Consequences of sore throat in adult men. What can happen if a sore throat is left untreated? Why is tonsillitis dangerous for a pregnant woman?

“One among strangers, a stranger among one’s own” - this is how one can characterize the reaction of the human immune system to staphylococci and streptococci that cause sore throat.

The fact is that the structure of the cells of pathogenic bacteria contains antigens that are very similar to the cells of the heart muscle, liver, and musculoskeletal system of the human body.

The immune system, pursuing “strangers,” directs its defenses against its own cells. It is impossible not to take into account the destructive effect of pathogens and the inflammatory process they cause. These factors cause severe complications after a sore throat, which negatively affect the functioning of internal organs.

Difficulty in treating sore throat

Tonsillitis, or tonsillitis, is an inflammatory process that affects one or more tonsils of the pharyngeal ring. The disease is transmitted from a source of infection by airborne droplets or, which occurs much less frequently, by the nutritional (food) route.

Tonsillitis is accompanied by a significant rise in temperature, pain when swallowing food and saliva, the appearance of purulent plaque, hyperemia and swelling of the pharynx.

The variety of forms of angina complicates its differential diagnosis and causes errors in classification.

Treatment of primary, symptomatic and specific tonsillitis requires the use of drugs from different drug groups, so inaccurate diagnosis leads to the transition of the acute form of the disease to chronic tonsillitis with frequent relapses.

Other causes of complications of sore throat:

• Self-medication, use of drugs on the advice of non-specialists;
• The desire to endure a sore throat “on your feet”, refusal of bed rest, ignoring the doctor’s recommendations;
• Delay in seeking medical help, selective use of drugs and treatment methods, irregular implementation of local procedures for sanitizing the oral cavity for tonsillitis;
• Consumption of alcohol or nicotine during illness, which weakens the body;
• The presence of somatic diseases, reduced immunity in adults and children.

The high risk of the spread of sore throat pathogens through the circulatory system from the vascular-saturated oropharynx, the autoimmune nature of damage to the vital organs of the human body requires careful attention to the treatment of this disease.

How dangerous is acute and chronic tonsillitis?

Diagnose the general and local consequences of angina, differing in the localization of their action. Local complications occur in the pharynx, pharynx, and larynx.

General manifestations are diagnosed in various organs, in the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and excretory systems. In some cases, they occur 3-4 weeks after the acute manifestations have subsided.

Local consequences

These complications arise as a result of inflammation of the pharynx with angina, limited to local localization:

• Peritonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess: inflammation of the tissue covering the tonsils occurs during recovery, manifested by fever, painful sore throat;
• Acute laryngitis, or inflammation of the larynx, manifests itself with a dry cough and can affect the voice, which becomes hoarse or temporarily disappears;
• Inflammation of the sinuses, or sinusitis;
• Inflammation of the nasopharynx, or runny nose;
• Cervical lymphadenitis, manifested by swelling of the neck, fever, hyperemia, and the formation of phlegmon.

Most local manifestations are treated with antibacterial agents, and in severe cases with surgical methods.

Complications after tonsillitis in children

The specificity of the consequences of tonsillitis in childhood is caused by the immaturity of the immune system, the incomplete formation of organs and systems, and the body’s reaction, which differs from the reaction of adults.

What complications arise after a sore throat in children:

• Otitis, or inflammation of the middle ear, turning into labyrinthitis;
• Sinusitis, sinusitis;
• Inflammation of the lymph nodes, development of purulent lymphadenitis;
• The development of scarlet fever with streptococcal tonsillitis due to the lack of antibodies to infectious agents;
• Bleeding of the vessels of the pharynx during coughing with necrotizing tonsillitis is caused by the appearance of erosion on the tonsils;
• Endocarditis, rheumatic carditis, as a result of the rheumatic process, the appearance of edema, symptoms similar to those of heart failure;
• Laryngeal stenosis leading to suffocation;
• Rheumochorea, affecting the nervous system, expressed in changes in gait, speech disturbances, coordination, mental instability, progressing to paralysis;
• Retropharyngeal abscess in the form of inflammation of the tissue of the retropharyngeal space;
• Cutaneous form of rheumatism in the form of subcutaneous nodes, ring-shaped erythema;
• Rheumatic pleurisy, hepatitis.

