home Drugs How do complications appear after a sore throat? Complications after purulent tonsillitis in adults and children. Symptoms of catarrhal tonsillitis

How do complications appear after a sore throat? Complications after purulent tonsillitis in adults and children. Symptoms of catarrhal tonsillitis

Complications after a sore throat occur when a respiratory tract infection is not treated in a timely manner. As a result of this, the pathological process affects the entire body of the patient and becomes the cause of the development of new diseases, most of which are life-threatening.

Complications of tonsillitis are the reaction of the human immune system to the pathogen. The immune system works in such a way that as soon as foreign microorganisms enter the body, antibodies begin to be produced against them. Their main task is the destruction of microorganism antigens. Sore throat is caused by streptococcus. This bacterium contains a complex of antigens that are similar to antigens of the heart, liver, kidneys and other organs. Therefore, in this case, it is difficult for the immune system to distinguish foreign microorganisms from its own, and it attacks its own tissues.

Complications after a sore throat are of two types:

Local. They are manifested by disturbances in the structure of the nasopharynx. These disorders require treatment, but do not threaten human health or life.
Are common. In this case, damage occurs to the joints, heart muscle, and kidneys. Streptococcal shock, blood poisoning, laryngeal edema, and abscess may also occur. All these consequences are very dangerous to health.

Complications after tonsillitis in adults can be multiple. This means that at the same time as pain in the heart, abscesses or joint damage will occur. It is impossible to say exactly what the consequences will be. In some patients they do not occur at all, while others die from it.

The development of complications occurs due to improper treatment or its complete absence. Each of them has its own symptoms and appears at different times. So the consequences of a sore throat can appear within several weeks, months or even years after the disease. Sometimes they cannot even be associated with a sore throat, which is why this disease should be taken very seriously.

Consequences for the heart

As a result of tonsillitis, cardiac rheumatism often develops. This disease is characterized by the presence of pathological changes in the connective tissue. This pathology poses a serious danger, as it gradually causes heart disease and can make a person disabled.
This consequence most often develops with angina in children 5-15 years old. Rheumatism develops even if there were no heart problems before.
Heart complications from tonsillitis have the following symptoms:

general weakness;
pain in the heart area;
heat;
tachycardia.

Rheumatism caused by tonsillitis is often accompanied by myocarditis. This heart disease is characterized by inflammation of the myocardium.

Subsequently, the disease can lead to the formation of blood clots and blockage of blood vessels. If the pathology spreads to the inner layer of the myocardium, a sore throat complication such as endocarditis develops. This condition manifests itself:

frequent bleeding;
the occurrence of edema;
changes in the structure of the finger joints;
high temperature;
increased heart rate.

Pain in the heart appears late, so in the initial stages it is difficult to determine that the problem is in the heart. But in the meantime, the pathology is progressing. Rheumatism develops very quickly. This complication of the heart forms valve defects and can cause the development of pericarditis.

With pericarditis, the following symptoms may bother you:

Severe pain in the heart, which intensifies when coughing or moving.
Significant increase in body temperature.
Chills.
Heart pain radiates to the left side.

If a sore throat occurs, the heart can suffer greatly. Complications can lead to disruption of a person’s quality of life and disability.

Kidney damage

What complications can occur after a sore throat for the kidneys? For this part of the body, angina can be dangerous with the subsequent development of pyelonephritis and glomeronephritis. It is the kidneys, second after the heart, that suffer from the consequences of tonsillitis. The first manifestations of complications can be noticed a few weeks after a sore throat. Each of them has its own course and symptoms:

Complications on the kidneys after a sore throat can cause kidney failure. They cannot be treated independently; the patient must be urgently hospitalized. Kidney complications are treated with drugs to kill streptococcal infections, anti-inflammatory drugs, and immunosuppressants.

Joint diseases

Complications after a sore throat on the joints occur frequently. Arthritis and rheumatism develop. The lesion may manifest itself as the following symptoms:

swelling and increase in the size of the joints;
painful sensations when moving or at rest;
hyperemia and swelling of the skin over the joints.

After tonsillitis, the lower extremities are most often affected, especially the knee or ankle. Rheumatic fever can affect small joints and elbows. But in young people, due to the fact that tissues quickly regenerate, these problems go unnoticed. They are confused with sore throat after sports or active recreation.
If joints hurt after a sore throat, then treatment will consist of the use of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, the use of physiotherapeutic techniques, compresses and mud procedures.
Streptococcal shock and sepsis
Some of the worst complications of tonsillitis are streptococcal shock and blood poisoning or sepsis.
Streptococcal shock develops due to the harmful effects of streptococcal toxins on the body. This consequence occurs rarely, but in 30% of cases it ends in the death of the patient.
This condition causes the following symptoms:

High fever.
Breathing disorders.
The appearance of a rash on the skin.

