About two million people, including more than half a million children, each year suffer from inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa, or laryngitis. However, many do not know how adults and children tolerate it, what are the symptoms of the disease and how to properly treat it. Some are even interested in whether it is possible to get rid of an ailment with the help of traditional medicine or whether you need to immediately call a doctor.
To answer such questions, a pathology itself should be considered in more detail.
Features
The larynx is the tube between the pharynx and trachea. It consists of cartilage, ligaments, muscles and joints. Its top during swallowing movements is closed by a thin elastic cartilage - epiglottis.
The structure of this organ includes the vocal cords connected to its cartilage. The tissue of the epithelium, covering the tube from the inside, cleans the air for breathing through the cilia.
The larynx is also involved in the formation of sounds, takes part in the process of swallowing. With laryngitis, these functions will be violated to one degree or another, on which the choice of the method of combating the disease will depend.
Causes and conditions of occurrence
There are two main forms of laryngitis - acute and chronic. Let's consider in more detail.
Pathology acquires an acute form as a result of hypothermia, excessive tension of the vocal cords. The mucous membrane of the larynx can be affected by a fungus or mixed bacterial-viral infections. The causative agents of the disease can be viral infections, such as influenza and parainfluenza, measles, coronavirus and rhinovirus infections.
Laryngitis takes a chronic form as a result of the constant impact of such irritating factors on the mucous membrane of the organ:
- Dust, tobacco smoke, harmful fumes and gas.
- Excessive voice stress in people working in the constant noise of technological equipment, singers, teachers and lecturers.
- Persistent cough, as a result of chronic pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.
The danger of the pathological process increases if there is a predisposition to it as a result of reduced immunity, intestinal and gastric diseases, allergies, voice changes in adolescence.
Adult patients most often suffer from laryngitis as a result of tearing of the voice, exposure to harmful substances (dust, allergens and toxins), after infectious diseases.
For many, this disease is a consequence of professional working conditions. Its frequency does not depend on gender and age. All are ill equally.
Chronic laryngitis can take the form for the successful fight which requires the establishment and elimination of the underlying cause.
Pathology classification
The main forms of the course are acute and chronic. The first includes subclinical, catarrhal and infiltrative laryngitis. Let's consider in more detail.
Most often, children and adults fall ill with acute catarrhal laryngitis as a result of inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa. Exacerbation occurs against the background of colds and tensions of the voice. It becomes hoarse, with a tickle in the throat. The feeling of the presence of a foreign object in the larynx does not leave.
The temperature rises slightly. The disease is accompanied by a dry cough, over time, expectoration of sputum begins. With the development of the ailment, inflammation can affect the subglottic region, in this case, pus is excreted. With laryngitis, in case of timely treatment to the doctor, the prognosis looks quite favorable.
Lesions of acute infiltrative laryngitis do not occur so often. In this case, all parts of the larynx become inflamed, from the ligaments and muscles to the perichondrium. If the patient has recently suffered a viral infection, the mucous membranes receive damage and minor injuries, which are the foci of reproduction of the bacterial flora. The accelerated process is facilitated by the patient’s reduced immunity.
The disease is accompanied by pain during swallowing, significant voice changes, intoxication, high fever. When a cough occurs, a discharge of thick purulent sputum is observed. Breathing is disturbed. The submandibular and cervical lymph nodes are enlarged. When purulent laryngitis occurs (pictured) without temperature, a specialist call and treatment are also required.
Causes of acute phlegmonous laryngitis
Inflammation is caused by the action of pathogenic bacteria. The cause of purulent laryngitis can be an injury and burn of an organ, the ingress of a foreign body into it. In addition, the disease can occur as a complication of syphilis, tuberculosis, cancer of the larynx, tonsillitis.
Suppuration begins in places of a well-developed submucosal layer, after which it spreads further. If the area of inflammation is limited, an abscess may occur.
The disease is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the patient's condition, constant high fever, weakness, pain in the larynx, difficulty breathing. The patient urgently needs to be hospitalized. The need for surgical intervention is not excluded.