In children, local complications can be as severe as in adults; they are diagnosed with retropharyngeal and peritonsillar abscess, laryngitis.

General manifestations

General complications are the most dangerous with angina in adults, since their manifestations are delayed in time and cause damage to the functioning of vital organs.

They are caused by the cytotoxic effect of streptococci, which affects connective tissue. Antitoxic antistreptococcal antibodies neutralize not only pathogenic bacteria, but also their own cells containing cross-antigens.

The toxin streptolysin, produced by bacteria, destroys blood cells and exhibits cardiotoxic effects. Streptococci and staphylococci can spread unhindered throughout the body in capsules made of hyaluronic acid, which the human immune system does not perceive as a dangerous object.

What are the dangers of acute and chronic tonsillitis for the body - consequences:

• Rheumatism affecting the skin, heart muscle, and musculoskeletal system;
• Rheumatoid arthritis, which causes swelling in the joints of the limbs;
• Streptococcal shock, rapidly leading to death;
• Complications of the heart, or rheumatic heart disease, leading to defects and severe pain;
• Glomerulonephritis, which impairs the functioning of the kidneys;
• Thrombosis.

A person with a sore throat may experience headache, increased blood pressure, swelling of the whole body, and weakness.

How to prevent complications?

To ensure that complications of acute and chronic tonsillitis never arise, the disease must be treated in a timely manner, based on the recommendations of a therapist, pediatrician or otolaryngologist. It is important to undergo all recommended diagnostic examinations and begin treatment for sore throat as early as possible.

You should not ignore methods of local treatment of an inflamed pharynx, using only antibiotics and antiviral agents in the form of capsules and tablets. It is necessary to irrigate the throat with antiseptic solutions, lubricate it, use gargles and compresses.

How to prevent the consequences of tonsillitis:

• Maintain bed rest until the symptoms of the disease disappear completely;
• Avoid hypothermia, physical and emotional stress for 3-4 weeks after recovery;
• To quickly remove toxins, increase the amount of fluid consumed in the acute period of the disease;
• Increase local and general immunity by hardening, taking natural immunostimulants such as rosehip decoction, honey, lemongrass, saturating the diet with fresh fruits and vegetables;
• Humidify indoor air during the heating season;
• Avoid contact with people with sore throat and respiratory diseases.

To reduce the risk of the consequences of a sore throat, you need to follow the doctor’s recommendations, carry out comprehensive treatment, and improve your immunity.

If sore throat seems like a harmless disease to someone, that person is deeply mistaken. The complications of angina are very serious.

Fever, sore throat, general weakness of the body - all this can be tolerated, especially since all these symptoms do not last long.

Much more dangerous are the complications from a sore throat and after a sore throat, and the number of immunological and biochemical processes occurring in the body during this disease.

The disease can be provoked by streptococci - pathogenic microorganisms, the appearance of which in the body entails the most negative consequences, and leads to complications after a sore throat.

Why do complications occur with angina?

Complications after a sore throat are an autoimmune reaction of the human body. Human immunity is designed in such a way that when agents of foreign origin enter the body, it begins to produce antibodies.

These antibodies are proteins whose mission is to destroy microbial antigens. The structure of streptococcus contains a whole complex of antigens that resemble antigens of the heart muscle, joints, liver, kidneys and other organs.

In other words, human immunity is not able to distinguish “strangers” from “our own” and sometimes begins to attack its own tissues. Thus, complications arise with angina. What difficulties and complications can there be after a sore throat?

All complications from tonsillitis are divided into two large groups: local and general. Local complications and problems after tonsillitis are caused by local changes in the tissues of the nasopharynx. They usually do not pose a serious threat to the patient, but they still require treatment.

General complications and problems from sore throat in adults and children provoke a number of immunological reactions in which antibodies and antigens take part.

These mechanisms lead to joints being affected (rheumatism, arthritis), heart, and kidneys. The consequences can be the most unpredictable.

Complications of angina on the heart

Rheumatism of the heart - this complication of sore throat provokes very often. Rheumatism is accompanied by damage to all connective tissues in the body, but usually the localization of the process occurs in the heart.

Heart damage after a sore throat is a very dangerous pathology, since, as a rule, it leads a person to disability and the development of heart muscle defects.

Most often, rheumatism of the heart, which occurs after a sore throat, affects children from 5 to 15 years old. Moreover, such a complication of angina can provoke in a person who has not previously experienced heart problems.