Respiratory failure and shock lead to the death of the patient. This problem can develop very quickly. Sometimes, the victim does not even have time to be taken to the hospital.
Treatment is carried out in intensive care with the use of artificial ventilation, vasoconstrictors, and antibiotics. It is very important to identify this condition in time, as even a slight delay can be fatal.
There are various complications from tonsillitis. Blood poisoning is considered one of the most dangerous. As a result, pathogenic bacteria enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. This consequence usually occurs in the presence of abscesses, when microbes enter the blood through the affected walls of blood vessels. As a result of sepsis, inflammation can develop in any part of the body and even in several organs at once.
The speed of this process may vary. Dysfunction of all organs can occur in a short period of time. Treatment is carried out in intensive care. The patient is given antibiotics, and surgery is prescribed, during which pus is removed from the affected tissues. A blood transfusion may be needed.
This complication can occur in very advanced cases, when there are already so many bacteria that they have affected the entire body. If therapy was started on time and correctly, then the likelihood of developing this problem is very low.

Features of local complications

Sore throat can also have local consequences. Otitis often develops. The disease occurs in children and adults and is characterized by the development of inflammation in the middle ear. The eardrum may also become damaged. Inflammation is manifested by the following symptoms:

high temperature;
severe weakness occurs;
the general condition of the body worsens;
The ability to hear decreases or completely disappears.

Complications of angina are different. Laryngeal edema, retinal phlegmon and many others may occur. As a consequence of purulent tonsillitis, an abscess and phlegmon can develop. These pathological processes manifest themselves:

Severe pain in the throat.
Enlarged lymph nodes.
High temperature.

Swallowing becomes very painful. The person has to clench his jaw tightly. These complications can only be treated with surgery. This is the only way to get rid of pus.
When the larynx swells, the voice first changes. The patient constantly wants to clear his throat, but nothing happens. Over time, the swelling will increase and this will cause difficulty breathing. It will be difficult to inhale and exhale. Severe breathing problems can cause death.
Cellulitis can cause bleeding from the tonsils. This occurs when the arteries supplying the palatine tonsils are damaged.
All these complications are treated only in a hospital setting. At the first signs, the patient must be immediately taken to a medical facility, since the likelihood of death is very high.

Prevention of the consequences of tonsillitis

Heart complications after a sore throat are far from the worst thing that can happen. There are a large number of conditions that can result in the death of a person. Therefore, it is better to prevent the development of complications. To do this, you should follow these recommendations:

If tonsillitis is present, the patient should stay in bed. Even if the body temperature is not elevated, but discomfort is felt in the oropharynx, you should adhere to bed rest.
Treatment must be correct and timely. Antiseptic aerosols and various gargling solutions can be used topically.
Lubricate sore tonsils with special products.
Use medications depending on the cause of the disease. If it is a virus, then antiviral; if the pathology is of bacterial origin, antibiotics are needed.
It is important to maintain a drinking regime. The patient is given a large amount of warm liquid.
Even if the development of the disease is stopped and the condition has improved, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia and strong physical exertion for several weeks.
To prevent tonsillitis and other diseases, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system. This can be done with the help of special drugs - immunomodulators, as well as decoctions of rose hips and feijoa.

All these recommendations should be followed for at least a month after complete recovery. If you ignore the advice, then the untreated condition will definitely cause consequences, maybe not in a month, but in the future, the disease you have suffered will make itself felt.

If a person has suffered from any form, he should be under the supervision of a doctor who treated the disease and periodically have his blood tested. With the help of laboratory tests, you can monitor the condition of the whole organism. Even if a complication arises, preventive examinations will help to detect and treat them in time. Everyone should know how dangerous sore throat is. This will help people stop self-medicating and contact specialists in a timely manner.

Sore throat, or acute tonsillitis, is an infectious and inflammatory disease that affects the palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsils. Most often, the causative agents of the disease are staphylococcus or hemolytic streptococcus.

The disease leads to the appearance of symptoms that you want to get rid of as quickly as possible: sore throat when swallowing, sore throat, hyperemia, purulent plaque on the surface of the tonsils, hyperthermia, apathy, headaches, general and muscle weakness. The manifestations of sore throat are similar to other respiratory diseases, which is why the diagnosis should be carried out by a qualified specialist.

A sore throat can put both a defenseless child and a strong man to bed. Why is a sore throat dangerous?

Untimely treatment of the disease can lead to the spread of the infectious process and damage to vital organs and systems. Possible complications can be both general (damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, joints) and local (localized in certain areas of the respiratory system). The most dangerous consequence of the disease is blood poisoning, which poses a threat to life.

For what reason do complications occur after a sore throat? The penetration of pathogenic microorganisms is a kind of signal for the production of protective antibodies by the immune system. Incorrect diagnosis, abuse of antibacterial agents, weakened immunity, self-medication - all this can lead to the development of serious complications in the body.

