Viral tracheitis is a serious disease caused by adenovirus. Its presence is indicated by the inflamed mucous membrane of the trachea. The disease is dangerous in that it can initiate many other ailments.
What are the causes of tracheitis? How fast is it developing? What symptoms indicate its presence? And how to treat this ailment? All this will be discussed now.
Etiology
Tracheitis can be infected with a viral disease after contact with someone who already suffers from this ailment. He overcomes some after inhaling cold air.
The risk group includes people who neglect the rules of personal protection during periods of epidemic, as well as those who have weak immunity.
Viral particles infect epithelial cells. This negatively affects the protective functions of the body. The consequence of this is bacterial complications that form on the mucous membrane. They usually cause pneumonia or bronchitis.
The most common cause of infection is an adenovirus, but in rare cases it can be parainfluenza, coronavirus, enterovirus and rhinovirus.
It should also be noted that this disease usually develops against the background of other ailments of the respiratory tract.
What is tracheitis combined with?
In fact, not even fully cured colds can become a prerequisite for the development of this ailment. Usually viral tracheitis is combined with such diseases:
- Parainfluenza
- Laryngitis.
- Flu.
- Adenovirus infection.
The most dangerous combination is tracheitis and flu. Because in this case, the entire respiratory system is affected: the bronchi, oropharynx, trachea, and nasopharynx.
In addition, against the background of the flu, the symptoms of the disease in question do not appear immediately. The body fights viruses, and bacteria that multiply against a background of weakened immunity, ultimately lead to the development of tracheitis.
Least of all, this disease develops parallel to parainfluenza. And then mostly in children. In this case, a characteristic sign is the affected larynx.
Symptoms
The first manifestation of this disease is a severe sore throat, which slowly develops into a cough. In the first two or three days it is dry, but then sputum begins to stand out. The cough becomes wet and painful. Attacks happen at night and in the morning.
The condition of a person is deteriorating rapidly. The following symptoms of viral tracheitis begin to appear:
- Weakness and malaise. It’s hard to even get out of bed.
- Fever.
- Severe nasal congestion.
- Partial loss of voice.
- Hoarseness.
- Muscle aches.
It should be noted that in children the symptoms are more pronounced than in adults. While older patients show a fever, babies have a real fever, which is very difficult to bring down.
In addition, children can get sick at any time of the year. And adults become infected, usually in early spring, winter and autumn.
Self-determination of the disease
Many people wonder: how to determine if tracheitis is viral or bacterial? It is difficult to do it yourself, since the symptoms are similar, and the patient is in such a state that it is difficult to analyze the symptoms, to put it mildly.
However, an ailment of bacterial origin is potentially more dangerous than a viral disease. It is caused by meningococcus, pneumococcus, staphylococcus and other parasitic microbes. And since they, developing and multiplying, release toxic substances, intoxication symptoms appear in humans. To all of the above are added:
- Stool problems.
- Stomach ache.
- Decreased appetite.
- Strong temperature increase up to 40 ° C.
- Dehydration.
- Hallucinations and febrile seizures (in children).
Here, however, how to understand that viral or bacterial tracheitis has defeated a person. If there is intoxication, then the second option is more likely. And this is dangerous, since bacteria can provoke purulent inflammation of the trachea. This phenomenon is fraught with a pharyngeal abscess.
It is also useful to know that there is fungal tracheitis (manifested by intoxication and swelling of the trachea) and chronic, in which there is no discomfort in the throat, but there is inflammation. The once untreated disease goes into this form.
Diagnostics
As a rule, the therapist, to whom everyone addresses with complaints, redirects the patient to the otolaryngologist. He appoints the following procedures:
- Blood donation for analysis.
- Bacterial culture of sputum, followed by its study on the KUB.
- Laryngotracheoscopy.
- Throat and nose swabs for bacteriological examination.
The doctor also finds out if the patient has any allergic disease. For example, dermatitis, eczema or hay fever. If so, then it is likely that his tracheitis is allergic in nature.
However, all show the results of a blood test. With an ailment of a viral nature, an acceleration of ESR and leukocytosis is observed. And laryngotracheoscopy shows swelling of the mucous membrane and hyperemia.
Complications
If you do not treat tracheitis of a viral nature, then the inflammatory process will begin to spread further through the respiratory tract. This can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis. And these diseases are treated much longer than tracheitis.
The fact that the bronchial tree is involved in the infectious process is evidenced by an excessively high body temperature, a painful, persistent cough, hard pulmonary breathing, and also wheezing.
The general condition of the patient worsens, symptoms of intoxication are aggravated. Breathing and coughing is accompanied by severe pain localized in the chest. The sound in the lungs becomes dull, during the auscultation, the doctor discovers weakened breathing, moist rales and crepitus.
If inflammation is not eliminated, and morphological changes in the mucosa cannot be prevented, endotracheal neoplasms may appear. And they are not only benign.
It should also be noted that tracheitis is especially dangerous for women in position. Because the infection can easily be transmitted to the fetus. And this is fraught with irreversible consequences. So every pregnant woman, having noticed disturbing symptoms, must immediately go to the doctor for an appointment. And do not self-medicate, since many drugs intended to treat the disease have contraindications.
Drug therapy
Treatment of viral tracheitis is prescribed by the doctor after examination and examination of the tests. It is important to influence the cause of the ailment. Most often this is an adenovirus, and here are some medications that can help destroy it:
- Viferon. It has antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory effects. The drug has no side effects, so it can even be given to newborns.
