Tonsillitis: treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Each of us, especially in childhood, did not pass by such a common disease as tonsillitis or tonsillitis, whose treatment should be performed on time, as this will help to avoid serious complications afterwards. We will try to tell you about this disease available and with vivid examples.
What is tonsillitis?
Tonsillitis - a fairly common disease of the upper respiratory tract, an inflammatory process in the tonsils.
Before you know what the tonsillitis treatment involves, you must first visit the doctor to establish the correct diagnosis.
Our throat is a multi-functional organ, but vulnerable. Judge for yourself, we eat, breathe, talk and sing thanks to the presence of our throats. At least two of these actions can lead to the disease of this body. Actually, tonsillitis is not a viral infection, but a persistent bacterial infection of the tissues of the throat.
Causes of tonsillitis
Tonsillitis, whose treatment should begin as soon as possible, is caused most often by group A streptococci, sometimes by Staphylococcus aureus and pneumococcus. The focus of inflammation is formed in the oropharynx. The provoking factors for the development of the disease are excessive hypothermia, contaminated and dry air, reduced immunity.
What is the difference between a viral infection and a bacterial infection? Everything is very simple. The virus extends over a long distance, and hemolytic streptococcus, the main culprit of tonsillitis, prefers closer contact.
Kissing, the use of common objects of use, which can get saliva - all this home for streptococcus, provided that someone from your home or co-workers has tonsillitis.
In addition, there are a number of people who are carriers of streptococcus. He calmly "lives" on their tonsils and with good health. For this category, extreme throat supercooling is extremely undesirable by eating snow, sucking on icicles, and consuming cold drinks in large quantities. Streptococcus only waits for this to begin to multiply.
"Favorable" for streptococcus can be the presence of polyps in the nose or curvature of the septum of the nose, rheumatoid arthritis, extensive caries of teeth, acute allergic reactions and, as a consequence, decreased immunity.
[Symptoms of tonsillitis
Like many diseases, tonsillitis is divided into two forms: acute and chronic.
Catarrhal angina is characterized by local hyperemia and edema on both sides of the pharyngeal region. The disease flares up abruptly, the temperature jumps, there is a aching headache and acute pain when swallowing, there are no destructive processes. Changes in blood with this form are often minor.
Lacunar and follicular tonsillitis is much more complicated. The onset of the disease is accompanied by an increase in temperature, the indices of changes in the blood are much higher than in the catarrhal form. The follicles or lacunae are covered with purulent formations, the lymph nodes are enlarged.
Ulcerative necrotic angina is characterized by increased salivation, sensation of a foreign body in the throat, while the temperature can remain normal. Treatment is carried out strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Formed ulcers smeared with iodine, hydrogen peroxide solution, potassium permanganate.
Before proceeding to treatment of tonsillitis, let us become acquainted with the main symptoms of its manifestation. Acute tonsillitis begins, as a rule, with a sharp rise in temperature and general poor health. It is significant that even with a decrease in temperature, medically, the general condition of a sick child or adult does not improve. When examining the throat, tonsils can easily see small or continuous pustular formations. And, of course, we have a sore throat.
The same happens with chronic tonsillitis, but much more often. In general, chronic tonsillitis is dangerous because its long course can lead to bronchitis, polyarthritis or to diseases of the cardiovascular system. That is why it is very important to start treating tonsillitis in time and correctly.
Degrees of severity of tonsillitis
To begin with, the doctor determines the form of the disease. In tonsillitis there are two: compensated and decompensated. The compensated form is not expressed by disturbance of state of health and high temperature, tonsillitis as it slumbers in your body and then preventive measures are important.
Proper nutrition, adherence to hygiene standards, limiting contact with sick people and avoiding hypothermia can easily cope with this form of tonsillitis and avoid frequent manifestations of it in a more severe form. If this can not be avoided, a decompensated stage sets in, the symptoms that we discussed above.