Under no circumstances should you interrupt drug therapy ahead of schedule. Even if it seems to you that your health has improved significantly, this does not guarantee the absence of pathogens. So, what are the possible consequences of a sore throat?

Interruption of drug therapy is one of the common causes of complications of angina. Imaginary recovery causes some patients to stop treatment

Is it possible to die from a sore throat? The short answer is that there are indeed cases where, in the absence of adequate treatment, angina led to death. An increased level of purulent formations can seriously harm internal organs.

Local complications with angina

Let us highlight the common consequences of local sore throat:

Otitis. Most often, the disease occurs with sore throat in children. A severe coughing attack can cause infection to spread from the throat through the ear canal into the middle ear cavity. Typically, otitis media manifests itself in the form of shooting pains. In addition, patients complain of ear congestion, hearing loss, dizziness, and discharge from the ear cavity. The disease can occur both during the height of the infectious process and during the rehabilitation period. When it becomes chronic, the complication is fraught with the development of deafness.
Lymphadenitis. Usually the inflammatory process affects the submandibular lymph nodes, but sometimes it affects the cervical and subclavian zones. Usually it is possible to get rid of lymphadenitis by conservative means, but if suppuration occurs, then, most likely, prompt assistance from a surgeon will be required.
Swelling of the larynx. This condition requires immediate assistance from specialists. Difficulty breathing in this case can pose a threat to the patient’s life.
Pharyngeal abscesses. The complication usually occurs in young children. In adults, a peritonsillar abscess occurs, in which suppuration reaches the tissue of the neck. With an abscess, the patient cannot turn his head; it is usually tilted in the direction of the pathological process. There are complaints about the inability to swallow and open the mouth. Sometimes the body temperature reaches forty degrees.
Mediastenitis. The purulent process affects the deep parts of the neck. In some cases, purulent secretion may even reach the mediastinum.
Chronic tonsillitis. The pathological process is characterized by frequent exacerbations, sometimes even every month. In fact, during a chronic process, the bacterial infection does not spread throughout the body, but the immune system is still unable to cope with it.

Sore throat causes complications in the ear. If left untreated, it can subsequently lead to meningitis or sepsis.

Common complications of sore throat in adults

It is difficult to predict how pathogenic microflora will manifest itself in a particular organism; complications can be the most unpredictable. It all depends on at what stage of the pathological process treatment was started. Do not forget that purulent tonsillitis is dangerous due to the development of diseases that cannot even be treated with antibiotics. Under no circumstances should you endure a sore throat on your legs. Failure to comply with bed rest is fraught with heart complications.

Acute rheumatic fever

This pathological process affects the heart, joints and skin. In this case, the patient develops the following diseases:

Rheumatic carditis. Patients usually complain of severe pain in the heart. As a result, all this can end in the appearance of vices.
Chorea. As a result of brain damage, a nervous disorder occurs.
Polyarthritis is inflammation of the joints.
Skin hyperemia.

The penetration of bacterial toxins leads to the development of rheumatic fever. Pathogens are even able to disguise themselves as structural proteins of the heart, remaining undetected by the immune system. In essence, an autoimmune process develops that cannot be treated. If you do not start using antibiotics in time, the antibodies will attack not only pathogens, but also your own organs. Ultimately, due to damage to the heart valves, everything can end in death.

Streptococcal toxins can cause excruciating joint pain

Rheumatism does not stop with damage to heart tissue. Complications after a sore throat on the joints manifest themselves as follows:

swelling of the joint capsules;
hyperemia;
wandering pains;
rash;
increased fatigue;
persistent dry cough;
wave-like lesions of large symmetrical joints;
fever.

Arthritis

Inflammation of the joints leads to thinning of the articular cartilage and deformation of the joint capsule along with the ligaments. The most common parts of the body affected by arthritis are: hands, elbows, knees, and feet. In advanced cases, curvature of the fingers and toes is observed. Arthritis manifests itself as follows: swelling and hyperemia of the skin over the joint, pain after sleep, stiffness of movement, increased local temperature, and in severe cases, general temperature.

Kidney diseases

Long-term exposure to antibodies negatively affects kidney tissue, leading to the following complications:

Glomerulonephritis. This is a lesion of the renal glomeruli of an infectious-allergic nature. The pathological process is based on a violation of the morphology of the kidneys. Untreated glomerulonephritis threatens to impair the functional activity of the kidneys, up to the development of uremic coma. A high temperature that is not relieved by antipyretic drugs, back pain, intoxication - all this indicates the onset of the inflammatory process. Transition to the purulent stage threatens the development of renal failure.
Pyelonephritis. In this case, the pelvis, parenchyma and renal tubules are affected. The penetration of pathogens into deeper parts is fraught with the occurrence of serious intoxication of the body.

The kidneys are the second organ after the heart that are susceptible to complications after a sore throat.

