Sack and sore throat, sensation of lump and desire to cough - these symptoms are familiar to every person. Often they accompany pharyngitis. Today's article will tell you about this disease. You will learn the main signs and methods of eliminating the pathology.
Preliminary characterization
Pharyngitis is an inflammatory process that occurs in the larynx. With it, lymphoid tissue is affected. By the nature of the origin of the disease is infectious and non-infectious. In the first case, pathology develops due to damage by viruses and bacteria, as well as due to some other disease (scarlet fever, flu, whooping cough). Non-infectious pharyngitis is less common. Its appearance is provoked by inhalation of polluted air or chemical (irritating) substances. To find out what exactly caused the disease, it is possible only through laboratory tests.
The most commonly diagnosed pharyngitis in children. Symptoms and treatment will be presented to you further. Before this, it is worth saying that there are two forms of pathology: acute and chronic. The latter arises as a result of improper therapy or lack thereof.
The appearance of pharyngitis of various forms
Most often, pharyngitis affects children of preschool and school age. If the pathology arose suddenly, then it proceeds in an acute form. With it, there are symptoms such as severe sore throat, tickle. During the examination, you can see severe redness of the mucous membrane, swelling. Often there is a dry cough with pharyngitis. The disease can be accompanied by a high temperature (up to 39 degrees). In children, pathology provokes a headache, general malaise, increased drowsiness. If a runny nose is added (which is not uncommon), then we are talking about acute nasopharyngitis. The lack of modern therapy provokes the transition of pathology into a chronic form.
With neglected or untreated pharyngitis, children retain perspiration and irritation in the throat. There is no more acute pain, and body temperature is within normal values. It would seem that the child is recovering. But it was not there. Chronic pharyngitis provokes frequent headaches. It can be exacerbated by complications such as sinusitis or otitis media. Less commonly, pathology affects the kidneys, but this is not excluded. Cough with pharyngitis of a chronic form, often dry or wet, but with very difficult discharge of sputum. The child's appetite worsens, and his performance decreases.
How to eliminate pharyngitis in children?
Symptoms and treatment should overlap. The main therapy for the pathology is symptomatic. This means that when the temperature rises to high values, the child must be given antipyretic drugs: Panadol, Ibuprofen, Nimulide. Many of them also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Cough with pharyngitis should be eliminated by suitable means. Please note that they depend on the nature of the symptom.
If there is a runny nose, then it must be treated with antiseptics, antiviral agents or antibiotics. The appropriate drug is selected depending on the cause of pharyngitis. Often parents resort to grandmother's methods of treatment: they use folk remedies. This is acceptable, but you should always remember about a possible allergy. In addition, the use of improvised means does not exempt you from taking medications. With herbal decoctions and folk recipes, cough with pharyngitis is quite difficult to eliminate. If the disease is started, then it will go into the chronic stage - you already know about this. Therefore, it is so important to show the child to the doctor and get an appointment.
Antibiotics or antiviral agents?
Cough with pharyngitis often has an infectious origin. It appears due to damage to the larynx by bacteria or viruses. The latter option is more common in children. For the treatment of acute viral pharyngitis, it is necessary to use drugs that eliminate the cause of the disease. Doctors prefer to prescribe safe medications for children: interferon inducers. The drugs boost their own immunity, helping the body cope with the infection on its own. It is permissible for children to give Anaferon, Ergoferon, and Cytofir. After 2 years, Isoprinosine is prescribed, and field 4 is prescribed Cycloferon. Children of school age can be given to everyone the famous "Rimantadine."
Cough with pharyngitis in children can be caused by the growth of bacteria. In this case, doctors prescribe antibiotics. It is important to remember that such funds are forbidden to take on their own. It is believed that the most effective antimicrobial agents for pharyngitis are penicillins. Preference is given to Augmentin or Amoksiklav. Less commonly prescribed is Flemoxin or Amoxicillin. If the child has intolerance to this series of antibiotics, then the drug is selected taking into account individual characteristics.
Treat a runny nose
A wet cough with pharyngitis in children is often caused by the flow of nasal mucus along the back of the throat. It seems that the child has no snot, and the nose grunts. During the examination, you can see that the pharynx is inflamed, and purulent sputum flows through it. The treatment of such an irritant is always complex. Doctors prescribe the following remedies.
- Salt solutions "Aquamaris", "Rinostop", "Dolphin". They are necessary for washing the nasal passages in order to eliminate accumulated pus and cleanse the mucous membranes.
- Vasoconstrictors Nazivin, Vibrocil, Snoop. The drugs are intended to relieve puffiness. They eliminate nasal congestion and remove itching, restore breathing.
- Antibiotics and antiseptics "Isofra", "Protargol", "Miramistin." The purpose of these drugs is to eliminate germs that irritate the larynx and provoke a cough.
Stop coughing
Before removing a cough with pharyngitis, you need to make sure that it is really dry. To do this, show the child to the doctor. The doctor listens for breathing, bronchi and lungs. If everything is clean in the lower respiratory tract, then it will allow you to take antitussive formulations. For children are appointed: "Sinecode", "Codelac Neo", "Herbion". The goal of medication is to relieve spasm and reduce the activity of a complex reflex arc.
Often children cough with pharyngitis torment so that they have vomiting. If this reflex is not stopped in time, the child will vomit. This symptom is very painful and exhausting. More often it appears in the acute course of the disease.
Expectorant medication
If a child has a wet cough with pharyngitis - how to treat? Often a debilitating cough with a difficult discharge of viscous sputum appears in the chronic course of the disease. A child who has this problem coughs all the time, cannot push a lump out of the airways. To alleviate the condition, doctors recommend the use of expectorants: "ACC", "Ambrobene", "Lazolvan," Mukaltin. The effect of their use becomes noticeable in the first two days: sputum becomes thinner, departs easier. The overall well-being of the child is also improving. Some drugs can be taken in the form of inhalation. The effectiveness of such treatment is several times higher than with oral use of expectorants.
Doctors may also recommend anti-inflammatory syrups and pills, such as Ascoril, Erespal, Pectusin. It is permissible to take them in accordance with the age of the child, in the right dosage.
Local funds
Since a cough with pharyngitis is provoked by irritation of the larynx, emollients can be taken. Doctors prescribe children lozenges for resorption, irrigating solutions. In this case, the age of the child is always taken into account. Many drugs are contraindicated in children under 3, and even up to 6 years.
To reduce cough and sore throat, Lizobact, Doctor Mom, Strepsils, Septolete, Grammidin are used. It is possible to treat the inflamed larynx with the Ingalipt, Tantum Verde, Hexoral, Bioparox solutions. Be sure to read the instructions before using the medication.
Alternative methods of treatment
Rinsing with pharyngitis helps many children. Such manipulations can be carried out independently, but do not forget to observe the received assignments. To rinse, select decoctions that have anti-inflammatory, regenerative effects: chamomile, sage, calendula. It is permissible to gargle with saline. To prepare it, you will need a teaspoon of soda and salt, as well as a glass of warm water.
You can treat cough with pharyngitis with a plentiful warm drink. Drink tea with raspberries or lemon, milk with honey. Many help onion broth. When choosing a folk remedy, always take into account the age of the child. Children under 3 years old are not recommended to independently give allergenic products: honey, cow's milk, herbal decoctions.
Summarize
Pharyngitis accompanied by coughing is a common occurrence in childhood. A small immature body cannot yet cope with the disease on its own. Therefore, it is so important to notice the pathology and conduct the correct treatment. Remember that acute cough is much easier to eliminate than chronic. Good health to you and your child!