Children disease
The defeat of sub-laryngitis laryngitis (aka false croup) occurs at the age of 5-8 years. The state of fiber in the sub-vocal region of the children's larynx is characterized by increased friability and is easily susceptible to the irritating effect of negative external factors and infections. And without that, the narrow passage of the tube narrows even more during pathology (stenosis). With the horizontal position of the child's body, swelling increases. This explains the attacks of suffocation at night. They may resume during sleep.
To facilitate breathing, it is enough to provoke a gag reflex in a child by pressing a spoon on the root of the tongue. So that the attacks do not recur, the baby's body needs to be given a semi-recumbent position, soothe it.
At the onset of the disease, the upper respiratory tract becomes inflamed, the nose is blocked, a cough appears, and the temperature ranges from 37.1 to 38 degrees. In the afternoon, the condition of the child does not cause concern. At night, it will not be possible to bypass attacks of suffocation, blueness of the nose and nails, cough, shortness of breath. This can last from a few minutes to an hour. This is followed by a decline in the attack, sweat is liberated profusely, the child calms down and falls asleep. However, everything may resume again.
Treating children
Home remedies for acute purulent laryngitis in children are strictly contraindicated. The child must be hospitalized. Therapy in a hospital is based on taking antibiotics. A positive effect is given by inhalation from mixtures of drugs that reduce swelling. Antihistamines and sedatives are used.
Treatment of children from laryngitis is the task of local otorhinolaryngologists and pediatricians. Parents need to understand that it is babies who have complications of the disease that can cost their lives. Already the first signs of pathology should become an occasion for contacting a specialist. And if the doctor offers hospitalization, you can’t refuse it, since in the future the condition of the sick child can deteriorate almost instantly, and the ambulance team can not always arrive on time.
But when prescribing outpatient treatment, one should inquire what symptoms should be the impetus for calling an ambulance machine.
There is no special treatment for home treatment. You need to focus on the condition of the child. If it is normal, short walks are recommended. Fresh air is simply necessary for the patient, so the room where he is located needs regular ventilation. It is advisable to use a humidifier. During periods of attacks of false croup, the child needs to be reassured, placed in the bathroom and open the faucet with hot water. If the asthma attack does not go away, you need to provoke a gag reflex in the baby and call the ambulance team. The main thing is to prevent panic.
Purulent laryngitis: symptoms and treatment in adults
Not everyone knows what they should do if such a pathology is diagnosed. First of all, you must remember that treating laryngitis at home alone is unacceptable. The patient must carefully fulfill all the appointments and recommendations of the attending physician. Smoking and drinking strong drinks (except tea) during the treatment period should be definitely abandoned.
The treatment of laryngitis in adults at home should be approached responsibly. Most people consider it a mild ailment or mistake the symptoms of a pathology for a common cold. But the study of the causes, the determination of the type and form of the disease, the choice of treatment should be carried out by a qualified specialist on the basis of anamnesis. Errors in the treatment of laryngitis will lead either to dangerous complications, or to a chronic form of the course of the disease, which will greatly complicate the patient’s life, will cause a lot of troubles and troubles.
Many are interested in the possibility of conducting therapy not in a hospital. It is quite possible to treat laryngitis in adults at home if the disease does not occur in an acute form and without complications that are life-threatening. The decision on this issue is made by the doctor.
In case of deterioration of well-being of the patient, a doctor should be called immediately. If the patient's condition is satisfactory, nothing prevents him from visiting the doctor’s clinic on his own. It should be remembered that patients with weakened immunity, serious concomitant pathologies, the development of false croup, as well as when diagnosing phlegmonous laryngitis, are subject to unconditional hospitalization.
If the attending physician considers the cause of the disease to be a viral infection, antiviral drugs, which are inducers and interferons, are prescribed as treatment. Most often, children are treated with such means, less often - adults. Physiotherapeutic methods of treating purulent laryngitis are also quite effective.
Antibiotic use
The use of such drugs is necessary. If during the examination of the patient it is discovered that a bacterial infection is to blame, the doctor may prescribe antibiotic treatment.
