Tonsillitis: treatment

Each of us, especially in childhood, did not pass by such a common disease as angina or tonsillitis, the treatment of which should be carried out in time, as this will help to avoid serious complications later. We will try to tell you about this disease in an accessible way and with vivid examples.

What is tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is a fairly common disease of the upper respiratory tract, an inflammatory process in the palatine tonsils.

Before you find out what treatment for tonsillitis involves, you must first visit a doctor to establish the correct diagnosis.

Our throat is a multifunctional organ, but vulnerable. Judge for yourself, we eat, breathe, speak and sing thanks to the presence of our throat. At least two of these actions can cause this organ to become ill. Actually, tonsillitis is not a viral infection, but a persistent bacterial infection of the throat tissue.

Causes of tonsillitis

Tonsillitis, the treatment of which should begin as soon as possible, is most often caused by group A streptococci, sometimes by Staphylococcus aureus and pneumococcus. The inflammation is located in the oropharynx. The factors that provoke the development of the disease are excessive hypothermia, polluted and dry air, and decreased immunity.

What is the difference between a viral infection and a bacterial infection? It's very simple. The virus spreads over a long distance, while hemolytic streptococcus, the main culprit of tonsillitis, prefers closer contact.

Kissing, using common household items that may come into contact with saliva - all of this is a habitat for streptococcus, provided that someone in your household or work colleagues has tonsillitis.

In addition, there are a number of people who are carriers of streptococcus. It "lives" peacefully on their tonsils even when they feel well. For this category, sudden hypothermia of the throat by eating snow, sucking on icicles, drinking cold drinks in large quantities is extremely undesirable. Streptococcus is just waiting for this to start multiplying.

“Favorable” conditions for streptococcus may include the presence of polyps in the nose or a deviated nasal septum, rheumatoid arthritis, extensive dental caries, acute allergic reactions and, as a result, reduced immunity.

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Symptoms of tonsillitis

Like many diseases, tonsillitis is divided into two forms: acute and chronic.

Catarrhal angina is characterized by local hyperemia and swelling on both sides of the pharyngeal region. The disease flares up suddenly, the temperature jumps, a nagging headache and acute pain when swallowing appear, any destructive processes are absent. Changes in the blood in this form are often insignificant.

Lacunar and follicular tonsillitis are much more complicated. The onset of the disease is accompanied by an increase in temperature, the indicators of changes in the blood are much higher than in the catarrhal form. Follicles or lacunae are covered with purulent formations, the lymph nodes are enlarged.

Ulcer-necrotic tonsillitis is characterized by increased salivation, a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, while the temperature may remain normal. Treatment is carried out strictly under the supervision of a doctor. The resulting ulcers are lubricated with iodine, hydrogen peroxide solution, potassium permanganate.

Before we start treating tonsillitis, let's get acquainted with the main symptoms of its manifestation. Acute tonsillitis usually begins with a sharp rise in temperature and general poor health. It is significant that even when the temperature is reduced with medication, the general condition of the sick child or adult does not improve. When examining the throat, small or continuous pustular formations are clearly visible on the tonsils. And, naturally, we experience a sore throat.

The same thing happens with chronic tonsillitis, but much more often. In general, chronic tonsillitis is dangerous because its long course can lead to bronchitis, polyarthritis or cardiovascular diseases. That is why it is very important to start treating tonsillitis in a timely and correct manner.

Severity of tonsillitis

First, the doctor determines the form of the disease. Tonsillitis has two forms: compensated and decompensated. The compensated form is not expressed by a disturbance of well-being and high temperature, tonsillitis seems to be dormant in your body and preventive measures are important here.

Proper nutrition, adherence to hygiene standards, limiting contact with sick people and avoiding hypothermia will help to easily cope with this form of tonsillitis and avoid its frequent manifestations in a more severe form. If this cannot be avoided, a decompensated stage occurs, the symptoms of which we have discussed above.