Rheumatism of the heart has the following symptoms:

1. deterioration of general condition;
2. joints and especially legs hurt;
3. body temperature rises sharply;
4. there is pain in the heart;
5. heart rate changes (tachycardia);
6. the patient weakens quickly.

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that accompanies rheumatism after a sore throat. However, body temperature sometimes remains within normal limits, which makes it difficult to suspect a complication of sore throat in time.

The consequences of the disease are the formation of blood clots in the vessels with the further development of thromboembolism. If rheumatism affects the inner layer of the heart muscle, endocarditis may occur after a sore throat.

What are the symptoms of this disease?

• The patient often experiences bleeding.
• The joints of the fingers become thicker.
• Swelling.
• Increased body temperature.
• Signs of heart failure.

Pain in the heart appears much later, so the cardiological origin of the disease is often established very late. If the process progresses, other complications after angina appear.

It should be noted that rheumatism of the heart muscle is dangerous due to the rapid formation of heart valve defects. Rheumatism can also affect the pericardial sac, and then another disease develops - pericarditis.

In turn, pericarditis can be dry or exudative. Symptoms of dry pericarditis in adults and children:

1. Severe pain in the heart, aggravated by movement, coughing and deep breathing.
2. High body temperature.
3. Chills.
4. The pain radiates to the left side.

Since with exudative pericarditis, excess fluid occurs in the heart sac, the patient feels compression of the esophagus, heart and other organs. It is important to emphasize here that sometimes things can develop and this point needs to be taken into account.

As a type of tonsillitis, pain occurs when swallowing, shortness of breath is possible.

What complications does angina cause on the kidneys?

On the kidneys, complications of angina give the following: glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis. The kidney is the second organ after the heart that takes on complications from a sore throat. Typically, consequences can occur within 1-2 weeks after tonsillitis.

Pyelonephritis is characterized by damage to the renal pelvis. Usually one kidney suffers, but bilateral inflammation is also possible.

Symptoms of pyelonephritis:

• a sharp increase in body temperature;
• fever;
• lower back pain;
• frequent urge to go to the toilet.

Glomerulonephritis is accompanied by increased blood pressure, the presence of blood in the urine, and swelling. Both diseases require hospitalization of the patient in a hospital and complex therapy.

What complications does angina cause on joints?

After tonsillitis, joints are often affected in adults and children. Arthritis, like rheumatism, has a rheumatic component. The patient exhibits the following symptoms:

1. swelling and increase in size of joints;
2. pain when moving and at rest;
3. hyperemia and swelling of the skin over the joints.

Most often it affects the joints of the lower extremities (ankles, knees). Most likely, this gave rise to the expression “sore throat suffered on the legs.” Meanwhile, during a rheumatic attack, small joints of the hands, elbows and other groups of joints also suffer.

Sometimes after tonsillitis the appendix can become inflamed, but sore throat causes such a complication very rarely.

Sepsis is a formidable and dangerous disease that can also develop after tonsillitis.

Local complications with angina

Sore throat can also cause local complications, such as otitis media. Usually this condition is recorded after catarrhal tonsillitis. However, other forms of the disease can provoke similar consequences, both in adults and children.

Otitis is typically characterized by inflammation of the middle ear, and the eardrum is also involved in the pathological process.

The following symptoms are characteristic of inflammation:

• increased body temperature;
• severe pain with shooting in the ear;
• general deterioration of health;
• decreased or even complete loss of hearing.

A complication of angina can be in the form of mastoiditis - inflammation of the mastoid process. The clinical picture of the disease is similar to the signs of otitis media, but the pain is localized behind the auricle.

What other complications can a sore throat cause?

1. Abscess and phlegmon of fiber.
2. Development of pneumonia.
3. Swelling of the larynx.

And these are not all the complications from sore throat that can occur in adults and children.

After purulent or follicular tonsillitis, phlegmon or abscess of the peritonsil tissue may occur.

Phlegmon is a diffuse purulent inflammation. An abscess is characterized by clear boundaries. However, the clinical picture of these two pathological conditions is the same:

• Severe sore throat.
• Enlarged lymph nodes.
• Increased body temperature.