Treatment of tonsillitis with modern means
Treatment of tonsillitis is reduced to a long, 7-10 days, taking antibiotics and various physiotherapy procedures. UHF, phonophoresis, inhalation, magnetotherapy - this is what is prescribed for acute tonsillitis. Use, also, lubrication of glands with Lugol solution or propolis tincture with oil. It is important to gargle. This will help remove the pustule from it. For rinsing use a solution of furatsilina or alcoholic infusion of propolis.
If the disease tonizillit proceeds in a very complicated form and not the first time, then most likely, the doctor will advise and prescribe a surgical intervention. In this case, the glands are removed completely or partially, if they are large. Today, a laser method of removing glands is widely used. At small sizes of tonsils use cryomethod - destruction of infected fabrics by a cold. The operation lasts 15 minutes with anesthesia. They are discharged from the hospital, usually 2-3 days later.
Treatment of tonsillitis is carried out with antibacterial therapy. Also prescribed antihistamines to reduce swelling of the throat (suprastin, diazolin). Vitamin therapy, especially high doses of vitamin C, is prescribed. To lower the temperature, antipyretic agents are used. An important point in the complex treatment of tonsillitis is abundant and frequent drinking and regular rinsing. Gargle as often as possible. For these purposes, you can use an alcohol solution of chlorophyllipt, furatsilin, tincture of calendula, propolis, saline with soda, decoctions of sage, chamomile, eucalyptus, St. John's wort. Recommended compliance with bed rest. In severe cases, hospitalization is necessary.
Nowadays, there are many drugs used in the complex treatment of tonsillitis - various antiseptic sprays, tablets and lozenges for absorption, rinsing solutions.
The chronic nature of the disease indicates that the protective functions of the body's immune system have been significantly reduced. Changes in the glands are visible to the naked eye: they have a purple hue, puffiness, purulent layers. In the chronic form of tonsillitis, massage of the submaxillary region is recommended, mud applications are applied, cold quartz, UHF irradiation is carried out. Another sign of chronic tonsillitis is the appearance of an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity, the passage of plugs with the content of caseous masses formed in lacunae, as well as the soreness of the lymph nodes during palpation.
Treatment of chronic tonsillitis in the phase of exacerbation is carried out using antibacterial drugs, strictly according to the doctor's prescription. The lacunas are washed with iodine chloride, saline, alkaline solution, furacilin, treated with an alcohol solution of propolis. The effective method of treatment is vacuum aspiration (vacuum washing) - under the influence of pressure purulent plugs are removed, the formed 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 the symptoms of the disease. The basis of treatment is antibacterial drugs containing in their composition, for example, amoxicillin, cefadroxil, azithromycin, strictly according to the doctor's prescription, after diagnosing and determining the form and type of the disease. Antihistamines, antipyretic and, if necessary, anesthetics, regular rinses and plentiful drinks are also prescribed.
Treatment of tonsillitis with alternative means
In addition to medicamentous, there are folk, proven by centuries, ways of treating tonsillitis. Basically, these are various infusions and decoctions for rinsing. What does tonsillitis treatment require by alternative methods? We will become acquainted with some of them.
Take a glass of warm, slightly salty water and draw it through your nose, clamping alternately, then left or right nostril. Passed through the throat water, spit. Fresh horseradish juice helps a lot. Dissolve the juice with warm water in a 1: 1 ratio and rinse the throat 4-5 times a day. I must say that frequent rinsing is a very important tool in the fight against tonsillitis. Do not be lazy, help your throat.
Basilic oil, broth burdock and even warm champagne will be your reliable allies in the fight against acute tonsillitis. For chronic tonsillitis treatment alternative treatment will be 1-2 months, then you need to take a break for two weeks and repeat the procedure, replacing the ingredients.
The total period of herbs treatment is a year. Then it will be enough to hold the rinses in the spring and fall.
How to prevent tonsillitis?
And yet, despite the fact that tonsillitis treatment is diverse, the main and most sparing remains timely and proper prevention of this disease. It is important to monitor the health of teeth and gums, observe the hygiene of the body and the house, eat properly, perform hardening procedures. We wish you a healthy throat and good mood always.