Inflammation of the nasopharynx: treatment and prevention

Very often in the autumn people suffer from rhinopharyngitis (inflammation of the nasopharynx). Treatment of this disease should not be postponed in any case. Otherwise, it will go into chronic and cause a number of other ailments.

What is rhinopharyngitis?

Rhinopharyngitis is an inflammation of the mucous pharynx and nose. Very often this disease is confused with pharyngitis and rhinitis. Indeed, for all the symptoms they are similar to each other. But the only difference is that during rhinopharyngitis it is very painful to swallow, when with the other two mentioned ailments this feeling does not arise.

Rhinopharyngitis is a complication of rhinitis. The larynx becomes red, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed. Sometimes there is a plaque in the form of mucus or pus.

Symptoms of Rhinopharyngitis

If you feel dryness, tingling and burning, sometimes difficult to remove mucous discharge with blood - this is the first sign of rhinopharyngitis. In addition, nasal breathing is difficult, and the vocal cords seem to be hoarse. Inflammation of the back wall of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which must be performed immediately at the initial stage, can lead to complications in the hearing aid: the patient has a hearing loss, and there is a crackling and pain in the ears.

In children, all of the above symptoms are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature. It happens that infants swell around the tongue, the cervical and lymph nodes are enlarged, and on the walls of the pharynx there are bands of intense hyperemia.

Causes of inflammation of the nasopharynx

The main causes of rhinopharyngitis are severe hypothermia and viral infections. The risk group includes children of younger and middle age with weakened immunity or suffering from diathesis. In such an organism it is very easy to get to such infectious agents as cocci.

These rods are well established on the cells of the mucous membranes, while causing swelling and a significant expansion of blood vessels. It is worth noting that the rush of blood can also transfer to the mucosa of the auditory canals. Thus, infectious agents contribute to the inflammatory process in those places where lymphoid tissue accumulates .

The risk of rhinopharyngitis for young children

As we have already mentioned, inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa is especially dangerous for young children. Treatment in this case should be done only under the supervision of a doctor.

Typically, the cause of this ailment is adenovirus infection, which is transmitted during contact with the patient by airborne droplets. In rare cases, rhinopharyngitis is caused by mechanical, thermal and chemical stimuli.

It is worth noting that preterm infants have very severe inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. In addition, rhinopharyngitis in some cases can even lead to a fatal outcome.

How can I tell if my child has rhinopharyngitis?

Inflammation of the wall of the nasopharynx can proceed in different ways. As a rule, the first sign is a high temperature of up to 39C, which rises to this figure in a short time. But there are cases, that the rhinopharyngitis proceeds and without rising of temperature.

A concomitant symptom at the initial stage of the disease is a transparent discharge from the nose, which later becomes mucous or purulent. Usually in such a situation, because of the stuffy nose, the children begin to breathe through the mouth. And babies can not suck their breasts.

And the accompanying symptoms of rhinopharyngitis are loose stools, vomiting and flatulence. Sometimes the lymph nodes on the nape of the neck increase, and convulsions are observed.

Inflammation of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which is very long, in children entails pneumonia and bronchitis. But the most dangerous complication is croup or lumbar lining.

What should I do if my child has inflammation of the nasopharynx?

As mentioned above, children are very easily amenable to such a disease as inflammation of the posterior nasopharynx. Treatment in any case can not be done independently. If the first symptoms of rhinopharyngitis occur, consult a doctor. Otherwise, serious complications such as scarlet fever, influenza, diphtheria and measles can occur.

Before the arrival of the doctor, release the baby's nose for breathing. To do this, use medicines as drops or spray for the nose, which are suitable for the age of the child. But remember, in no case can not use menthol medicines, as they can cause seizures and spasm of the glottis.

In addition, the baby needs to warm up a little with the help of an oil compress. It is done as follows. Regular gauze soak in sunflower oil and put it on the chest. On gauze lay the oilcloth, and on top - a flannel or woolen cloth. Wrap the baby. After 3-4 hours, the compress can be removed.

Treatment of rhinopharyngitis in children

Inflammation of the nasopharynx in a child is very dangerous. Treatment can be prescribed only by a doctor. In addition, he can even hospitalize a child. But in most cases, children are treated at home.

In the latter case, it is necessary to comply with all the prescriptions of the doctor. Please note that the temperature of the room where the child is located should not be above 22C. Wet cleaning and airing the room should be done every day. Otherwise, dry air will only worsen the condition of the baby.

Drops for the nose, which the doctor prescribed, should be taken strictly according to his instructions or instructions and not more than 7-9 days, since the long use of such medications can cause the development of a vasomotor runny nose, that is, a violation of the vessels of the nasal mucosa.

Many argue that when there is inflammation of the nasopharynx, treatment with folk remedies can also take place. But this concerns the initial degree of the disease.

Treatment of rhinopharyngitis in adults

In the cold season increases the possibility of "earning" inflammation of the nasopharynx. Treatment of this ailment in adults, as well as in children, must begin with the washing of the nose. It can be all sorts of vasoconstrictive drops or sprays, as well as washing the nose with saline.

Only an integrated approach will help prevent chronic inflammation of the nasopharynx, whose treatment in the future will be more difficult and time-consuming.

So, the recovery will depend on how correctly and often you rinse your throat, dig in your nose and take medication.

So, for treatment you are recommended the following:

• Gargle with an infusion of sage, which is brewed from the calculation - 1 tablespoon of herbs per 1 cup of boiling water;
• Moisten the nose with oil drops, for example, with olive oil;
• Gargle with a soda solution (1 teaspoon per 1 large glass of boiled warm water);
• Grease or gargle with ligol solution;
• Do inhalation with warm water without gas "Borjomi";
• Exclude from the diet hot, cold and spicy.

If you are faced with a disease such as nasopharyngeal inflammation, treatment with antibiotics and other drugs is also possible. But in this case, all these medicines should be prescribed only by a doctor.

Prevention of rhinopharyngitis

We have already said that it can cause inflammation of the nasopharynx, the treatment of which can not be postponed in any case. Proceeding from this, it is possible to name ways of preventive maintenance of this disease.

So, first of all, this is the conduct of a healthy lifestyle, which means giving up smoking, playing sports and reducing psychoemotional loads to zero.

Secondly, regular wet cleaning of your home will help get rid of microbes and maintain a favorable level of humidity for your body.

Thirdly, it is necessary to limit contacts with people with colds.

Fourth, avoid hypothermia. This is especially true for the inflammation of the nasopharynx in a child. Treatment in this case, as in all others, is inevitable.

As you can see, it is much easier to prevent rhinopharyngitis than to treat it. Be attentive to your health and the health of your children!