The process of swallowing becomes so painful that the patient is forced to strongly clench his jaw. Treatment of abscess and phlegmon is only surgical. Otherwise, there is no way to ensure the release of purulent contents.

Complications from tonsillitis are very numerous, including swelling of the larynx. At the initial stage after tonsillitis, voice changes may occur. The patient tries with all his might to clear his throat, but he fails.

Such complications with angina are very dangerous, as they often cause death.

Phlegmonous disease often leads to the development of bleeding from the tonsils. They can occur when the arteries that supply the palatine tonsils are damaged.

Such complications with angina require immediate hospitalization of the patient.

How to prevent complications with angina

Complications of angina are very common, but they can be avoided, and for this all people need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. To prevent complications with angina, the patient should remain in bed. Moreover, this rule must be followed even when the body temperature has returned to normal, but there are still some changes in the oropharynx.
2. Tonsillitis must be treated promptly and adequately. Local therapy should consist of frequent gargling and the use of aerosol antiseptics.
3. It is necessary to regularly lubricate the affected tonsils.
4. Drugs should be taken in accordance with the cause of the disease (antiviral, antibacterial).
5. The patient should drink as much warm or hot liquid as possible.
6. After the disease has subsided, it is necessary to limit physical activity for some time and avoid hypothermia.
7. In order to prevent the disease, it is necessary to constantly increase your immunity. To do this, you need to take natural immunomodulators, which are decoctions of rose hips and feijoa with honey.

After suffering from tonsillitis, the patient should be observed by his doctor for some time and periodically have his blood tested. Laboratory tests are necessary to monitor the functionality of all organs and systems. All this is colorful and detailed in the video in this article.

Tonsillitis is scary not in itself, but because of its consequences. It would seem that the symptoms have much in common with a regular acute respiratory viral infection: the onset of fever, weakness, sore throat, but long after the illness, complications after a sore throat can develop.

They are divided into local and general, but each is very dangerous and threatens human health and sometimes life.

Causes of complications after tonsillitis

The consequences of a sore throat appear for the following reasons:

• This is a streptococcal infection. The insidiousness of this microorganism is that it has antigens similar to the cells of the human body. When the immune system goes after these bacteria, it often damages its own cells.
• The pathogen itself, without timely destruction, provokes inflammatory processes in tissues. Local signs of the disease appear.
• The variety of forms of tonsillitis often makes diagnosing the disease difficult and allows for the possibility of errors.
• Sometimes doctors, without conducting adequate diagnostics, prescribe drugs for their own reasons. This action often leads to a deterioration in the patient’s condition: he develops impotence, weakness and other signs of ill health.

• The norm of fluid intake is not observed. Patients should drink at least 3 liters of water per day. In addition to fluids, an organism weakened by disease also needs vitamins.
• When the causative agent is a type of herpes, it will be difficult to fully recover. The presence of this microorganism requires treatment from the patient in case of exacerbations of a chronic disease.
• Drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking during illness weakens a person’s defense system, as does the presence of diseases of somatic origin.
• If you do not adhere to bed rest during a sore throat, ignore diagnosis and do not receive timely treatment, forget to do procedures for sanitation of the oral cavity.

Informed people who do everything correctly after the onset of the disease have a good chance of recovering from tonsillitis without complications.

What are the complications of angina?

When tonsillitis just begins, you need to immediately stop the spread of infection at the beginning of the disease, because pathogenic bacteria will multiply and spread through the bloodstream throughout the body. As a result, diseases of different degrees of severity will arise (this depends on when proper treatment begins).

The consequences of a sore throat can be:

1. General. Distant signs of ill health are located in organs not directly related to the throat. They arise due to the spread of pathological microflora throughout the body and disrupt the functioning of many organs. Complications can result in one of these diseases: rheumatism, arthritis, blood poisoning, polyarthritis, myocarditis, glomerulonephritis.
2. Local. Local diseases include those that affect nearby organs, such as the tonsils or larynx. They, compared to general complications, are less dangerous, but still require careful treatment. These are parapharyngeal or retropharyngeal abscesses, otitis, paratonsillitis, swelling of the throat, bleeding in the tonsils.

Each case of complications with angina, like the disease itself, requires proper treatment.

