Very often in the fall, people suffer from rhinopharyngitis (inflammation of the nasopharynx). In no case should the treatment of this disease be postponed. Otherwise, it will turn into chronic and cause a number of other ailments.
What is rhinopharyngitis?
Rhinopharyngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the pharynx and nose. Very often, this disease is confused with pharyngitis and rhinitis. Indeed, for all the symptoms, they are similar to each other. But the only difference is that during rhinopharyngitis it is very painful to swallow, when with the other two aforementioned ailments this feeling does not occur.
Rhinopharyngitis is a complication of rhinitis. The larynx turns red, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed. Sometimes there is a plaque in the form of mucus or pus.
Symptoms of rhinopharyngitis
If you feel dry, tingling, and burning, sometimes hard-to-remove mucous discharge from the blood is the first sign of rhinopharyngitis. In addition, nasal breathing is difficult, and the vocal cords seem hoarse. Inflammation of the posterior wall of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which must be carried out immediately at the initial stage, can cause a complication in the hearing system: the patient's hearing decreases, and cracking and pain in the ears occur.
In children, all of the above symptoms are very often accompanied by fever. It happens that a tongue swells in infants, the cervical and lymph nodes are enlarged, and streaks of intense hyperemia are visible on the walls of the pharynx.
Causes of nasopharyngeal inflammation
The main causes of rhinopharyngitis are considered severe hypothermia and viral infections. Young and middle-aged children with weakened immunity or suffering from diathesis are at risk. In such an organism, it is very easy to get to such infectious pathogens as cocci.
These sticks take root well on the cells of the mucous membranes, while causing swelling and a significant expansion of blood vessels. It is worth noting that a rush of blood can also go to the mucous membrane of the auditory canals. Thus, infectious pathogens contribute to the inflammatory process of those places where lymphoid tissue accumulates .
The danger of rhinopharyngitis for small children
As we have already mentioned, for young children, inflammation of the nasopharynx mucosa is of particular danger. Treatment in this case should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.
As a rule, the cause of this ailment is an adenovirus infection, which is transmitted during contact with a patient by airborne droplets. In rare cases, rhinopharyngitis is caused by mechanical, thermal and chemical irritants.
It is worth noting that premature newborn babies are very difficult to tolerate inflammation of the nasopharynx. In addition, rhinopharyngitis in some cases can even lead to death.
How to determine that a child has rhinopharyngitis?
Inflammation of the wall of the nasopharynx can occur in different ways. As a rule, the first sign is a high temperature up to 39C, which rises to this indicator in a short time. But there are cases that rhinopharyngitis occurs without an increase in temperature.
A concomitant symptom at the initial stage of the disease is transparent discharge from the nose, which later turns into mucous or purulent. Usually in this situation, due to a stuffy nose, children begin to breathe through their mouths. And babies cannot suckle.
And the accompanying symptoms of rhinopharyngitis are loose stools, vomiting and flatulence. Sometimes the lymph nodes on the back of the head increase and cramps occur.
Inflammation of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which is very long, in children entails pneumonia and bronchitis. But the most dangerous complication is croup or lining of the lining.
What to do if the child has inflammation of the nasopharynx?
As mentioned above, children are very easily amenable to such a disease as inflammation of the posterior wall of the nasopharynx. In no case can it be treated independently. If you experience the first symptoms of rhinopharyngitis, consult your doctor. Otherwise, serious complications such as scarlet fever, flu, diphtheria, and measles can occur.
Before the doctor arrives, release the baby’s nose for breathing. To do this, use medications as drops or nasal spray that are appropriate for the child's age. But remember, in no case should you use menthol medications, as they can cause seizures and spasm of the glottis.
In addition, the baby needs to warm up the breasts slightly with an oil compress. It is done as follows. Moisten ordinary gauze in sunflower oil and place it on the chest. Lay oilcloth on gauze, and on top - a flannelette or woolen skan. Wrap the baby. After 3-4 hours, the compress can be removed.
Treatment of rhinopharyngitis in children
Inflammation of the nasopharynx in a child is considered very dangerous. Her treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor. In addition, he can even hospitalize a child. But in most cases, children are treated at home.
In the latter case, it is necessary to comply with all the doctor's prescriptions. Please note that the temperature of the room where the child is located should not be higher than 22C. Wet cleaning and airing the room should be done every day. Otherwise, dry air will only worsen the condition of the baby.
Drops for the nose, which the doctor prescribed, should be taken strictly according to his instructions or instructions and no more than 7-9 days, as long-term use of such drugs can cause the development of a vasomotor rhinitis, that is, a violation of the vessels of the nasal mucous membrane.
Many argue that when inflammation of the nasopharynx occurs, treatment with folk remedies can also take place. But this applies to the initial degree of the disease.
Treatment of rhinopharyngitis in adults
In the cold season, the opportunity to "earn" inflammation of the nasopharynx increases. Treatment of this ailment in adults, as in children, must begin with washing the nose. This can be all kinds of vasoconstrictive drops or sprays, as well as flushing the nose with saline.
Only an integrated approach will help prevent chronic inflammation of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which will be more complex and lengthy in the future.
So, recovery will depend on how correctly and often you gargle, bury your nose and take medication.
So, for treatment you are advised of the following:
- gargle with sage infusion, which is brewed at the rate of - 1 tablespoon of herb per 1 cup of boiling water;
- moisturize the nose with oil drops, for example olive oil;
- gargle with soda solution (1 teaspoon in 1 large glass of boiled warm water);
- lubricate or gargle with a solution of lugol;
- make inhalations with warm water without Borjomi gas;
- exclude from the diet hot, cold and spicy.
If you encounter a disease such as inflammation of the nasopharynx, treatment with antibiotics and other drugs is also possible. But in this case, only a doctor should prescribe all these medicines.
Prevention of rhinopharyngitis
We have already said that it can cause inflammation of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which in no case should be postponed. Based on this, we can name methods for the prevention of this disease.
So, first of all, this is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which means giving up smoking, playing sports and reducing psycho-emotional stress to zero.
Secondly, regular wet cleaning of your home will help get rid of germs and maintain a favorable level of humidity for your body.
Thirdly, it is necessary to limit contacts with people with colds.
Fourth, avoid hypothermia. This is especially true of inflammation of the nasopharynx in a child. Treatment in this case, as in all others, is inevitable.
As you can see, preventing rhinopharyngitis is much easier than treating. Be attentive to your health and the health of your children!