause is often chronic gastritis, in which the contents of the stomach enter the nasopharynx during sleep.
In children, pharyngitis and nasopharyngitis can occur when a foreign body enters the throat. Moreover, this is quite common. In this case, the symptoms and treatment of pharyngitis in children will be specific.
What does it look like?
Regardless of the type of pharyngitis, most often the external manifestations are similar to each other. Recall that this disease affects the condition of the throat, lymph nodes, and also the mucous membranes. Symptoms can sometimes be completely different. But more often than not, a person's throat begins to become inflamed and swollen. It takes on a pink hue. A similar symptom of pharyngitis in adults in the photo (treatment in this case should be started immediately) is demonstrated in detail. Often, red dots may appear on the throat itself. In some patients, the lymph nodes greatly increase in size. In this case, a huge amount of mucus or pus in the throat can be observed. The tongue turns white, and respiratory function is difficult.
Types of Pharyngitis
Symptoms and prescribed therapy are completely dependent on the type of pharyngitis that has arisen.
By the nature of the course, it should be distinguished: acute, subacute and chronic pharyngitis. The latter type has subgroups: hypertrophic, mixed and atrophic. Also there is a simple one. It is also called catarrhal.
By origin, pharyngitis is divided into: viral, traumatic, fungal, allergic, bacterial. There is a type of disease that occurs when there is a constant irritant.
General indicators of acute pharyngitis
In order to treat pharyngitis, the symptoms and course of the disease must be known. This will allow you to choose the right therapy and prevent the spread of infection.
Let's start with the most commonplace symptoms of the disease. This is the occurrence of perspiration, a constant desire to cough up. Acute pharyngitis can be accompanied by the fact that a person worsens, weakness, malaise appears. There is also a rise in temperature, while sometimes it can rise to 38 degrees or more. Often the infection spreads quickly throughout the body, so rhinitis occurs in a few days, in other words, a runny nose.
General indicators of acute pharyngitis in children
Symptoms of pharyngitis in children are slightly different. Especially when it comes to babies. The kid will be capricious, he has a restless sleep and poor appetite. In such children, the symptomatology does not have any specifics, so it can be confused with another colds. It should be noted that if you do not pay attention to the symptoms of pharyngitis in time and do not prescribe treatment in the near future, then the child’s disease will quickly turn into nasopharyngitis. Because of this, in connection with the anatomical feature of the body, a runny nose appears.
In children with acute pharyngitis, a terrible cough occurs, which is considered a reaction to throat irritation. It is quite strong, paroxysmal and dry. The cough appears due to the fact that the back wall of the pharynx begins to become very inflamed.
General indicators of chronic pharyngitis
Symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are slightly different from the manifestations of acute. A person will have a periodic sore throat, as well as discomfort. Sometimes a dry cough may appear. The general condition does not worsen. However, symptoms of pharyngitis will constantly lead to inconvenience. Because of this, a person will become overly annoyed. He may also have insomnia. This will contribute to a deterioration in living standards. Unfortunately, any symptoms of chronic pharyngitis are unpleasant.
Hypertrophic pharyngitis of a chronic type is not an independent disease. As a rule, it appears as a result of problems with the gastrointestinal tract. That is why often a person may experience pain in the stomach or intestines.
Serious symptoms in adults
General indicators indicating the development of the disease have been described above. However, there are more serious symptoms of pharyngitis in adults, the treatment of which should be started immediately.
First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that a person has a very painful cough, there is a feeling of the presence of a foreign body in the throat, severe dryness, redness of the mucous membranes, enlarged lymph nodes, and also ear pain or hearing loss. Treatment should be started immediately. The fact is that such signs are present not only with pharyngitis. Therefore, you should immediately consult a doctor and without fail to find out the cause of the manifestations.