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Treatment of tonsillitis with modern means

Treatment of tonsillitis is reduced to long-term, 7-10 days, intake of antibiotics and various physiotherapeutic procedures. UHF, phonophoresis, inhalations, magnetotherapy - this is what is prescribed for acute tonsillitis. Lubrication of the tonsils with Lugol's solution or propolis tincture with oil is also used. It is important to gargle. This will help remove pustular plaque from it. For gargling, use a solution of furacilin or an alcohol tincture of propolis.

If the disease tonsillitis is very severe and not the first time, then, most likely, the doctor will advise and prescribe surgical intervention. In this case, the tonsils are removed completely or partially, if they are large. Nowadays, the laser method of tonsil removal is widely used. For small tonsils, the cryomethod is used - the destruction of infected tissues by cold. The operation lasts 15 minutes under anesthesia. As a rule, the patient is discharged from the hospital after 2-3 days.

Tonsillitis is treated with antibacterial therapy. Antihistamines are also prescribed to reduce swelling of the throat (suprastin, diazolin). Vitamin therapy is prescribed, especially high doses of vitamin C. Antipyretic drugs are used to lower the temperature. An important point in the complex treatment of tonsillitis is drinking plenty of fluids and regularly gargling. Gargling should be done as often as possible. For these purposes, you can use an alcohol solution of chlorophyllipt, furacilin, calendula tincture, propolis, saline solution with soda, decoctions of sage, chamomile, eucalyptus, St. John's wort. Bed rest is recommended. In severe cases of the disease, hospitalization is necessary.

Nowadays, there are many medications used in the complex treatment of tonsillitis - various antiseptic sprays, tablets and lozenges, rinsing solutions.

The chronic nature of the disease indicates that the protective functions of the body's immune system are significantly reduced. Changes in the tonsils are visible to the naked eye: they have a crimson hue, swelling, and purulent deposits. In the chronic form of tonsillitis, massage of the submandibular region is recommended, mud applications are applied, and cold quartz and UHF irradiation is performed. Another sign of chronic tonsillitis is the appearance of an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity, the passage of plugs containing caseous masses formed in the lacunae, as well as painful lymph nodes when palpated.

Treatment of chronic tonsillitis in the acute phase is carried out using antibacterial drugs, strictly as prescribed by a doctor. Lacunas are washed with iodine chloride, saline, alkaline solution, furatsilin, and treated with an alcohol solution of propolis. An effective method of treatment is vacuum aspiration (vacuum washing) - under the influence of pressure, purulent plugs are removed, the resulting cavities are filled with an antiseptic. Vacuum aspiration significantly facilitates the course of the disease.

Treatment of tonsillitis is carried out taking into account the etiological process and symptoms of the disease. The basis of treatment is antibacterial drugs containing, for example, amoxicillin, cefadroxil, azithromycin, strictly as prescribed by a doctor, after diagnosis and determination of the form and type of disease. Antihistamines, antipyretics and, if necessary, painkillers, regular rinsing and drinking plenty of fluids are also prescribed.

Treatment of tonsillitis with folk remedies

In addition to medication, there are also folk, time-tested, methods of treating tonsillitis. Basically, these are various infusions and decoctions for rinsing. What kind of treatment for tonsillitis does folk methods suggest? Let's get acquainted with some of them.

Take a glass of warm, slightly salted water and inhale it through your nose, squeezing the left and right nostrils alternately. Spit out the water that has passed through your throat. Fresh horseradish juice helps well. Dilute the juice with warm water in a 1:1 ratio and gargle 4-5 times a day. It should be said that frequent gargling is a very important tool in the fight against tonsillitis. Don't be lazy, help your throat.

Basil oil, burdock decoction and even warm champagne will become your reliable allies in the fight against acute tonsillitis. For chronic tonsillitis, the course of treatment with folk remedies will be 1-2 months, then you need to take a break for two weeks and repeat the procedures, changing the ingredients.

The total duration of herbal treatment is one year. Then it will be enough to rinse in spring and autumn.

How to prevent tonsillitis?

And yet, despite the fact that the treatment of tonsillitis is varied, the main and most gentle remains timely and correct prevention of this disease. It is important to monitor the health of teeth and gums, maintain personal and home hygiene, eat right, and carry out hardening procedures. We wish you a healthy throat and a good mood always.