The disease in this case proceeds with pronounced manifestations of intoxication, the presence of high temperature and a serious deterioration of the patient's condition. Often the development of a bacterial infection occurs against the background of a viral pathology in the body.
Most often, antibiotics of the penicillin group are used to combat laryngitis. If the patient’s body does not tolerate them, macrolides are used. Antibiotics are taken exactly as prescribed by the doctor, treatment continues, despite the fact that immediately after the start of their use, the patient feels relief. The course must be completed to the end.
Commonly used drugs (dosage is strictly prescribed):
- Penicillin group: Amoxicillin, Amoclav, Augmentin. Relatively safe drugs are used to treat laryngitis in children (suspensions) and adults (tablets). May cause gastrointestinal tract malfunctions, allergies, taken after meals.
- Cephalosporins: Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Cephalexin. Side effects - similar to penicillins. In children, the drug is used under the supervision of a doctor.
- Macrolides - "Azithromycin". It has a weak immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect. It is prescribed for allergies to other drugs, taken before meals.
- In case of severe infections, reserve preparations (fluoroquinolones, carbapenems, etc.) are used, which are used if the patient's body does not respond to other drugs.
The use of sprays and inhalations
Especially effective are drugs that have a disinfecting effect and suppress inflammation.
Sometimes patients try to use similar medications, which are available in the form of sprays. In this case, this will not bring any result, since the drug penetrates only the back wall of the pharynx and the drug almost does not enter the larynx. A significantly greater effect is achieved by the use of inhalation. It is performed with the use of medications.
If you need to give the patient urgent care, he is inhaled with the use of corticosteroid hormones, which relieve swelling and help restore breathing. Antihistamines (anti-allergic) drugs are also indicated for use to reduce the symptoms of inflammatory processes.
Inhalation using corticosteroid hormone based budesonide is used as an emergency aid for patients with false croup. The Pulmicort preparation is better known for these purposes.
For an inhalation procedure, a patient with such a diagnosis will need a device called a nebulizer. If it is not, you can use any other device suitable for the use of hormonal drugs.
If the procedure does not give the desired result, the following emergency care products are used:
- Intravenous injection of prednisone or dexamethasone.
- Inhalation with epinephrine (adrenaline).
- Tracheal intubation, conicotomy and tracheostomy are surgical interventions used in the absence of the effect of passive treatment of false croup, when its development reaches the terminal stage.
The need for surgery
With an abscess of the larynx, it is not possible to do without surgery. When manipulated, abscesses are opened and emptied. Further treatment occurs with the use of antibiotics, antihistamines, sometimes hormonal drugs and analgesics. If the patient has increasing stenosis of the larynx, a tracheostomy is urgently performed.
The danger of severe respiratory distress and suffocation (asphyxiation) requires conicotomy. This is the name of an operation similar in effect to a tracheostomy, but more sparing. During it, tissue is dissected between two cartilages to allow air to enter the lower respiratory tract.
The use of alternative methods of treatment
Laryngitis has been known for a long time. In the absence of the opportunity to get help, the people developed their own methods of getting rid of the disease accessible to everyone. In our time, such funds can be used as concomitant treatment methods.
In the fight against catarrhal laryngitis, traditional medicine recommends the use of hot milk with honey. To rinse the throat, chamomile and sage are brewed, while it is recommended to strain it less or to shut up altogether until the disease subsides. Warm inhalation is contraindicated, since swelling of the mucosa can increase.
Infiltrative laryngitis is not treated with folk remedies. There is no effect from such therapy, and time for contacting a specialist will be lost. To combat it, the selection of antibiotics is necessary, which only a professional can do.
To alleviate the condition of a patient who is diagnosed with false croup, the effect is brought by distracting procedures: hot baths for the legs, mustard plasters on the calf muscles, moisturizing the air.
But still, wondering how to treat laryngitis at home, you need to understand that this is dangerous. The only way to help the patient in getting rid of the disease is to see a doctor in a timely manner.
As for preventive actions, it is recommended to strengthen immunity, to abandon bad habits: smoking and alcohol. It is also undesirable to supercool your body, and if a runny nose occurs, treat it in a timely manner, since it is often one of the first symptoms of laryngitis.