Catarrh of pharyngitis: causes, symptoms and treatment

Catarrhal pharyngitis is a disease in acute or chronic form, which is manifested by inflammation of the lymphoid tissue in the throat region. Most often, the incidence of pharyngitis increases dramatically in the cold season due to low air temperature, weakened immunity, a seasonal lack of vitamins in the body, a large number of patients with acute respiratory diseases.

The main causes of pharyngitis

According to statistical data, 75-80% of cases of this disease are due to the activity of pathogenic microorganisms (viruses) and bacteria, which include:

• Rhinovirus and influenza;
• Herpes simple;
• Coxsackie or Epstein-Barr viruses;
• Enterovirus, cytomegalovirus;
• Bacteria: streptococci, pneumococci.

Also catarrhal pharyngitis can develop against the background of ARVI and due to the introduction of fungi into the throat area.

Such forms of the disease can be determined accurately only with the help of the analysis: a smear from the throat. Regardless of the reasons that caused it, pharyngitis tends to develop the disease in the descending direction, causing inflammation of not only the throat, but also the upper respiratory tract.

Non-infectious causes of pharyngitis

There are other causes of acute catarrhal pharyngitis:

• Allergic reactions or action of chemicals;
• Consequences of the transferred illnesses in the field of an esophagus and a stomach;
• Alcohol abuse, heavy smoking, intake of too cold / hot food or drinks;
• Some changes in the mucous membrane of the throat after surgery to remove glands, pharyngeal atrophy;
• Difficulty breathing through the nose due to excessive use of drops with vasoconstrictive effect, incorrect anatomy of nasal passages;
• With a prolonged runny nose, when the throat constantly gets an inflammatory secret and brings an infection;
• Lack of vitamin A in the body;
• Hormonal changes (puberty in adolescents, menopause in women, endocrine system diseases);
• Lower immunity, diseases of the autoimmune system.

Complications after pharyngitis

Acute catarrhal pharyngitis changes into chronic with incorrect treatment and neglected state, with frequent exacerbations that are not treated with conventional therapeutic methods. With chronic pharyngitis there is a large accumulation of mucus on the walls of the throat, crusts are formed, and the mucous itself gradually becomes thinner, which can cause a feeling of a constant disco.

Another unpleasant consequence of improper treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis may be the development of a purulent form of the disease against a background of bacterial infection. It can be formed by the multiplication of fungi in the pharynx.

Catarrh of pharyngitis: symptoms

The acute form of pharyngitis can be recognized by the following signs:

• Pain when swallowing, sore throat;
• An unpleasant sensation of a foreign body;
• Slight increase in temperature;
• Dry, rending cough;
• Pain in the muscles, joints and head;
• General feeling of soreness, fatigue, chills.

Unpleasant sensations occur with reddening and swelling of the mucous membrane of the pharynx, often they are accompanied by inflammation of the lymph nodes on the neck, under the jaw or ears.

In chronic catarrhal pharyngitis, the symptoms are less pronounced: with a general well-being, unpleasant sensations in the throat are observed: perspiration, itching, there is a frequent dry cough. Because of a long and affectionate cough, some patients feel nervous irritation, there may be sleep disturbances.

Treatment of acute and chronic forms of pharyngitis

When a patient is admitted, the doctor, according to his complaints and visual examination of the throat and pharynx, puts a preliminary diagnosis, focusing also on the questioning of the patient about his lifestyle, the abuse of smoking or alcohol, professional activity, the state of the psyche. Also the doctor usually takes a swab from the throat to identify the cause and causative agent of the disease.

Treatment of acute catarrhal pharyngitis is appointed based on the results of medical examination and clarification of the cause. If the disease is caused by bacteria, antibiotics can be prescribed; When the virus form - treatment of unpleasant symptoms is carried out in combination with vitamins and immunity boosting agents.

What can I do to catarrhal pharyngitis? The complex of measures and regulations includes:

• Diet food, in which you can not eat foods that irritate the mucous throat (hot and cold, salty, smoked, sharp);
• Recommendations for nutrition: you need to drink at least 2 liters of warm liquid per day, preferably milk or tea with honey, which have analgesic and enveloping effects;
• Limiting the exposure of harmful substances to the throat (alcohol and tobacco);
• Regular gargling or inhalation using anti-inflammatory herbal infusions or medicines (Chlorophyllipt, Furacilin, Miramistin, Rotokan);
• The use of sprays to relieve pain and reduce the frequency of cough (based on chlorhexidine, iodine preparations, etc.), and also with bacterial form, prescribe sprays with antibiotics (Bioparox) or sulfonamides (Ingalipt, Biocarmint). Sprays "Imudon" and "Geksoral" are active against a number of bacteria and fungi, they are prescribed only by the order of the attending physician;
• Resorption of lozenges or lozenges, which act on bacteria and viruses, relieve inflammation and soften the pharyngeal mucosa ("Septotelet", "Neo-angin", "Pharyngocept", etc.);
• Preparations containing iodine are given cautiously, taking into account a possible allergic reaction ("Iodinol", "Yoks", "Povidone-iodine").

Pharyngitis in children

The disease with acute pharyngitis in children is much more common than in adults because of their reduced immunity. Acute catarrhal pharyngitis in a child younger than 2 years, as a rule, is combined with inflammation of the nasal mucosa and rhinitis. It manifests itself as high fever (up to + 38 ° C), lethargy and sleep disorders, more severe course of the disease.