Sepsis

Blood poisoning occurs when the purulent process damages the walls of blood vessels. As a result, the bacterial infection spreads through the blood, infecting the entire body. In just a few days, septic shock can develop and is highly fatal.

Sepsis can be of various types, depending on which phlegmons and ulcers develop in different parts of the body. This is all accompanied by vomiting, dehydration, as well as a serious disruption of the functional activity of internal organs. Patients with blood poisoning are placed in the intensive care unit.

Meningitis

Sore throat can sometimes lead to damage to the meninges. Clinically, meningitis manifests itself as follows:

Complications of sore throat in children

A child’s body reacts in its own way to certain diseases, so the consequences of a sore throat in childhood can differ radically. The above-described otitis media and abscess are not all the complications of tonsillitis in children. Let's look at other consequences:

Scarlet fever. Usually occurs in preschool children. This is explained by the lack of antibodies to hemolytic streptococcus, which causes scarlet fever.
Bleeding tonsils. The inflammatory process, combined with weakness of the walls of blood vessels, can lead to bleeding. In some cases, coughing fits can make the problem worse, making the bleeding more pronounced.
Endocarditis. This is a disease that damages the inner layers of the heart. The child experiences swelling, the phalanges of the fingers thicken, and the body temperature rises. Cardialgia may appear much later.

Sore throat has a negative impact on pregnancy

Complications of sore throat in pregnant women

Sore throat is fraught with the following consequences:

toxicosis;
high risks of glomerulonephritis and myocarditis;
penetration of infection through the placental barrier;
placental abruption;
risk of miscarriage;
intrauterine growth retardation;
defects of the internal organs of the fetus;
weakness of labor.

If you have a sore throat, stay in bed

It is better to try to prevent complications of a sore throat than to treat them later. To do this, you should adhere to the following rules:

bed rest will reduce the risk of complications and speed up the recovery process;
the use of traditional methods is allowed, but alternative medicine alone cannot cure a sore throat: rinsing and traditional methods will help relieve the symptoms a little;
antibiotic therapy is a mandatory element of the treatment process;
drinking plenty of fluids will help cope with intoxication;
hardening, physical exercise, vitamin courses - all this will help strengthen the body's defenses;
careful attitude towards your health and quick response to emerging changes in well-being.

Based on all of the above, a logical conclusion suggests itself: in order to avoid serious complications from the heart, kidneys and joints, you should adhere to simple treatment recommendations. Timely consultation with a doctor, antibiotic therapy, symptomatic treatment - all this will help cure a sore throat in the shortest possible time. If you take good care of your body, avoiding hypothermia, dressing for the weather, then you will reduce the risk of developing the disease. Strong immunity is your body’s protective armor against the penetration of pathogens!

- This is an acute inflammation of the palate, lingual and nasopharyngeal tonsils. Most often the palatine tonsils become inflamed. Sore throat is an acute infectious-allergic disease. During the course of the disease, the palatine tonsils become inflamed.
Causes of sore throat

The causative agent of sore throat is most often hemolytic, less often streptococcus aureus. In very rare cases - pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, viruses (enteroviruses, adenoviruses, herpes virus, Epstein-Barr virus, etc.), mycoplasma, chlamydia, fungi, mixed infection.

The infection can be transmitted by airborne droplets, through food and drink, and through direct contact with a sick person. Sore throat develops most often in the cold, damp season (spring, autumn); it can be a consequence of hypothermia or a manifestation of diseases such as diphtheria, scarlet fever, whooping cough, and in some cases, blood diseases.

Hypothermia is not the main cause of sore throat, as is commonly believed. The cause of sore throat in 90% of cases is the hemolytic streptococcus Streptococcus pyogenes. Therefore, you can become infected through airborne droplets even from a healthy person who is a carrier of bacteria.

Another route of transmission is contact (through dirty dishes). You can also become infected through food, for example, if you drink raw milk from a cow with mastitis. And sometimes a person infects himself. In such cases, a sore throat may be a consequence of chronic rhinitis, diseased teeth, or other permanent foci of infections in the body. The situation is complicated by unfavorable conditions: hypothermia, decreased immunity.

Symptoms of sore throat appear after the incubation period, which is most often 24-48 hours, is completed.

The main symptoms of angina are the following:

Sore throat has an acute onset. A person, despite being in perfect health, sharply deteriorates in health.

Body temperature rises and chills occur. The mark on the thermometer can reach 40 °C.

Headache, joint pain, general weakness.

The throat is very sore, the pain intensifies during the swallowing process. On the second day, painful sensations reach their peak and are present on an ongoing basis.

On average, a sore throat lasts about two weeks, in children it lasts a little longer.

