Viral tonsillitis in children and adults – ways of infection
In the body of an adult patient and a child, a sore throat can cause a viral sore throat, which has an infectious nature, unpleasant symptoms. The disease is dangerous, fraught with serious complications, while transmitted to a healthy person from the environment by airborne droplets. It is important to treat viral angina in a child in a timely manner, otherwise the disease provokes severe intoxication of the child’s body.
What is viral tonsillitis
This is an infectious disease, which is accompanied by acute inflammation of the tonsils and the formation of purulent pimples in the oropharynx. The pathological process is caused by dangerous bacteria, often progresses against a background of weakened immunity. To make a correct diagnosis, it is important to differentiate a characteristic ailment from other acute tonsillitis with general intoxication of the body.
The difference between viral sore throat and bacterial
It is difficult to distinguish viral tonsillitis from tonsillitis of a bacterial and fungal form in the home environment, since the symptoms of these diagnoses have obvious similarities. However, differentiating the ailment is extremely important, since conservative treatment has its own significant differences. For this, the patient will have to consult a specialist, but for himself it is advisable to remember forever that:
- with the viral form, cough is the main sign of the disease, while with bacterial tonsillitis occurs only in complicated clinical pictures;
- with bacterial tonsillitis, abundant abscesses are visible on the tonsils, with the viral form of the disease, reddening of the throat, swollen lymph nodes, and white plaque are evident;
- white dots with bacterial tonsillitis are localized in the oropharynx, while with a viral one they go beyond the specified limits.
How is the disease manifested?
As a result of inflammation of the tonsils, with exacerbation of viral tonsillitis, the patient begins to complain of sore throat when swallowing. This does not happen immediately after infection, since the incubation period lasts from 2 to 14 days. After this, the pathogenic pathogen causes sore throat, which is accompanied by a white coating on the palatine tonsils. Before buying anti-inflammatory drugs, you need to seek the advice of an otolaryngologist.
Causes of occurrence
The main provoking factor is pathogenic microorganisms, which are transmitted to a healthy person by airborne droplets. These can be herpes viruses, enteroviruses, adenoviruses, influenza strains, Coxsackie viruses, which significantly harm the affected body. Other ways of infection:
- contact-household (with kisses and use of common household items);
- fecal-oral (via contaminated food).
Infectious tonsillitis – symptoms
Such an unpleasant disease can develop an epidemic, therefore it is important for adult patients and children to know how it manifests itself in order to avoid dangerous complications, mass infection. Local symptoms completely depend on the type of tonsillitis, while the general symptoms are presented below:
- sore throat with white plaque;
- severe headaches;
- cases of fever;
- fever, chills;
- bouts of nausea and vomiting;
- complete lack of appetite;
- muscle weakness, aching joints.
In any case, this viral disease is accompanied by acute intoxication of the body and an abnormal increase in the size of the lymph nodes. Other symptoms manifest themselves locally, depending on the specificity of angina in a particular clinical picture. Below are the distinguishing features for the speed of final diagnosis:
- Catarrhal. The most common viral sore throat without complications. The patient is characterized by dry mucous membranes, increased salivation, inflammation of the lymph nodes, soreness when swallowing, aching joints and muscle weakness.
- Lacunar. It proceeds in a complicated form, because in addition to sore throats, the patient complains of acute pain syndrome of the myocardium, sleeps poorly and behaves irritably.
- Follicular. The tonsillar follicles are involved in the pathological process, which swell strongly and become covered with white coating. The patient suffers from a runny nose, breathing poorly, and nauseous during a conversation.
- Ulcer-film. Symptoms of intoxication are absent, however, the throat is covered with a coating, it hurts. An unpleasant odor comes from the mouth, weeping sores form, the structure of the palatine tonsils changes (it becomes heterogeneous, loose).
- Herpetic. A disease caused by the virus, up to 3 years, proceeds in a complicated form, can cause an epidemic. The microbe is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, there is a pronounced symptomatology of general intoxication of the body.
Diagnostic Methods
With a visual examination, the doctor can distinguish purulent sore throat, but it is important to have a complete picture of the progressive disease. Especially for these purposes, blood tests should be prescribed – general and biochemical. In this way, it is possible to determine with extreme accuracy the nature of the pathogenic pathogen, and select effective therapy for its further extermination.
Treatment
Intensive therapy for a clinical patient begins with complete rest and bed rest, while it is imperative to drink more warm liquid, for example, to be effectively treated with chamomile broth. It is necessary to use the means of official and alternative medicine, eat right, take vitamins, and perform physiotherapeutic procedures on the recommendation of the attending physician. Positive dynamics are observed if inflamed lymph nodes decrease gradually in size and cease to hurt on palpation. In steel, everything is individual.
During pregnancy
It is difficult to treat a sore throat of a viral form when bearing a fetus. Weak immunity needs potent drugs, but such can significantly harm intrauterine development. Due to such pharmacological limitations, the enterovirus form is best treated with alternative medicine, for example, a decoction of chamomile or calendula. At the same time, it is possible to additionally treat the pharynx with medications that enter the systemic circulation minimally and act locally.
Children
It is difficult to accustom a small patient to bed rest, but this is extremely necessary. In the case of children, streptococcal tonsillitis often progresses, which requires timely medical participation. To destroy the pathogenic flora, antiviral and immunostimulating drugs are necessary, according to the age category of patients. In addition, doctors recommend local antiseptics for the treatment of the larynx, vitamins for immunity, folk recipes for purulent deposits and warming compresses against the inflammatory process.
How to treat viral tonsillitis
The patient’s photo is frustrating with the appearance of the oral cavity, where the white plaque covers the inflamed mucous membrane, while the presence of painful vesicles with further transformation into ulcers is visible. Soft tissues are especially sensitive to streptococcus or another pathogenic virus, therefore, treatment is required immediately after the completion of a comprehensive diagnosis. The main treatment methodology is presented below:
- strict bed rest;
- restoration of immunity;
- antiseptic rinses;
- pain relievers;
- drug treatment;
- physiotherapeutic procedures;
- vitamin therapy.
Possible complications and consequences
If viral tonsillitis is not treated promptly with conservative methods, the clinical picture is significantly complicated, especially for young children. The health consequences are not the most favorable, they are not always associated with the patient’s life. Potential complications after a viral sore throat are presented below that are difficult to treat effectively. It:
- encephalitis;
- hemorrhagic conjunctivitis;
- meningitis;
- myalgia;
- myocarditis.