Heart complications

After healing from a sore throat, you need to be especially attentive to yourself and observe whether your health is restored. It is known that in the presence of streptococci, the human body produces antibodies that protect it, but they, in addition to the pathogen, also suppress the proteins of their own body. This most often causes cardiac rheumatism. It manifests itself in adults and elderly people suffering from tonsillitis. Often myocarditis develops because of it. The symptoms of this pathology are as follows:

• the occurrence of shortness of breath during movement;
• high fever and red throat after a sore throat;
• discomfort near the heart;
• feeling of weakness in the body;
• rapid onset of fatigue during physical activity;
• violation of facial expressions, nervous tension is present.

Rheumatism is a disease that leads to serious consequences and even disability. This condition most often occurs in children over 4 years of age and adolescents.

Due to complications of tonsillitis, blood clots sometimes form in the vessels located in the heart.

Sometimes children develop endocarditis when the heart is damaged. Then the child suffers from the presence of edema, thickening of the fingers, fever, and impaired heart function.

Kidney complications

If a sore throat causes a complication on the kidneys, then this may result in:

1. Development of pyelonephritis. With this disease there is the presence of an acute inflammatory process that can quickly turn into chronic.
2. Glomerulonephritis, a pathology that is of an immunoinflammatory nature. During its course, the renal glomeruli are affected. Glomerulonephritis can occur as an independent disease, or be a consequence of the presence of systemic diseases.

If your kidneys hurt after a sore throat, what should you do? These diseases can be detected using general blood tests (the number of red blood cells changes) and urine (protein levels increase).

For both ailments, it resolves with elevated temperature, swelling in the legs and face, discomfort in the lower back, and intoxication. Glomerulonephritis as a complication often occurs after a sore throat and goes away on its own without external intervention, but the level of protein in the body is increased, blood pressure indicators creep up, weakness and pain in the head are felt.

Pyelonephritis affects the renal pelvis. Most often one kidney is affected, but it happens that inflammation affects both. Signs of this disease manifest themselves in increased fever, and there is also a frequent urge to urinate, the person feels discomfort in the kidneys, and shudders. Both the first and second diseases require hospital stay and adequate therapy. You need to be wary of the disease turning into a purulent form and causing kidney problems.

Complications on the joints

There are repeated cases when, after a sore throat, a complication occurs in the joints, because a rheumatic process can begin there, because rheumatism is a systemic disease, and it does not stop at damage to the heart. This condition is expressed in swelling of the joints, redness, and discomfort when moving the feet. The nature of the pain is inconsistent, it is wandering.

This condition is called arthritis - swelling occurs in the knees and elbows, and patients suffer from severe pain associated with bending and straightening their arms or legs. Inflamed areas have an increased temperature.

In order to alleviate the manifestations of arthritis, they use external agents in the form of anti-inflammatory ointments and gels, as well as injections. In particularly severe cases, surgical intervention is possible to clean out the internal cavities.

Signs of the disease last a couple of weeks and disappear, but increased sensitivity of the joints remains when weather conditions change. As a result, joint tonsillitis must be treated with medication using physiotherapy.

Local complications of sore throat in adults and children

Everyone needs to know what local complications can be after a sore throat in people of different ages. This is otitis media, which is often provoked. The inflammation is localized in the middle ear and affects the eardrum. His signs are as follows: there is fever, weakness, pain in the ears. The disease contributes to a decrease in hearing acuity or the development of deafness.

In addition to ear problems, there are abscesses and swelling of the throat.

Cellulitis and fiber abscess

Cellulitis or cellulose abscess can appear as a result of purulent or follicular inflammation. These are similar conditions, and the only difference between them is that the first disease does not have pronounced contours, while the second one does.

Both ailments begin with the development of the inflammatory process after the form. Near the tonsils, the cavity is filled with purulent masses. Characteristic signs of complications after tonsillitis in adults, symptoms:

• swallowing food becomes problematic due to intense pain;
• the temperature rises;
• lymph nodes swell;
• general exhaustion manifests itself, and eventually breathing becomes heavy.

Treatment is surgical abdominal drainage.

Swelling of the larynx

Swelling of the larynx is, although a rare complication of sore throat in adults, but requires medical intervention. Edema of the larynx is preceded by a change in voice timbre; coughing does not bring results. Then it becomes increasingly difficult to breathe due to increased swelling, and this causes the skin color to take on a blue tint. Difficulty breathing can develop very quickly, so this dangerous condition can cause death.

