Bronchitis tonsillitis: Bronchitis | NHS inform

26.07.202121.07.2023 by alexxlab

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Bronchitis | NHS inform

Bronchitis is an infection of the main airways of the lungs (bronchi), causing them to become irritated and inflamed.

The main symptom is a cough, which may bring up yellow-grey mucus (phlegm). Bronchitis may also cause a sore throat and wheezing.

Read more about the symptoms of bronchitis.

When to see your GP

Most cases of bronchitis can be treated easily at home with rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and plenty of fluids.

You only need to see your GP if your symptoms are severe or unusual – for example, if:

your cough is severe or lasts longer than three weeks
you have a constant fever (a temperature of 38°C – 100.4°F – or above) for more than three days
you cough up mucus streaked with blood
you have an underlying heart or lung condition, such as asthma or heart failure

Your GP may need to rule out other lung infections, such as pneumonia, which has symptoms similar to those of bronchitis. If your GP thinks you may have pneumonia, you will probably need a chest X-ray, and a sample of mucus may be taken for testing.

If your GP thinks you might have an undiagnosed underlying condition, they may also suggest a pulmonary function test. You will be asked to take a deep breath and blow into a device called a spirometer, which measures the volume of air in your lungs. Decreased lung capacity can indicate an underlying health problem.

Treating bronchitis

In most cases, bronchitis will clear up by itself within a few weeks without the need for treatment. This type of bronchitis is known as “acute bronchitis”. While you are waiting for it to pass, you should drink lots of fluid and get plenty of rest.

In some cases, the symptoms of bronchitis can last much longer. If symptoms last for at least three months, it is known as “chronic bronchitis”. There is no cure for chronic bronchitis, but there are several medications to help relieve symptoms. It is also important to avoid smoking and smoky environments, as this can make your symptoms worse.

Why do I have bronchitis?

The bronchi are the main airways in your lungs, which branch off on either side of your windpipe (trachea). They lead to smaller and smaller airways inside your lungs, known as bronchioles.

The walls of the bronchi produce mucus to trap dust and other particles that could otherwise cause irritation.

Most cases of acute bronchitis develop when an infection causes the bronchi to become irritated and inflamed, which causes them to produce more mucus than usual. Your body tries to shift this extra mucus through coughing.

Smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis. Over time, tobacco smoke can cause permanent damage to the bronchi, causing them to become inflamed.

Read more about the causes of bronchitis.

Complications

Pneumonia is the most common complication of bronchitis. It happens when the infection spreads further into the lungs, causing air sacs inside the lungs to fill up with fluid. 1 in 20 cases of bronchitis leads to pneumonia.

People at an increased risk of developing pneumonia include:

elderly people
people who smoke
people with other health conditions, such as heart, liver or kidney disease
people with a weakened immune system

Mild pneumonia can usually be treated with antibiotics at home. More severe cases may require admission to hospital.

Read more about the treatment of pneumonia.

Who is affected

Acute bronchitis is one of the most common types of lung infection, and is one of the top five reasons for GP visits.

Acute bronchitis can affect people of all ages, but is most common in younger children under the age of five. It is more common in winter, and often develops following a cold, sore throat or flu.

It is estimated that there are around 2 million people in the UK affected by chronic bronchitis. Most of these are adults over the age of 50.

Strep Throat and Bronchitis | MedExpress

Diagnosing Strep Throat

Often, strep throat symptoms are common for other conditions, too, like COVID-19, making it tough to determine if you have it. While strep throat is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria² and not a virus like the coronavirus, some of the symptoms, such as a fever, body aches or chills, are quite similar. The best way to confirm your suspicions is by visiting a health care professional, who will likely examine your throat and lymph nodes. They’ll want to know more about your symptoms and history with strep throat. Your healthcare provider may also take a swab from the back of your throat for further analysis.

There are two common tests used to diagnose strep throat – a rapid antigen test and a throat culture. The first one is just that – a rapid, fast test that’ll have results in minutes after swabbing the back of your throat. Aka, you’re back on the couch watching re-runs of your favorite show faster. As for the throat culture, it may take several days for results to come back. Similar to the other test, though, a swab is taken from the back of your throat and tonsils.

