The easiest, according to many, rhinitis disease (runny nose) also has its own characteristic features and specifics of the course. In some people, a runny nose disappears within a week, in others it is delayed, in others it is complicated by sinusitis or other ENT pathologies. If by 6-8 days in adults and children, instead of a significant improvement in well-being and a decrease in the amount of mucus from the nose, yellow-greenish snot of viscous consistency is traced, a purulent runny nose is diagnosed - a disease associated with antibacterial inflammation and requiring a more painstaking approach to cure.
Causes
A runny nose with purulent discharge most often appears after the virus enters the human body, and pus is formed as a result of the development of infection in the pathogenic microflora. The main causes of purulent runny nose can be attributed to:
- harmful conditions at work or at home;
- prolonged exposure to frost;
- SARS or flu with complications;
- weakened immunity.
Sometimes a mucopurulent runny nose can appear with more severe infections, typhoid, scarlet fever, measles, diphtheria, and also with syphilis or gonorrhea.
In humans, there are many bacteria in the nasal mucosa that can multiply rapidly and cause major bacterial inflammation. These microbes include:
- staphylococcus;
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
- streptococcus;
- pneumococcus and others.
White blood cells rush to the edematous places and absorb the bacteria there, while they themselves die, resulting in a purulent mass of yellow-green color.
The more rare causes of purulent rhinitis can be attributed to:
- hormonal disbalance;
- vascular and heart diseases;
- cysts and papillomas in the nasal cavity;
- frequent use of drugs with a vasoconstrictor effect;
- taking blood thinners
- weak capillaries in the nose, which burst if vigorous.
Signs and Symptoms
The causes of purulent rhinitis (rhinitis) are quite diverse (from viral infections of various origins, colds to banal hypothermia). With all this, the signs and symptoms are always identical. Consider the most characteristic signs that are easily diagnosed, namely:
- The most important sign of purulent rhinitis in the earliest stages is nasal congestion. In this case, the consistency of the discharge from the nose changes from transparent to purulent yellowish or greenish in color (sometimes with blood).
- Nasal discharge is accompanied by discomfort in the nose (burning, tickling).
- Difficulty breathing due to nasal congestion, while the sense of smell decreases sharply or disappears completely.
- In the period of exacerbation, active sneezing, lacrimation is observed.
- With a purulent runny nose, symptoms of general malaise are also characteristic of a common cold or flu. For example, a headache, chills, intense sweating, and a feeling of weakness are recorded.
- In addition to general signs, specific symptoms appear such as a feeling of heaviness in the nose, an unpleasant smell from the nasal cavity, the wings of the nose and upper lip swell and flaky.
- Separately, it is necessary to dwell on the symptoms of purulent rhinitis in young children and infants. Anxiety and anxiety in parents should be caused by signs such as the inability to suckle maternal breasts, shallow breathing frequently through the mouth, sleep disturbances, the child is naughty and anxious, fever, weight loss.
If treatment is not started on time, the headache may increase, there are signs of fever, breathing becomes superficial. The chronic form can lead to a change (deformation) of the nose, lips, voice changes.
How to treat a purulent runny nose in an adult and a child
The presence of a disease such as rhinitis, delivers a lot of discomfort to any person. Therefore, in order to avoid the flow of the pathology into a chronic form, it is very important to start drug therapy in time. Directly the treatment of purulent rhinitis itself is divided into several types, depending on which symptom of the disease you need to get rid of.
Drops and sprays
To relieve puffiness, restore breathing (patency of the sinuses), vasoconstrictor drugs (drops, sprays) are prescribed based on xylometazoline, mesatone or naphazoline. These drugs are perhaps the most common and widely used, but they should be used for no more than seven days, since an overdose can lead to addiction and irreversible deformations of the nasal mucosa (proliferation, tissue necrosis). Among the most famous are the following:
- "Naphthyzine".
- Farmazolin.
- Xylen.
- "Vibrocil."
Such drugs, as a rule, have a lot of analogues and are quite widely represented in pharmacy chains.
Anti-inflammatory and antihistamines
If the use of the above drops did not completely relieve swelling of the nasal sinuses, then anti-inflammatory and antihistamines such as Nise, Nurofen, Desloratadine, Zirtek, Diazolin and analogues are also used to facilitate breathing.
Vasoconstrictor
The use of vasoconstrictor drops for the treatment of purulent runny nose in a child inevitably leads to drying of the nasal mucosa, therefore, drops and sprays based on eucalyptus oil are shown in this case, for example:
- "Pinosol".
- "Sanorin."
- Eucabolus.
In addition to vasoconstrictive drops, a drug such as Sinupret is recommended (available in tablets and drops for internal consumption). It contains medicinal herbs, due to which it has a strengthening effect on the immune system and, at the same time, has a vasoconstrictive effect, improves patency in the sinuses.
Antibacterial
The acute stage of purulent runny nose (fever, increased discharge from the sinuses, signs of intoxication) requires the use of antibacterial therapy. As a rule, penicillin group preparations are prescribed:
- Flemoxin.
- Flemoklav.