Complications after purulent sore throat

Purulent inflammation of the throat is already unpleasant in itself, but if you consider that masses of pus can penetrate into the deep tissue layers and cause complications, this makes this disease very dangerous. The development of consequences sometimes occurs gradually, and in other cases with amazing speed. This condition is called paratonsillitis or a complicated form of tonsillitis. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately identify the cause of the ailment; treatment cannot be delayed.

One of the dangerous diseases that occurs after a purulent sore throat is acute fever of rheumatic origin (rheumatism) - it affects a person’s joints, his skin, heart and brain. The features and symptoms of this pathology were described above.

The next disease that can cause purulent inflammation in the throat is streptococcal toxic shock - a multisystem disease with a severe course. This pathology carries a mortal danger because many internal organs are affected after infection enters them.

Its symptoms are:

• high body temperature;
• muscle pain;
• cramps in the stomach;
• a sharp drop in pressure;
• presence of tachycardia;
• dizziness and fainting;
• redness of the skin.

If streptococcal toxic shock occurs, you need to call an ambulance quickly, because pathological changes develop in the cardiovascular, respiratory and excretory systems.

Features of complications in children

The nature of complications of angina in children is different than in adults, differing both in severity and manifestation of diseases:

• otitis, which can turn into labyrinthitis;
• sinusitis and sinusitis;
• purulent lymphadenitis;
• scarlet fever;
• with a cough reflex, bleeding of the vascular walls is possible due to a sore throat of necrotic origin;

• rheumatism, often turning into endocarditis or rheumatic carditis;
• swelling of the larynx with the possible development of stenosis that can block the flow of air;
• pleurisy, rheumochorea as a consequence of rheumatism;
• cutaneous form of rheumatic manifestations in the form of nodes under the skin;
• retropharyngeal abscess.

The age at which the risk of severe complications after a sore throat increases is the time period from 4 to 8 years. The reason for this lies in the lack of a fully developed immune system. The formation of systems and organs is also in the development stage. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, the child should be examined by a pediatrician.

Features of the course of swelling of the larynx in the ultra-rapid development of swelling, there is a high probability of stenosis.

Signs of endocarditis are similar to symptoms of cardiac dysfunction. The only difference between them is that the feeling of pain in the heart with endocarditis appears later.

In children, tonsillitis more often leads to bleeding on the tonsils than in adults, due to the small thickness of the vascular walls.

How to prevent complications

Complications in acute and chronic angina are prevented by timely diagnosis and immediately begin a course of therapy, treatment is prescribed by an otolaryngologist or pediatrician (therapist).

There are the following methods to prevent sore throat:

1. In addition to the prescribed antibacterial agents, it is also necessary to irrigate the sore throat with Furacilin.
2. It is imperative to adhere to bed rest until complete recovery.
3. Do not overcool, have only light physical activity, maintain psychological balance. It is necessary to carefully take care of yourself for at least a month after curing a sore throat.
4. During the acute period, you should drink fluids in increased quantities.
5. Healthy people undergo hardening procedures and enrich the body with vitamins.
6. It is necessary to avoid contact with people suffering from tonsillitis and acute respiratory infections.

How to properly treat a sore throat

Tonsillitis is an insidious disease, and its treatment must be comprehensive. Antibiotics for sore throat must be prescribed by a doctor. In addition, you need means to relieve symptoms: an antipyretic drug, antiseptics for gargling and lubricating the sore throat. If shortness of breath occurs, the person is given an antiallergic medicine.

If you follow all the doctor’s instructions, keep to bed and drink, the patient has a good chance of curing his sore throat and subsequently avoiding complications.

Sore throat, at first glance, may seem quite harmless disease. General weakness, high fever for several days, sore throat - it seems like nothing to worry about.

But if we consider the large number of immunological and biochemical processes occurring in the body during this disease, then we can greatly reconsider our views. Most often, the cause of this disease is streptococcus, which has a number of insidious features.

Human immunity is designed in such a way that when pathogenic agents enter the body, antibodies are produced, which are proteins; their main purpose is to “destroy” the antigens of the microorganism.

Streptococcus contains a complex of antigens similar to antigens of joints, kidney tissue, heart muscle and some other tissues and organs. In other words, the human immune system does not recognize subtle differences between antigens and sometimes “attacks” its own tissues, leading to various complications.