Important symptoms in children
General symptoms of the disease in children have already been considered, but those that pose a strong threat need to be described. The throat turns red, because it is very inflamed, and there is also pain when swallowing. The most serious symptoms for a child are such as the occurrence of noise in the head, fever and very severe inflammation of the tonsils. They will be visible at the initial examination. When a disease occurs in children, it is these symptoms of pharyngitis that are quite common. Treatment at home should not be carried out.
The occurrence of the disease in infants and signs
It is quite difficult to identify a disease in a baby, so you need to constantly monitor the state of his health. In children, an allergic, bacterial or viral infection can occur. At the same time, it arises both in winter and in the summer, when, it would seem, there are no prerequisites.
Very often, pharyngitis develops after adenoiditis or tonsillitis. If the baby is rarely in the fresh air for some reason, then his throat is often inflamed. It is necessary to pay attention to the humidity in the apartment. The air should be moderately dry, but not much, so that the child feels good.
Diagnostic difficulties lie in the fact that the baby cannot say what exactly bothers him. However, parents are able to notice the symptoms themselves. If the baby's eyes are watery, there is insomnia, behavior changes, red dots and vesicles appear in the throat, and the back of the pharynx is very swollen, which means that you need to urgently call a pediatrician. He will check what is associated with the occurrence of such symptoms, will be able to choose a treatment. The correct diagnosis will be made only after passing the tests. Drinking medications on your own is forbidden, as a child's condition may worsen.
Diagnostics
In order to conduct an accurate diagnosis, the doctor makes an examination, checks the condition of the pharynx, and also listens to the patient's complaints. If all the manifestations indicated by patients are symptoms of pharyngitis in adults or children, then special treatment is prescribed. If necessary, scraping from the tonsils, as well as from the pharyngeal wall. This is done in order to identify the pathogen. However, this is prescribed only if the disease has a bacteriological nature.
Disease treatment
If a person has mild symptoms of pharyngitis, the standard treatment is prescribed: make a dry compress in the throat, rinse your mouth with an antiseptic, dissolve special lozenges, they help fight bacteria, drink more warm liquid, make inhalations, and take medications that strengthen the immune system .
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If it is a viral infection, then antibiotics are not prescribed. Doctors prescribe them only if the patient has a bacterial or fungal form of the disease. Often, such drugs are prescribed for those people who have had traumatic inflammation, which is now in remission.
Symptoms of pharyngitis and treatment of this disease in children are slightly different. That is why often therapy causes difficulties. Especially when it comes to young children, to whom many drugs are contraindicated. It is impossible to rinse the baby's throat; inhalers are forbidden to use, as they can cause bronchospasm. Also, candies that need to be absorbed are not suitable for them. That is why if pharyngitis occurs in a child under 2 years old, then doctors recommend only warming the neck, giving a fairly large amount of warm water to drink. Prescribed soft strengthening the body. If there is rhinitis, then you need to use the drops that a pediatrician should prescribe. The fact is that without this, it will be quite difficult to cure pharyngitis, since the infection will penetrate the pharynx through the nose. At the same time, parents need to consider that it is forbidden to overheat or supercool the child. The room where it is located should be as warm and ventilated as possible. Otherwise, the pharyngitis symptoms will intensify each time in a child. The photo of the throat above shows the degree of inflammation. If the doctor has prescribed inhalations, and the child is not allergic to herbs, you can make a special decoction of medicinal plants. He needs to give off steam, so they put him under the bed when the baby is sleeping. Thanks to such inhalations, you can get rid of the effect of bacteria on the body.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies can be used as therapy if there are symptoms of pharyngitis in adults. Photos of medicinal herbs are located below. It should be noted that pharyngitis is not arthritis that cannot be cured with the help of grandmother's methods. In the case of a similar cold, alternative treatment is quite effective. In the presence of mild symptoms, herbs can even be used as primary therapy.
Of folk remedies in the treatment of pharyngitis, alcohol tincture is used, which is made from echinacea leaves. This allows you to strengthen the immune system. You can drink hot tea with lemon or chamomile with ginger. However, it should be noted that the liquid should not be scalding. It is also allowed to consume warm milk with honey. You can gargle with salt and soda: ½ teaspoon per glass.