Symptoms of catarrhal tonsillitis

Catarrhal tonsillitis usually develops quickly, but the temperature is not higher than 37-38°C. In most cases, a person suffers from a dry and sore throat. After the first unpleasant sensations, the patient feels swelling in the pharynx and pain when swallowing. Upon visual inspection, the palatine tonsils appear reddened and swollen, and palpation of the neck in the area of the submandibular lymph gland usually causes quite severe pain. As a rule, pain increases when swallowing. After a few hours, a person’s body temperature reaches 39 °C. Sore throat is accompanied by severe chills and painful aches and migraines.

As a rule, catarrhal tonsillitis is a precursor to follicular or lacunar tonsillitis. Despite the milder degree of angina, it must be treated; any angina poses a threat to human health.

Symptoms of follicular sore throat

Follicular tonsillitis is a longer and more severe disease. It usually causes serious complications.

The main symptoms are also headaches, fever up to 39°C, joint pain and general malaise. All symptoms are much more pronounced than with catarrhal tonsillitis. In many patients, the saliva content in the oral cavity increases significantly. Follicular tonsillitis should be treated only in a hospital with constant medical supervision.

Symptoms of lacunar tonsillitis

Lacunar tonsillitis is considered an equally serious disease. It is accompanied by a noticeable deterioration in the general condition of the body. The temperature rise can reach 40°C.

In addition to headaches, swallowing food and liquids causes discomfort. Often pain in the throat radiates to the ears. The mucous membrane of the tonsils swells and turns red. In patients, white or yellowish plaques, typical for sore throat, form in the lacunae, the so-called plugs, consisting mainly of rejected cells and bacteria. Upon examination, swelling and redness of the palatine arches are always noticeable.

How to distinguish a sore throat from an acute respiratory infection or pharyngitis?

The most important symptoms of a sore throat, and not an acute respiratory infection or a cold, are a rapid increase and retention of body temperature within 39 ° C, and the appearance of an acute unpleasant sore throat. It becomes painful to eat, drink and even talk. Later, the patient begins to experience attacks of severe fatigue, malaise, and begins to ache in the joints. If you already have these first signs of the disease, you should immediately contact your local doctor.

Also, sore throat can be confused with. But there are differences; sore throat is caused by a specific type of bacteria, streptococci, and the symptoms are often more severe. In addition, streptococci can infect other parts of the throat.

When to see a doctor?

Sometimes a sore throat can become so severe that breathing becomes difficult. If this occurs, medical attention is necessary and urgent.

Additionally, if a person experiences any of the following symptoms, they should visit a doctor:

Temperature over 39.5 °C

Inflammation of the lymph nodes, the neck becomes stiff to the touch.

Muscle weakness

Sore throat that lasts more than 2 days

Sore throat is very contagious, so isolation of the patient is mandatory.

Diagnosis of sore throat

Examination by a doctor:

The doctor will examine your throat, and possibly your ears and nose, which can also be sites of infection.

The doctor will ask you if you have a rash on your body. The rash may indicate, which is associated with some cases of sore throat

Gently feeling (palpating) your baby's neck to check for swollen glands (lymph nodes)

Your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs.

Check for enlarged spleen (a dangerous disease that also causes inflammation of the tonsils)

Throat swab

With this simple test, the doctor takes secretions from the throat. The sample will be tested in a laboratory for the presence of streptococcal bacteria.

Some clinics have a laboratory that can provide test results within minutes. However, a second, more reliable test is usually sent to a laboratory, which can provide results within 24 to 48 hours.

If the rapid in-clinic test is positive, you almost certainly have a bacterial infection. If the test result is negative, you most likely have a viral infection. However, your doctor will wait for a more reliable laboratory test to determine the cause of the infection.

Treatment of sore throat

Home care

Regardless of whether the sore throat is caused by a viral or bacterial infection, the described tactics will be needed in any case for a speedy recovery.

Remember that if your sore throat is caused by a virus, your doctor will not prescribe antibiotics. And this home care will be the only treatment tactic

The home care strategy includes the following:

Get more rest.

Drink more water - this will prevent.

Warm liquids—broth, decaffeinated tea, or warm water with honey—and cold treats such as ice cream can soothe a sore throat.

Use a humidifier. Dry air can make a sore throat even worse.

Lollipops for sore throat (Strepsils, Angi sept Dr. Theiss, Anti-Angin, Septolete, Faringosept,).

Try not to take aspirin. In addition to causing stomach ulcers, taking aspirin in children causes Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition.

Drugs for the treatment of sore throat

Fusafungin (bioparox) - 4 inhalations by mouth every 4 hours for 4-5 days. Before use, read the instructions.

Ambazon - keep the tablet in your mouth until it is completely dissolved. After taking the tablet, refrain from eating and drinking for 3 hours.

Gramicidin - the tablet is kept in the mouth (behind the cheek) until it is completely dissolved. Use 2 tablets (one after the other for 20-30 minutes) 4 times a day for 2-3 days.

For severe sore throat: Hexoral, Stopangin, Strepsils, Lugol and other remedies. Menthol products, such as Halls (menthol lozenge), can also reduce pain.