What are the complications of tonsillitis?

After a sore throat, all complications are divided into two groups: local and general. During general complications of tonsillitis, a cascade of immune reactions occurs with the antigen and the participation of antibodies, which ultimately leads to damage to the kidneys, joints, and heart. Local complications are caused by local changes. Most often, they do not pose a great danger to humans, but still require certain treatment.

Heart complications

The most common complication is rheumatic damage to the heart muscle. During rheumatism, connective tissues throughout the body are damaged, which are most often localized in the heart muscle.

Heart damage- This is a very serious complication, since it leads to the appearance of defects and disability in patients. As a rule, rheumatic damage to the heart muscle occurs in children aged 7-16 years. During rheumatic heart disease, inflammation develops - myocarditis. Moreover, general weakness, pain in the heart area appears, and shortness of breath is possible. The temperature usually remains normal, which does not allow one to suspect a complication in time. But as the process progresses, an increase in temperature is likely, the occurrence of arrhythmias, the appearance of heart murmurs. This condition is dangerous due to the formation of blood clots in the vessels and the further occurrence of thromboembolism.

When the inner layer of the heart muscle is damaged, endocarditis develops, which is also most often found in children. The child develops swelling, a tendency to bleed, thickening of the phalanges on the fingers, increased body temperature, and signs of heart failure. Somewhat later, pain in the heart occurs, which often makes it impossible to determine the cardiac cause of this condition. As the process progresses, other complications appear after tonsillitis in children.

Separately, it should be emphasized that rheumatic damage to the heart muscle is dangerous due to the rapid development of valve defects. This lesion sometimes affects the pericardial sac. In these cases, pericarditis is considered, which may be exudative and dry.

• During dry pericarditis a person is bothered by pain in the heart, which intensifies when coughing, taking a deep breath, or moving. Also concerned about chills, fever, and pain in the left side.
• Exudative pericarditis characterized by an excessive amount of fluid in the heart sac, which leads to compression of the esophagus, heart and other organs. Swallowing problems, pain, and possible shortness of breath appear.

Kidney complications

The kidneys are the second organ most often susceptible to complications after tonsillitis in adults and children. Kidney complications, as a rule, are expressed by glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis, appearing a couple of weeks after the illness.

• During pyelonephritis, the renal pelvis is affected. Most often, only one kidney is affected, however, a bilateral process is not excluded. Body temperature suddenly increases to high levels, a frequent urge to urinate, pain in the lower back, and chills appear.
• Glomerulonephritis is characterized by the presence of blood in the urine, increased blood pressure, and the appearance of edema.

Both conditions require hospitalization with comprehensive treatment.

Complications on the joints

After a sore throat, among the most common complications, joint damage should be noted - arthritis, which is also rheumatic in nature. There is an increase in the size of several joints, their swelling, pain at rest and during movement. The skin over the affected joints is swollen and hyperemic. The joints of the lower extremities (ankle, knee) are often affected. Also, during a rheumatic attack, small joints on the hands, wrist and elbow groups of joints can also be affected. Among other complications, the appearance of appendicitis and sepsis is likely (albeit rare) - a rather dangerous and formidable pathology.

Local complications of sore throat in adults and children

After a sore throat, otitis media often develops. Most often, this condition occurs after catarrhal tonsillitis, but the appearance of otitis media cannot be ruled out after other types of this disease.

Otitis is expressed by inflammation of the middle ear with involvement of the eardrum. Symptoms of otitis media are typical: general malaise, ear pain, and increased body temperature. In severe situations, this leads to complete or partial hearing loss. Sometimes mastoiditis (inflammation of the mastoid process) develops after a sore throat. Clinical symptoms resemble those of otitis media, but pain appears behind the auricle.

Cellulitis and fiber abscess

After purulent or follicular tonsillitis, phlegmon or an abscess of the peri-almond tissue may develop. The main difference is that an abscess is a cavity with clear contours filled with pus. Phlegmon is a purulent diffuse inflammation. The clinical symptoms of these conditions are similar: nearby lymph nodes become enlarged, a sore throat occurs, and the temperature increases. Often the pain is so intense that it makes swallowing difficult and forces the patient to clench his jaw. Treatment of phlegmon and abscess involves removing pus through surgery.