Caring for sick children
In order for the child to quickly get rid of the symptoms of pharyngitis, it is necessary to give him a plentiful drink. You can use tea, fruit drinks, compote or mineral water without gas. Fresh air also plays an important role. Many doctors pay attention to this. Thanks to these methods, you can effectively moisturize and cleanse the mucous membrane of the baby's throat.
In order for the patient to not have constant perspiration and discomfort, it is necessary to adhere to a sparing diet. It will help relieve irritation and prevent the throat from getting injured even more. Hot, cold, coarse, spicy, salty, sour, and also solid foods should be avoided.
Symptoms and treatment of chronic pharyngitis
Separately, it is necessary to highlight how the chronic form of the disease manifests itself, as well as how to treat it.
First of all, it should be noted that this type of disease lasts much longer than acute. Often the chronic form accompanies a person all his life, being in a state of remission, then relapse. Inflammation in this case focuses on the mucous membranes and lymph nodes. A person may not have problems with well-being. He has no fever. That is, all the symptoms are associated only with the problems of the lymph nodes.
The disease develops very slowly. A person may think that he has recovered, although in fact a period of calm has come. After this, the disease will again manifest itself under the influence of external factors. Moreover, such a cycle can last continuously. What symptoms and treatment of chronic pharyngitis (in adults or children) depends entirely on the form of the disease. It has been described above that this disease has several types. However, as a rule, in all cases, the prognosis is positive if you consult a doctor on time. In order for chronic pharyngitis to be constantly in remission, you need to monitor your health, as well as get rid of the factors that provoke the disease.
Treatment of lingering pharyngitis
The article presents a photo of the symptoms of pharyngitis. At first glance, treatment may seem ineffective, however, it is quite realistic to fight the chronic form of the disease. To do this, you need to get rid of bad habits - smoking or alcohol. It is necessary to use antibiotics as recommended by a doctor.
If the disease worsens, it is better to use anti-inflammatory drugs from an expensive series in order to stop the disease at the beginning of development. Traditional medicine will have a good effect when using medicinal herbs. Perfectly affect and inhalation. However, their use must be discussed with your doctor. In some people with a chronic form of the disease, inhalation is contraindicated.
Food
In addition to medicines and folk remedies that can be used in treatment, do not forget about the diet. Pharyngitis is an infectious disease, so doctors recommend eating a healthy diet. It will help get rid of the disease. You need to eat a large number of vegetables and fruits, because during the development of such a disease, immunity is very weakened. Therefore, the body needs vitamins. Avoid foods that contain acid. Otherwise, you can worsen your condition. Sour milk products, as well as meat, should be consumed every day. The latter must be steamed. So it is much more useful. Fatty, fried foods are better to remove from the diet. You need to get rid of the habit of adding spices and drinking alcohol. Cold and hot drinks are also prohibited.
Complications
If you ignore the symptoms and treatment of pharyngitis, then you can lead to complications. This leads to tonsillitis, to a chronic form, causes autoimmune diseases, infections that affect the respiratory tract. Often pharyngitis contributes to the development of an abscess. Often, the disease leads to inflammation of the kidneys, most often to glomerulonephritis.
Prevention
In order not to suffer from unpleasant symptoms of pharyngitis, preventive measures must be taken.
First of all, they are aimed at increasing human immunity and eliminating pathogens. Therefore, you need to often walk in the fresh air, eat well and relax properly. Subcooling should especially be avoided.
If the room has a good level of humidity, as well as a normal temperature, then neither the child nor the adult will be able to get sick. Infants should be removed from contact with "bad" air, including smoke and dust.If sinusitis, runny nose or adenoiditis occurs, they must be treated so that the child does not inhale air through the mouth. You should also completely reduce communication with people who are sick with SARS. The fact is that often in contact with them in the autumn or winter, a healthy person can get pharyngitis.