In case of allergies, take: Suprastin, Tavegil, Fenkarol, Loratadine, Claritin

Antibiotics

If your sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics. Amoxicillin is the most powerful antibiotic for tonsillitis; it should be taken for 7-10 days.

You should definitely take the full course of antibiotics, even if the symptoms completely disappear after a couple of days. Stopping medication early may cause the infection to worsen or spread to other parts of the body. Incomplete completion of the course of antibiotics can, in particular, increase the risk of developing rheumatism and serious kidney inflammation!

Amoxicillin is the most effective antibiotic for angina from the group of semisynthetic broad-spectrum penicillins. The following brands of amoxicillin are presented on the Russian market: Amoxiclav, Flemoxin Solutab.

Cheaper ones: Amoxicar, Amoxil, Amosin.

For children: Suprax, Klacid, Azithromycin, Augmentin

If the body temperature persists for 5 days or more, the treatment regimen should be changed, as this indicates its ineffectiveness.

Video: how to quickly cure a sore throat at home? 5 simple steps:

Surgery - is it worth removing tonsils?

A tonsillectomy is usually an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home the same day.

There is very little research on this surgery to confirm the benefits of tonsillectomy. However, in a 2013 study, a researcher from Finland looked at 86 adults with recurrent sore throats. 46 of them had a tonsillectomy, and 40 did not have the procedure. After 5 months, only 39% of those who had their tonsils removed had an episode of acute sore throat, compared with 80% of those who did not have their tonsils removed.

If you experience chronic sore throat, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of tonsil surgery.

Surgical removal of the tonsils is usually the last hope. However, it is believed that the negative consequences of the operation outweigh the positive ones associated with tonsil removal.

Is it worth cutting out the tonsils? What serious complications are sore throat dangerous for? General practitioner Alla Protasova will answer these questions:

Serious complications of sore throat

Angina is very dangerous due to its complications. One of them is a paratonsillar abscess, which is a continuation of a sore throat. It seems that recovery has occurred, but suddenly the patient develops a severe sore throat that is constantly getting worse. After 2–3 days, swallowing becomes impossible, the temperature rises, and salivation increases. Soon the patient's condition worsens so much that during swallowing, as a result of swelling of the soft palate, food can enter the nasopharynx and nose. Breathing becomes difficult. In this case, only urgent hospitalization and surgery will help.

During examination, significant asymmetry is noticeable. The tonsil on the affected side is enlarged in size and shifted to the center, the uvula is moved to the side, the soft palate is swollen.

Seek medical help immediately if the following symptoms occur:

Pallor of the skin, appearance of a bluish tint;

Change from excitement to inhibition;

A sharp drop in body temperature;

Impaired consciousness;

Decrease in the volume of urine excreted (a symptom of infectious-toxic shock);

The appearance of convulsions, loss of consciousness (involvement in the process of inflammation of the nervous system);

The appearance of hemorrhages (damage to blood vessels, disturbances in blood clotting processes);

Difficulty breathing, inability to open your mouth, increasing intensity of sore throat (paratonzillitis);

Author of the article: Lazarev Oleg Vladimirovich| ENT doctor
Education: In 2009, he received a diploma in General Medicine from Petrozavodsk State University. After completing an internship at the Murmansk Regional Clinical Hospital, he received a diploma in the specialty “Otorhinolaryngology” (2010)

Sore throat (acute tonsillitis) is an infectious inflammation of the oropharynx area. It is localized on the tonsils and the back wall of the pharynx. A child develops tonsillitis between the ages of 3 and 10 years. Up to 1 year of age, children rarely get sore throat because they receive antimicrobial immunity from their mother's milk. Pathology develops due to vitamin deficiency, hypothermia, and weak immunity.

All complications of angina are general and local. Their development in a particular child is determined by the general condition of the body, the adequacy of therapy, and the presence/absence of concomitant pathologies.

Local consequences of sore throat

The most dangerous complications of tonsillitis in children always develop with local reactions. Therefore, during the recovery period, parents should monitor the condition of the child’s neck and neighboring structures.

The submandibular lymph nodes always react to any type of tonsillitis with enlargement. But the cervical and subclavian zones of the lymphatic system can also be involved in the inflammatory process. In case of suppuration in certain areas, the baby will undergo surgery.
Swelling of the larynx after illness is considered a rare occurrence, but from the tonsils the swelling spreads to the laryngeal cleft and vocal cords.
The development of otitis media after acute tonsillitis is a common complication. The infection enters the ear during a strong cough, moving from the throat along the Eustachian tube. Otitis media develops at different stages of angina. However, pain radiating to the ears does not always indicate the onset of otitis media.
Proliferation of tonsil tissue occurs from frequent sore throats or a severe course of a single case. Treatment of chronic tonsillitis is conservative or surgical.
Abscesses. Purulent collections on the back of the oropharynx are often observed in children under 6 years of age. In the case of mediastinitis, inflammation affects the deep parts of the neck. The purulent contents descend to the intercavity space with internal organs.
Bleeding tonsils. If a child coughs frequently and violently, the vascular walls of his larynx burst and bleed. With additional inflammation of the tonsils, there is a possibility of bleeding of varying intensity.