- Groprinosin. Interested in how to treat viral tracheitis in children? Definitely this drug. It is effective for both adults and toddlers (from 1 year). Its powerful effect is due to the presence of inosine.
- Bonaphton. A good antiviral drug that can cope even with herpes.
You can also take a substance such as deoxyribonuclease. It is available in the form of an eye ointment and drops.
Immunomodulators
There will be no effect from antiviral agents if a person has immunity problems. You will need to take substances that can improve it.
To date, there are combined immunomodulators - those that additionally have an antiviral effect. As a rule, therapist prescribes them to treat viral tracheitis. The drugs in this group include:
- Amiksin.
- Cycloferon.
- Kagocel.
- "Isoprinosine."
- "Imudon."
- The Imunorix.
- Lavomax.
- Tiloron.
- "Immunal."
- Aflubin.
In the treatment of viral tracheitis in children, Anaferon will help. It is allowed from 6 months. This tool quickly reduces the concentration of the virus in the affected tissues. It can even cure chickenpox and infectious mononucleosis.
By the way, you can still get echinacea in drops - this is a natural immunostimulant. It can simply be added to tea.
Antitussive and vasoconstrictor
Therapy aimed at combating viral tracheitis also involves the use of these agents. It is very important to alleviate the symptoms, as the manifestations of the disease give the patient a lot of pain.
To eliminate the common cold, you can use the following drops:
- "Pinosol."
- "Grippferon."
- "Marimer."
- "Polydex".
- "Protargol."
- "Aqua Maris."
- "Collargol."
- "Nazivin."
- "Bioparox."
- Isofra.
- Sinuforte.
To eliminate a painful cough and facilitate the discharge of sputum, the following drugs are prescribed:
- "ACC".
- "Mukaltin."
- "Hydelix".
- Ambrobene.
- "Hydelix".
- "Broncholitin."
- "Lazolvan."
- "Bromhexine."
- Erespal.
It should be noted that with viral tracheitis, antitussive therapy includes a combination of taking the drug and inhalation. But steam heating can only be done when the temperature passes.
Sprays
They are especially effective at the initial stage of the disease. The best irrigation sprays are:
- "Ingalipt." Reduces sore and burning throat.
- Hexaspray. It has anti-inflammatory effect, eliminates irritation.
- "Tantum Verde Forte." Moisturizes and softens the throat, produces a small analgesic effect.
- "Cameton". It facilitates breathing, has an antiseptic effect.
Two shots three times a day are enough. The action of each spray reaches 6 hours.
Physiotherapy
In order to minimize the risk of complications, and to speed up the recovery process, you will need to be like procedures. As a rule, doctors recommend the following:
- Electrophoresis
- Inductothermy.
- Exposure to an electromagnetic field.
- Steam inhalation.
The last procedure from the listed can be carried out at home. It is better to use not water, but herbal decoctions. The best raw materials for their preparation are eucalyptus, elecampane rhizome, sage, pine buds, thyme, chamomile and mint. Their effect in tracheitis is indispensable.
By the way, even in the composition for inhalation, you can add essential oil. Best of all are kaeput, mint, juniper, eucalyptus, clove, cedar, rosemary, pine, ginger, fir, anise or sage.
Folk remedies
If a person is actively treating viral tracheitis, then he should also pay attention to the secrets of alternative medicine. Here are some recipes that can help you recover as soon as possible:
- Take 2 tsp. Icelandic moss and pour warm, but not hot boiled water (250 ml). Send to a slow fire, let it boil, turn it off. Over the next 30 minutes, the broth should be infused. After that, it must be filtered. Drink the resulting volume per day in two divided doses.
- A glass of cooled boiled water pour 2 tsp. adonis summer. Give 8 hours to brew. Filter, add 1 tsp. honey. Drink at night, heated.
- In equal proportions, mix the chopped calendula, blackcurrant leaves, chamomile, viburnum flowers and rose hips. Pour 1 cup boiling water. Insist for 8 hours. Then strain, add 1 drop of fir oil. Flush the nose with the resulting composition at least three times a day.
- Take goldenrod grass (8 g), sage (15 g), apple leaf (12 g), hawthorn and elderberry flowers , veronica grass , walnut and hazelnut leaves, clover (all 10 g each), as well as willow bark and tartar baskets (20 g each). Mix well. Take 1 tbsp. Collect and pour boiling water (500 ml). Give 30 minutes to brew. Then strain and drink the infusion in 4-5 doses per day.
- Take 50 grams of chopped fresh garlic and add water (150 ml). Boil and cool. Add 3 tbsp. honey and a pinch of clove powder. Drink a few tablespoons of this syrup per day.
However, it should be noted that treatment of viral tracheitis in adults and children with the help of folk remedies is allowed with the permission of the therapist, as well as in the absence of a person’s allergy to one of the listed components.
Compliance
To recover faster, you need to change your lifestyle at least temporarily. Here are the basic guidelines for patients:
- It is necessary to maintain humidity in the room at least at the level of 55%.
- Drink plenty of fluids. It can be teas, juices, compotes, fruit drinks.
- Do not smoke. It also irritates the already inflamed airways.
- Do not eat pickled, salted and spicy dishes.
- Try not to load the vocal cords.
If you start treatment on time, take the medications prescribed by your doctor, and also follow the regime, you can get rid of tracheitis in 7 days.