In older children, pharyngitis does not have such vivid symptoms: perspiration and sore throat, coughing, etc. Acute pharyngitis in children is usually accompanied by a runny nose or conjunctivitis.

The danger is that the symptoms of reddening of the posterior pharyngeal wall, similar to the manifestation of pharyngitis, may be a manifestation of other diseases: intestinal infections, mononucleosis, infectious diseases (measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, etc.), mechanical throat burn or foreign body entry.

In children, complications of catarrhal pharyngitis can be quite severe: the disease provokes the flow of the larynx and, consequently, the occurrence of choking. Therefore, parents should be vigilant to monitor the condition of children, especially younger children.

Treatment of the disease in children

The general principles of the therapy of the child are similar to the treatment of pharyngitis in adults. The child can gargle with herbal decoctions, soda, apply the lubrication of the back wall with solutions of "Iodinol" or "Lugol", dissolve candies that relieve pain and destroy bacteria ("Laryngopront", "Falimint", "Strepsils"), spraying the throat with sprays "Yoks", "Ingalipt", "Bioparoks") and carry out inhalations.

A swab from the throat is mandatory to determine the cause of the disease.

It is very important to maintain the optimal microclimate in the sick child's room, facilitating the relief of the general condition:

• Increased humidity in the room, you can use humidifiers or put on heating batteries wet towels;
• Do not allow the penetration of dust, smell and tobacco smoke, contaminated air;
• After improving the general state of walking outdoors (during the warm season).

In children under the age of 1 year, because of the inability to rinse or eat absorbable candy, the treatment of pharyngitis consists of such procedures:

• Wetting of the throat and washing of the nose with antiseptic solutions (Humer, Aquamaris, etc.);
• Abundant warm drink;
• With bacterial complications, the therapist prescribes antibiotics.

Treatment of pharyngitis with medications

Treatment of pharyngitis in adults and children depends on the form of the disease and the causes of its occurrence. If, after carrying out the tests, it turns out that the cause of it are bacteria or viruses, the treating doctor, as a rule, prescribes a course of taking medications.

Depending on the form of the disease, the following medications are prescribed:

• If the bacterial form of the disease is confirmed by analysis, the pediatrician prescribes a course of antibiotics (10 days) - "Azithromycin", "Penicillin", "Erythromycin", "Amoxicillin";
• At a virus origin of illness - antiviral preparations ("Arbidol", "Anaferon", "Interferon", etc.);
• With fungal form - antifungal drugs ("Nystatin", "Pimafucin");
• At an allergic form - antihistamine medicines are prescribed ("Fenistil", "Loratadin", etc.).

Treatment with folk remedies

Treatment of catarrhal pharyngitis with folk remedies is primarily aimed at relieving inflammation and sore throat, softening its mucous membrane.

Basic folk methods:

• Lubrication of the pharynx with softening solutions (mixture of vegetable oil with salt, mixture of 10% tincture of propolis and sea buckthorn oil in a 1: 2 ratio);
• Rinsing with herbal infusions;
• Inhalation: steam or with the help of special inhalers.

Therapeutic drinks that will be useful for pharyngitis:

• Tea with raspberries, kalina and honey;
• Broth of wild rose;
• Infusion of St. John 's wort.

Use of herbs for rinsing

Parents often ask the pediatrician about the best way to gargle with pharyngitis for children, whether it is possible to use herbal preparations. Of course, all herbal decoctions or tinctures are effective for local treatment of the throat and cough. They can be used as a rinse solution, as well as inhalation.

To rinse the throat in children older than 2 years and adults, the following herbal mixtures are usually used:

1. Flowers of marigold and chamomile, leaves of plantain and sage.
2. Flowers of dandelion, pine buds, leaves of plantain and birch.
3. Flowers of chamomile, St. John's wort, leaves of sage, oregano.
4. Infusion of 20 g of coniferous kidneys, filled with a glass of boiling water, is used for acute pharyngitis.
5. Root of calamus (1 tbsp) boil for 10 minutes. With 2 tbsp. Water, put 1 tbsp. L chamomile, stir, insist 1 hour - a good remedy for softening the mucosa and relieving inflammation in chronic pharyngitis.
6. Mint infusion (1 tbsp per glass of boiling water) will relieve pain and sore throat.
7. Pharmacy tinctures of eucalyptus, calendula (20-30 drops on a glass of warm water).
8. Rinsing with sea salt solution (1 tablespoon per 0.5 liters of water) 6-7 times a day for a week is one of the proven means of treating the chronic form of the disease.

Very effective will be inhalations with decoctions of herbs or with propolis (40 g of wax and
60 g propolis is heated by steam).

Prevention of pharyngitis

Preventive measures to prevent catarrhal pharyngitis and to prevent its spread are:

• And adults and children - to observe personal hygiene, to wash their hands, especially after walking or moving in transport, before eating;
• Patient in the family to separate individual cutlery: plates, spoons, cups;
• Children should be taught to cover their mouths with a sneeze or cough, regularly wash handkerchiefs or use disposable ones;
• Ill children should limit contact with healthy: you can not go to kindergarten, school to recovery.

The main rules for the prevention of diseases of the throat and respiratory tract for adults and children: a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking, increasing overall immunity with vitamins and quenching procedures.