General consequences of sore throat

Acute tonsillitis that has not undergone serious treatment includes:

brain;
kidneys;
heart;
joints;
the whole body.

Brain damage

A rare complication of tonsillitis in a young child is infection of the brain. Parents can recognize meningitis in a timely manner by swelling of the child’s skin, shortness of breath of the baby, high fever, and the baby’s complaints of severe weakness and headaches. Specific signs of meningitis include a bluish border of the lips. Symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Heart pathologies

The consequences of tonsillitis for a child can be expressed by early signs of myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle. If the disease takes a protracted turn, it is characterized by arrhythmia, excess of normal temperatures, and noise in the organ. Rheumatic complication of the heart is fraught with valve defects. The deviation develops over 3–12 months.

If endocarditis develops, the internal structures of the heart change. The child's body becomes swollen. Thickening of the phalanges of the fingers of the upper extremities is observed. Measuring the temperature conditions of the body gives high marks.

Renal reactions

After 7–14 days of tonsillitis, the baby’s kidneys may respond to the disease with inflammation of the glomeruli or tissue. In the first case, nephrologists diagnose glomerulonephritis, in the second - pyelonephritis. An inflammatory process affecting the excretory system is recognized by consistently high temperature levels, back pain, and signs of intoxication. The most terrible consequences are the transformation of inflammation into a purulent form and renal failure.

Do joints suffer with angina?

Rheumatism after tonsillitis is not limited to damage to cardiac tissue. The disease also affects the joints and causes rheumatism. Signs of articular pathology are wandering pain, fever, damage to symmetrically located joints, redness and swelling of the skin tissue covering the bone joints.

Sepsis

When considering the consequences of tonsillitis, tonsillogenic sepsis cannot be missed. The risk of its development exists from the very first day of the illness, including its catarrhal type. When the infection spreads through the blood throughout the child’s body, his general health deteriorates sharply, and the tonsils fill with pus.

How to prevent complications

Despite the danger of diseases that can develop after tonsillitis, they can be avoided by following several recommendations.

Do not allow your child to be active during illness. A 7-day bed rest will facilitate treatment and reduce the risk of complications.
Do not ignore antibiotic therapy. Give the medications to your baby exactly as many days as prescribed by the doctor. Rinses and folk remedies are effective only as symptomatic treatment. They do not fight the causative agent of sore throat.
To prevent complications, take general blood and urine tests after a sore throat (2 weeks from the day of recovery). An accelerated ESR and an excess of leukocytes require a full examination of the baby with ultrasound, ECG, biochemical blood test, and other measures. Protein detected in urine indicates kidney problems.

Sore throat (acute tonsillitis) is an infectious disease characterized by inflammation of the main parts of the lymphatic pharyngeal ring (palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsils). Pathology occurs due to the development of bacterial flora in the ENT organs, represented predominantly by gram-positive microbes. The provocateur of inflammation can be staphylococcus or hemolytic streptococcus, less often a yeast-like fungus or virus.

Why is a sore throat dangerous? Untimely relief of pathological processes in the respiratory tract contributes to the spread of infection and damage to other organs and systems. The most dangerous complication of tonsillitis is tonsillogenic sepsis, characterized by the formation of metastatic abscesses in the internal organs.

Pathogenesis

For what reason do complications occur after a sore throat? The penetration of pathogens into the respiratory tract is an impulse for the production of specific antibodies by the immune system. In turn, glycoprotein neoplasms identify foreign microorganisms in the blood and destroy them, neutralizing metabolites and poisons in tissues.

Streptococcus is a facultative anaerobic bacteria that contains a whole complex of antigens similar in structure to antigens of joints, muscle and kidney tissue. For this reason, the immune system can attack not only pathogenic bacteria, but also the tissues of its own organs. If the infection is not eliminated in time, the following types of complications may occur:

systemic - pathological processes in the body that arise as a result of the development of immunological disorders. The systemic consequences of tonsillitis are characterized by damage to the joints, heart muscle, kidneys and membranes of the brain;
local - relatively mild complications of angina, localized only in certain areas of the respiratory tract. As a rule, they do not pose a particular threat to life, but untimely elimination of local complications can lead to more severe consequences.

Often the cause of severe complications after acute tonsillitis is untimely completion of antibacterial therapy or early completion of the course. An imaginary recovery forces many patients to stop drug treatment, as a result of which foci of inflammation begin spread to neighboring organs and tissues. In addition, complications may occur for the following reasons:

antibiotic abuse;
incorrect diagnosis and treatment;
treatment exclusively with folk remedies;
reduced body resistance;
premature refusal of drug treatment.