So what happens when you are diagnosed with strep? Good news! Since strep throat is a bacterial infection your health care professional can prescribe antibiotics, like penicillin or amoxicillin to get you on the mend. Medicine can help lessen both the duration of your illness and contagious period as well as help to prevent some complications of strep, most notably rheumatic heart disease.³ If you’re considering making any plans, keep in mind that you should avoid contact with anyone for at least 24 hours after you start taking the antibiotics. Strep throat can be highly contagious, and that 24-hour period will help protect you and others from the unpleasant illness.

While you wait to feel better, there are measures you can take at home to get you or your child back to your normal, healthy selves. Consider these strep throat remedies the next time you or a loved one has this illness:

Cool liquids can help soothe the throat and keep you hydrated
Warm liquids help soothe an inflamed throat and tonsils
Throat lozenges or throat sprays may also numb or soothe your throat
Gargling warm salt water can help soothe throat soreness

You should consult your primary care provider before trying these remedies in small children.

What Our Doc Says:

“Even if you’re not running a fever, Tylenol and ibuprofen can help with throat pain and over-the-counter lozenges or sprays can also provide relief. It’s also important to remember that dehydration makes a sore throat even more painful. Some prefer warm drinks, some prefer cold drinks, but even though it hurts to swallow, you need to stay hydrated until the antibiotics kick in.”

-Nancie Fitch, DO, Area Medical Director, MedExpress

Bronchitis Symptoms and Treatment

Speaking of unpleasant illnesses, bronchitis is another common winter ailment that can affect the bronchial tubes, your throat’s nearby neighbor. Curious about what exactly your bronchial tubes are? They’re the passages that carry air from the trachea (windpipe) into the lungs and need to be kept clear and healthy for proper breathing. When the lining of the bronchial tubes gets inflamed, a thick mucus is produced, which irritates the lungs and breathing process. ⁴

There are two types of bronchitis: chronic and acute. Acute bronchitis is quite common and is often called a chest cold.⁵ Why? Because acute bronchitis is an infection in your chest that lasts anywhere from a week to 10 days and has some cold-like symptoms, including:

Cough
Production of mucus when coughing
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Slight fever and chills
Sore chest

Where exactly does bronchitis come from? Acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses, similar to the flu and colds. It typically follows the onset of a cold or another respiratory infection. But wait. How can you prevent acute bronchitis? Again, it’s recommended to practice healthy hygiene habits. Washing your hands and using hand sanitizer can help reduce your risk of catching both strep throat and bronchitis.

Though it’s not always winter-related, there’s also chronic bronchitis to consider. Chronic bronchitis is associated with coughs that lasts several months, with recurring bouts or flair-ups every few years. While it is generally associated with smoking, that’s not always the case. Chronic bronchitis can also develop through exposure to dust, toxins, and air pollution.If you’re exposed to fumes, dust, or smoke for extended periods of time, it might not be a bad idea to wear a respirator to help prevent inhaling these irritants.

Healthcare providers can help diagnose bronchitis by learning more about your symptoms and medical history. In some cases, they may also order blood work to help spot infections. Additionally, chest X-rays or certain breathing tests may be used to help identify any issues in your lungs or bronchial tubes.

Similar to many other illnesses, the treatment plan for bronchitis includes rest and hydration.

Unfortunately, antibiotics won’t help kick bronchitis to the curb, since it is typically a viral infection. Instead, you can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help manage any discomfort until the illness has run its course. Sometimes, your health care provider may prescribe an inhaler to open up your airways. And while you’re sick, it’s a good idea to avoid secondhand smoke or other fumes. You can also try these bronchitis at-home remedies:

Taking over-the-counter cough suppressants
Consuming a couple teaspoons of honey to help soothe an irritated throat
Using a humidifier, which will help loosen and break up mucus

It’s always a good idea to discuss treatment, including over-the-counter medications, with your healthcare provider.

