Treatment and symptoms of laryngotracheitis in children and adults. Acute laryngotracheitis

Today we will tell you in detail about what is laryngotracheitis, what are the causes of this disease, its symptoms and methods of treatment.

General information

Laryngotracheitis (symptoms and treatment will be discussed below) is an inflammatory disease in which the larynx and trachea are affected. This is due to some bacterial or viral infection.

Diagnostics

Before treating laryngotracheitis, the patient should consult a doctor. After all, the diagnosis of such a disease is carried out only during the examination of the patient, auscultation and percussion of the lungs, microlaringoscopy, CT of the trachea and larynx, lung radiography, microscopic and bacteriological sputum examination, as well as other tests to identify the pathogen.

Causes

Chronic or acute laryngotracheitis often occurs as a complication against a background of diseases such as pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, adenoids, rhinitis and sinusitis. In addition, this deviation may appear due to the spread of inflammation in the lower respiratory tract, which is accompanied by the development of bronchitis, pneumonia or bronchiolitis. It is worth noting that the symptoms of laryngotracheitis in children differ from the signs of this disease, observed in adults. And this is due to the fact that the larynx of the child has not yet been properly formed. That is why in children younger than 6 years against the background of the presented disease, a narrowing of the lumen of this organ often results, leading to such respiratory disorders as false croup.

Among other things, viral laryngotracheitis can occur due to adenovirus infection, parainfluenza, ARVI, influenza, rubella, measles, scarlet fever and chicken pox. As for the bacterial disease, it can be caused by staphylococcus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, pneumococcus, pale treponema (quite often in tertiary syphilis), mycobacteria of tuberculosis (eg, tuberculosis of the larynx), and chlamydia or mycoplasmal infection.

Infection with this disease occurs by airborne droplets (during sneezing or coughing of the patient). But if a person has a good immune system, then the development of laryngotracheitis may not occur.

Acute laryngotracheitis: symptoms in adults and children

Signs of acute laryngotracheitis may appear against the background of already existing symptoms of respiratory tract infections (upper). Such manifestations include:

• Increased body temperature;
• Coryza;
• nasal congestion;
• Pain and sore throat;
• Discomfort during swallowing.

It should also be noted that acute laryngotracheitis, namely its clinical signs, may well arise after the patient's body temperature has dropped to low-grade figures. This situation should alert a person, because with each moment his condition will deteriorate significantly.

Symptoms of laryngotracheitis (acute) are characterized by a fairly strong dry cough. Because of the narrowing of the larynx, this sign becomes "barking." During and after this cough, the patient may complain of chest pain. Most often, the symptoms of laryngotracheitis appear in the morning, as well as at night. But often a cough can disturb a person and during the day in the form of a severe attack. As a rule, this happens after inhalation of dusty or cold air, laughter, crying, and sometimes even as a result of a simple deep inspiration. In this cough is often accompanied by a small discharge of mucous and viscous sputum. As the disease develops, it can become abundant and liquid, becoming purulent.

In addition to cough, the symptoms of acute laryngotracheitis include hoarseness or hoarseness of voice, as well as unpleasant sensations in the larynx (for example, burning, tickling, foreign body feeling and dryness).

In patients with this diagnosis, enlarged and painful cervical lymph nodes are often found.

Chronic laryngotracheitis: symptoms and treatment

With this deviation, a person can complain about coughing, voice discomfort and discomfort in the larynx (behind the sternum). It is worth noting that the dysphonia in a patient with laryngotracheitis often varies from a slight hoarseness, which is especially evident in the morning and in the evening, to a constant and severe hoarseness.

Symptoms of laryngotracheitis chronic in some people manifest as fatigue after a significant voice load. Also, dysphonia may be aggravated by unstable climatic conditions, and in the case of the fairer sex - with hormonal changes (for example, during pregnancy, with menopause and the onset of menstruation).

Constant loss of voice indicates a structural change in ligaments, which are mostly keratose or hypertrophic in nature. If a person engages in such activities, where oratorical abilities are required, then this disease may well become a psychotraumatic factor, which eventually leads to depression, sleep disturbance and neurasthenia.

As mentioned above, the symptoms of laryngotracheitis in adults and children may differ. However, a constant cough in the chronic course of the disease manifests itself in everyone. It should be noted that such a sign is accompanied by a small sputum discharge. Constant and severe cough in patients is most often caused by such unpleasant sensations in the larynx as perspiration, dryness, tickling, etc.

Possible complications

If the infectious process from the trachea spreads to the lower parts of the respiratory system, it will lead to pneumonia or tracheobronchitis. In chronic laryngotracheitis, children often have bronchiolitis. As a rule, such a disease is accompanied by an increased body temperature, as well as a significant increase in the symptoms of intoxication. In this case, cough can acquire a permanent character. Due to the fact that with acute lagngotraheitis sputum accumulates in the larynx of the human larynx, a small child may have a false croup, which is a deadly danger.

With constant irritation of the mucous membrane of the trachea and larynx during coughing and as a result of inflammation, chronic laryngotracheitis may cause the development of a benign tumor of the organs presented. Moreover, such a disease, and in particular its hypertrophic form, refers to the so-called precancerous conditions. After all, it can easily lead to an abnormal transformation of the cells of the mucosa, which will subsequently cause the development of a laryngeal tumor. That is why you should not hesitate with the treatment of this disease, especially in young children.

Treatment for laryngotracheitis

If you have symptoms of laryngotracheitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. As a rule, treatment of such a disease is reduced to carrying out antibacterial or antiviral therapy, in which the patient is prescribed mucolytic, antitussive, antihistamine, antipyretic and other drugs, as well as physiotherapy. Most often, laryngotracheitis is administered in outpatient settings. If the child has a false cereal, then it is required to immediately hospitalize him in the hospital.

Medicines for treatment

To understand how and how to treat acute or chronic laryngotracheitis, we will name the most common and effective medicines used for this disease:

• Antiviral drugs: "Nasoferon", "Arbidol", "Remantadine" and "Proteflazide".
• Antibiotic agents (with mixed and bacterial laryngotracheitis): "Cefuroxime", "Amoxicillin", "Sumamed", "Ceftrioxone", "Azithromycin".

In addition, a fairly good effect in patients with laryngotracheitis is alkaline and oil inhalation, as well as electrophoresis on the trachea and larynx.

For the treatment of chronic disease, immunomodulating agents are used (for example, Broncho-munal, Immunal, Lycopid), as well as carbocysteine, vitamin C and other multivitamin complexes. In addition, the patient is referred to physiotherapeutic procedures, namely, drug electrophoresis, UHF, inductothermia and massage.

If the patient has acute laryngotracheitis or exacerbation of chronic, then, in addition to medicines, he is recommended to drink plenty of warm liquid (tea, compote, jelly, etc.). At the same time in the room where the patient is located, the air should be not cold and sufficiently moist.

Cases requiring surgical intervention

Surgical intervention during such a disease is shown only in isolated cases with hypertrophic laryngotracheitis (often chronic). Also, the operation is appointed if the medication did not give the desired result, and there is a greater threat of the appearance of a malignant tumor.