If the doctor prescribes a course of treatment lasting 10-14 days, you should not stop taking medications ahead of schedule. An apparent improvement in well-being does not guarantee the absence of microbial agents in the affected tissues. Recurrence of tonsillitis leads to severe consequences, some of which can threaten a person’s life.

When to go to the doctor?

The symptoms of tonsillitis are very similar to the manifestations of most ENT diseases, accompanied by the formation of foci of inflammation in the respiratory tract. If characteristic clinical manifestations of the disease occur, you should consult a specialist. Self-treatment of acute tonsillitis can lead to serious consequences, in particular the development of myocarditis or renal failure.

What are the main symptoms of a bacterial infection? The most common signs of sore throat include:

A characteristic sign of the development of tonsillitis is a white coating on the mucous membrane of the throat, resulting from the formation of purulent foci in the ciliated epithelium.

Having discovered the first symptoms of an ENT disease, it is advisable to undergo examination by a specialist. As a rule, self-treatment does not contribute to recovery, which is due to the ineffectiveness of the drugs used. Confusing a sore throat with a cold, many patients try to relieve the symptoms of the disease with antiviral drugs. However, the bacterial flora is not sensitive to the effects of antiviral medications, which contributes to the unhindered spread of infection in the body.

Rheumatism of the heart

In most cases, complications after a sore throat make themselves felt 2-3 weeks after the inflammation in the ENT organs is eliminated. Ineffective therapy can cause the development of rheumatism of the heart, characterized by the formation of scars on the heart muscle. Why is this happening?

If antibiotics are not prescribed in time to destroy the bacterial flora, one’s own antibodies will continue to attack both pathogens and one’s own organs, the antigens in which have a similar structure. As a result, destruction of proteins occurs in the connective tissue, which is accompanied by rheumatic processes in the heart. Damage to the heart valves can lead to the development of heart defects, which can be fatal.

Important! Failure to comply with bed rest during the treatment of acute tonsillitis often leads to the development of heart complications.

Myocarditis occurs much less frequently after a bacterial infection, i.e. inflammatory process in the heart muscle. As the pathology develops, symptoms such as acute pain in the heart area, shortness of breath, tachycardia, dizziness, etc. may appear.

Kidney diseases

Disturbances in the genitourinary system are common complications after a sore throat. Long-term exposure of antibodies to kidney tissue contributes to the development of severe diseases, such as:

If therapy for a sore throat has been unsuccessful, kidney complications may appear within 3-4 weeks after infection of the body. In this case, characteristic symptoms such as chills, febrile temperature, pain in the kidneys, swelling of the extremities, etc. occur.

Otitis media is one of the most common complications after a sore throat. As a result of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, the risk of bacterial flora entering the middle ear cavity through the Eustachian tube increases. The first few days the infected ear practically does not hurt, which complicates the diagnosis and treatment.

An inflamed ear begins to have difficulty hearing, which in most cases is associated with tissue swelling and impaired conduction of sound signals. If foci of inflammation form in the mucous membrane of the tympanic cavity, bacterial (purulent) otitis media is diagnosed. As pathology develops, the following symptoms most often appear:

The ear is a sensitive organ, infection of which can lead to the development of hearing loss. If a bacterial infection is not treated promptly, pathogens can enter the inner ear. The development of labyrinthitis can contribute to the development of sensorineural hearing loss, which is practically untreatable.

Important! If the ear is left untreated for a long time, it can lead to the development of meningitis or sepsis.

To prevent the development of otitis media, hearing loss, mastoiditis and other complications, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs should be instilled into the sore ear. At the stage of regression of catarrhal processes, physiotherapeutic treatment can be prescribed. To cure the ear from purulent otitis, it is more advisable to resort to electrocoagulation, phototherapy and magnetic therapy.

Local complications after tonsillitis are most often characterized by chronic inflammation of the palatine and pharyngeal tonsils. If the infectious disease is not treated for a long period, there is a 90% chance that a low-grade inflammation will occur in the mucous membrane of the pharynx. The provocateurs of the development of chronic tonsillitis are most often the coccal flora, represented by streptococci, staphylococci and pneumococci.

The development of focal infection is based on prolonged inflammation in the mucous membranes of the ENT organs. If it is not possible to stop the manifestations of acute tonsillitis within 2-3 weeks, purulent foci form in the palatine tonsils. Their appearance contributes to the loosening of the ciliated epithelium and changes in tissue morphology. With the development of chronic tonsillitis, the body is gradually poisoned by bacterial metabolites, which can lead to regional lymphadenitis.

If the inflammation in the tonsils cannot be eliminated with the help of drug treatment, the patient is offered to undergo a tonsillectomy, i.e. procedure to remove tonsils.