What Our Doc Says:

“Bronchitis is usually viral and best treated with symptomatic medications. Some swear by multi-symptom products, but sometimes you get medications mixed in there for symptoms that you don’t have. Your health care provider may consider treating each symptom individually. Drink lots of fluids and get lots of rest. If you start running a fever, or wheezing, it’s best to get evaluated.”

-Nancie Fitch, DO, Area Medical Director, MedExpress

Until spring weather breaks, you’re likely going to encounter a number of winter illnesses and conditions. Hopefully next time you’ll better understand what’s plaguing you and what can be done about it. And if a winter worry does strike, MedExpress is here to help you get back to your best you.

symptoms and treatment in adults

Chronic tonsillitis is a disease characterized by prolonged inflammation of the tonsils. It develops after an untreated acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis) or an inflammatory process of the structures of the nasopharynx and oropharynx. As a rule, pathogenic bacteria on the tonsils are in a “dormant” state, but when the whole body or the oral cavity becomes cold, with injuries of the oral cavity, a decrease in immunity, or due to other factors, they are activated and cause an acute inflammatory process.

Contents

Causes of chronic tonsillitis in adults
Symptoms of chronic tonsillitis
Complications of chronic tonsillitis
Diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis
Tests for chronic tonsillitis
Treatment of chronic tonsillitis

Causes of chronic tonsillitis in adults

Frequent pharyngitis . If you have a sore throat, we also recommend that you do not self-medicate, and make an appointment with a doctor, especially if you have pharyngitis several times a year.
Allergy . It can also cause damage, as it affects the immune system and reduces the body’s ability to resist infections.
Diseases of the dental system . Caries, periodontitis and other diseases of the teeth and gums are characterized by the development of infection in the oral cavity. If left untreated, the infection can affect other organs and tissues.
Low immunity . The body’s ability to resist infection decreases after an illness (for example, measles, scarlet fever, etc.) or in other stressful situations for the body (for example, hypothermia, overwork, malnutrition, regular stressful situations, long-term use of certain medications).
Inflammation in the nasal sinuses, adenoids, sinusitis, polyps, etc. We recommend not to ignore even a frequent runny nose and consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Deviated septum . Such a violation can lead to a violation of the ventilation of the nasopharynx and the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria.
Heredity . In about 3% of cases, tonsillitis is not caused by external factors, but is inherited from close relatives.

Symptoms of chronic tonsillitis

persistent sore throat;
discomfort when eating and after sleep;
sensation of a foreign object in the throat;
white or yellowish patches on tonsils;
frequent cough;
elevated body temperature without other cause;
pustular formation of tonsils;
decreased performance, increased fatigue;
Bad breath from the mouth.

Chronic tonsillitis can cause complications due to the spread of infection from the tonsils throughout the patient’s body, for example, damage to the kidneys or joints. The disease affects the functioning of the immune system and partly affects the occurrence of collagen pathologies, for example, eczema, psoriasis.

Chronic tonsillitis occurs with periodic exacerbations, that is, transitions into an acute form. The cause of exacerbations can be SARS, the use of cold water, food, as well as hypothermia and other reasons. In this case, there are signs of acute tonsillitis, for example, fever, severe pain when swallowing, an increase in regional lymph nodes.

Complications of chronic tonsillitis

The most common complication is a paratonsillar (near-tonsillar) abscess. It is initially similar to a sore throat, since at the initial stage it is characterized by an increase in body temperature and a severe sore throat. But in the absence of timely treatment, the tonsil swells, and the pain becomes stronger: often patients cannot not only swallow, but even sleep or open their mouths. An abscess requires inpatient treatment.

But this is not the only complication. The infection can easily spread throughout the patient’s body, which is fraught with a variety of pathologies and lesions of internal organs. The most common complications include skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis, etc.), diseases of the genitourinary system, changes in thyroid function, arthritis (inflammation of the tissue of the joints), inflammation of the heart tissue (endocarditis, myocarditis).