- Amoxiclav.
- Amoxicillin.
However, in some cases, the patient may be allergic to penicillin, then macrolides are prescribed:
- Erythromycin.
- "Azithromycin".
- Rovamycin.
In addition, antibiotics can be replaced with other antimicrobials containing sulfonamides.
If purulent rhinitis is not in an acute stage, the symptoms are not bright, then it is possible to use antibacterial and antiseptic drugs in the form of drops and sprays, such as, for example, Ciprolet, Isofra, Miramistin, Polydex.
In addition to, so to speak, "heavy artillery" in the form of both an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial course for the treatment of purulent rhinitis in a child, the attending physician recommends washing the sinuses with various solutions and medications based on sea salt. An approximate scheme of such treatment is as follows:
- thoroughly rinses the nose with saline;
- to improve the outflow of mucus, the medicine "Rinofluimucil" is injected;
- after a couple of minutes, the nose is washed again with isotonic saline; then there must be a careful blow out;
- at the end of the procedure, either an antibiotic or another antiseptic drug is instilled into the nose.
Alternative treatment
Pus is the main sign of increased activity of bacteria. The main objectives of therapy with folk remedies for purulent rhinitis are as follows:
- Destruction of pathogenic microflora.
- Ensuring the removal of the maximum volume of pus. Otherwise, mucus will lead to the development of sinusitis, sinusitis and other unpleasant complications.
- It is also necessary to prevent the mucous membrane from drying out and the formation of crusts in the nose.
The best recipes
The most harmless and quite effective method is the use of acupressure. Its essence is in influencing points located slightly below the bridge of the nose. They must be massaged for one minute in circular motions.
You can use the following alternative methods if you are not allergic to the main components:
- Having fallen in a glass a tablespoon of St. John's wort, you need to pour boiling water over it and insist for two hours. Ready infusion should be washed up to three times a day.
- Squeezing the juices from beets and carrots, they need to be combined in equal proportions. The recommended dosage is six drops five times a day.
- You can apply a little menthol oil to the wings of the nose. This will reduce swelling and the number of secretions.
- Another option is to place a piece of honey the size of a bean in each nasal passage. After this, you need to lie down a bit, throwing your head back so that the honey melts and gets into the nasopharynx. The procedure should be carried out one hour before bedtime.
- After mixing a little onion juice and peach oil in the same proportions, you need to drip three drops of the finished mixture four times a day.
Rinse nose
You can also treat this disease with nasal lavage. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a small vessel with a spout, for example a rubber bulb, a syringe without a needle or a miniature watering can. There are various options for carrying out a similar procedure:
- Nose retraction.
- Flushing from one affected nostril to another.
- Another method is from the sinus to the mouth.
During washing, it is necessary to tilt the head so that one nostril is located above the other. First you need to pour the solution into one nostril (so that it flows from another), and then you need to repeat the procedure for the other nostril. After completing the procedure, you should blow your nose to remove the remaining solution from the nostrils.
The most common recipe is the use of saline. To do this, you need to dissolve a little rock or sea salt in water. The proportion must be selected taking into account the condition of the mucous membrane. Doctors recommend using proportions - one teaspoon of salt per glass of water.
Another option is rinsing with iodine, soda and salt. This method is recommended for use with a purulent runny nose, when the nose is very stuffy. For one glass of water you need to add a teaspoon of salt and a few drops of iodine.
In a similar way, you can rinse your nose three times a day. The procedure is recommended for a maximum of three days. Then you can use simply salted water without soda.
Chamomile flushing
For those who do not know how to cure a purulent runny nose, the following recipe will help. Alternatively, you can rinse your nose with a solution of chamomile. A decoction for such a procedure is prepared in the following way: you need to prepare one tablespoon of medicinal chamomile flowers and place them in a small pan. The broth must be filled with a glass of cool water. Putting the mixture on fire, you need to wait until it boils. After removing the ready-made broth from the fire, cover it with a lid and insist for 30 minutes.
The prepared product must be filtered. To enhance the therapeutic effect, you should add a little soda or sea salt to the prepared broth. A pharmacy chamomile is perfect for preparing a decoction. Alternatively, you can assemble it yourself - this must be done outside the city, in an area remote from enterprises.
Chamomile, assembled with your own hands, you need to sort out and clean from the roots. After that, it should be dried in a cool and dry place. For example, in the attic. It is recommended to store this grass in a bag.
Kalanchoe treatment
Another common method is therapy with agents such as aloe, thuja, garlic water and Kalanchoe. For such procedures, you can use only freshly squeezed juice. Aloe must be diluted with water in equal proportions. When using Kalanchoe juice, it is not necessary to breed it. You should instill two drops of such a tool three times a day. It is important to remember that with a purulent runny nose, it is impossible to carry out procedures such as heating of the sinuses, inhalation. Otherwise, pus will get into other organs, which will lead to dangerous complications, such as frontal sinusitis or meningitis.
The use of folk remedies is recommended to be agreed with the attending physician. This will help prevent unforeseen complications. After all, a purulent runny nose can occur for various reasons.