Swelling of the larynx

Among local complications, swelling of the larynx deserves great attention. At the first stage, the voice changes, patients try to clear their throat, but this does not give significant results. Subsequently, the swelling increases, leading to breathing complications: at first it becomes difficult to inhale, and then exhale. Due to insufficient breathing, the skin becomes bluish. Swelling of the larynx is a very dangerous complication that can be fatal.

Often phlegmonous tonsillitis leads to bleeding from the tonsils. They appear during damage to the arteries that feed the palatine tonsils. This condition requires urgent assistance.

When the infection of purulent sore throat is suppressed in the first stages of development, the continuation of the spread of the disease stops. Otherwise, pathogenic microorganisms spread to other organs and tissues. Which causes diseases of varying severity, depending on the time of treatment.

The consequences develop gradually and become chronic, but they can appear so quickly that even in intensive care conditions it will be impossible to take measures to save the patient. This is why there is no need to delay treatment. The most dangerous are the following negative consequences:

• Acute rheumatic fever is a disease in medicine called rheumatism. It can affect the skin, joints and heart.
• Streptococcal shock sometimes spreads so rapidly that resuscitators simply cannot save the patient.

As a result of this impact, the development occurs:

• Polyarthritis is an inflammatory process of the joint parts of the body;
• Chorea - a nervous disorder that is associated with infection in the brain of the head;
• Rheumatic carditis - accompanied by a feeling of pain in the area of ​​the heart, which intensifies and becomes more frequent over time. The result is the development of heart disease.

Features of complications in children

The consequences of the disease in children often have a different clinical picture than in adults, since their body reacts differently. These complications include otitis media. Streptococcal tonsillitis in some cases leads to the development of scarlet fever. The most vulnerable age is the period of 4-8 years, since the child’s body does not have antibodies from the causative agent of the disease. When the tonsils become inflamed, weak blood vessels in children can bleed, especially during coughing. When such symptoms are present, the child must be immediately examined by a doctor.

The rheumatic process that develops after illness provokes endocarditis. Swelling occurs. External symptoms of endocarditis may be similar to those characteristic of heart failure. But heart pain often appears later than other symptoms. In addition, at the age of 5 years, a child may have suppuration of the lymph nodes, after which they disappear. Because of this, the larynx begins to narrow, creating a high risk of suffocation. An effective way to get rid of these ulcers is surgery.

How to prevent complications?

To avoid the occurrence of such severe and dangerous complications, the following rules must be followed:

• Adequate and early treatment of sore throat is necessary. Local therapy should include regular irrigation and rinsing of the throat with antiseptics, and lubrication of infected tonsils. Taking into account the causative factor, appropriate medical treatment (antiviral agents, antibiotics) is developed.
• Sore throat in any form requires bed rest, even when the temperature normalizes, but while some changes in the oropharynx persist. The required duration of bed rest is up to 7-10 days. If this rule is violated, rheumatic lesions of the kidneys, joints, and heart usually form.
• After a sore throat, it is necessary to follow a restrictive regime: do not overcool, avoid significant stress. These recommendations must be followed for at least a month.
• A large amount of fluid intake is required to ensure that toxins are eliminated by the kidneys.
• It is necessary to increase the activity of the immune system. Such mild natural immunostimulants as decoctions of rose hips, feijoa with honey can help with this.
• And finally, dynamic observation by a doctor with regular monitoring of laboratory examinations and functional activity of systems and organs that are at risk of complications is of no small importance.

Here are five main components that must be followed to defeat the disease:

• Use of antibiotics, which only a doctor must prescribe.
• Use of auxiliary drugs. Antipyretics, lozenges, antiseptics, etc. They will help relieve or relieve symptoms.
• The use of folk remedies V. Beetroot juice, compresses, herbal drinks, for example, monastery tea.
• Peace. This is important! If you are sick, you must strictly follow bed mode.
• Lifting immunity. Why do you need to harden yourself, eat vegetables and fruits, take special vitamins to boost your immunity?

A sore throat is dangerous not so much for its tonsillitis as for the complications that arise after it. To avoid complications, the disease must be recognized as early as possible and adequate treatment carried out in a timely manner. Most often, it is untreated tonsillitis that causes further complications. Therefore, when treating a sore throat, you do not need self-medication using folk methods, but observation by a doctor who will prescribe effective medications and monitor the entire healing process.

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