Tonsillitis diagnostics

The doctor makes a diagnosis not only on the basis of complaints, the medical history and the general condition of the patient, but also taking into account the results of the tests – this is the only way to be sure of its correctness.

First of all, the specialist performs palpation of the lymph nodes and a visual examination under special lighting (pharyngoscopy). If the tonsils are enlarged, their tissue is loosened, reddened, there are thickenings, swelling, scar tissue, grooves, pus (especially with an unpleasant odor), curd-like discharge, etc., this may indicate the presence of chronic tonsillitis.

Tests for chronic tonsillitis

General and biochemical blood tests. They show the level of leukocytes, ESR, etc., tell the doctor about the degree of the inflammatory process and the reaction of the immune system.
Throat swab. As a rule, pus has a mucous structure and smells unpleasant. The analysis also allows you to determine the type of microbes – usually it is a streptococcal infection or staphylococcus aureus. The study also provides information about the general condition of the throat – a long-term chronic disease can provoke the development of other diseases, and it is important to identify them in a timely manner.
Urinalysis. It shows the level of lymphocytes, ESR and protein, helps to determine the activity of parasitic microorganisms and clarify whether they have penetrated into other tissues and organs or not.

Three days before the examination, it is recommended to stop drinking alcohol, and two hours – from smoking and treating the throat with local medicines.

Treatment of chronic tonsillitis

The simplest and most popular method of treatment is washing the tonsils. This is not a one-time procedure, it is carried out in a course, and the doctor selects the number of sessions individually. Washing does not always contribute to complete recovery, but even in this case it has a positive effect: it normalizes the patient’s well-being and condition, gives the body strength and reserves for recovery, and avoids surgical intervention and relapses.

Some doctors use a syringe flush. But practice shows that this method does not always allow you to completely clear the affected area from the infection, and some bacteria remain, which means that the disease can return. In the Rehabilitation Clinic in Khamovniki, washing is carried out using the Tonsilor apparatus. It uses vacuum and low-frequency ultrasonic action and works pointwise: with its help, the doctor can treat only the affected tissues (palatine tonsils), without touching healthy areas.

Benefits of flushing with Tonsilor:

High efficiency . The device allows you to completely wash the tonsil.
Active action . Low-frequency ultrasound exposure inactivates pathogenic bacteria and starts recovery processes.
Comprehensiveness . Several antiseptics act on the tissue of the tonsil at once.
Safety . Ulcers, pathogenic bacteria and microbes do not come into contact with the patient’s oral cavity.

At the first stage of treatment, Tonsilor washes the tonsils, further ultrasound exposure to tissues allows:

improve blood microcirculation at the site of exposure;
reduce the formation of scar tissue of the tonsils;
to improve the reparative regeneration of the tonsil parenchyma.

All this ensures fast healing.

If necessary, the doctor may also prescribe medications. They allow you to normalize body temperature, have an analgesic effect, reduce swelling, increase immunity, etc. In some cases, physiotherapy is indicated: electrophoresis, laser therapy, UHF, UVI, magnetic therapy, etc.

Full recovery is possible only if the cause of the disease is eliminated, for example, caries, pharyngitis, etc. Proper nutrition, hardening of the body, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol, and moderate physical activity help to improve immunity and avoid the recurrence of the disease.

Contraindications to the procedure of washing the tonsils on the device “Tonzilor”

Any medical intervention, including washing on the Tonsilor apparatus, has a number of contraindications. Therefore, before treatment, each patient is examined by a doctor. He studies the medical history, concomitant diseases, the general condition of the patient, the presence of indications and contraindications, and only then selects the optimal treatment program, the most suitable and effective method for washing the tonsils in each case.

Rehabilitation clinic in Khamovniki

Treatment of chronic tonsillitis in Moscow is carried out by various clinics. Contact the one whose specialists you trust. The doctors of the Rehabilitation Clinic in Khamovniki have extensive experience, regularly improve their skills and treat each patient with attention, achieving high results. We use only modern equipment, follow all the novelties and the latest techniques and use the best of them in our practice.

Read also about tonsillitis on our website.