Chronic tonsillitis in an adult

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Chronic tonsillitis: photos, symptoms and treatment in adults

Tonsillitis is an infectious-allergic disease in which the inflammatory process is localized in the palatine tonsils.

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Nearby lymphoid tissues of the pharynx are also involved - laryngeal, nasopharyngeal and lingual tonsils.

Chronic tonsillitis is a fairly common disease, which may be due to the fact that many people simply do not consider it a serious illness and easily ignore it. This tactic is very dangerous, because a constant source of infection in the body will periodically take the form of acute tonsillitis, reducing performance, will worsen overall health.

Since this disease can serve as an impetus for the development of dangerous complications, everyone should know the symptoms of chronic tonsillitis, as well as the basics of treatment in adults (see photo).

Causes

What it is? Tonsillitis in adults and children occurs when the tonsils become infected. Most often, bacteria are “to blame” for the appearance of this disease: streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci, pneumococci.

But some viruses can also cause inflammation of the tonsils, for example, adenoviruses and the herpes virus. Sometimes the cause of inflammation of the tonsils is fungi or chlamydia.

A number of factors can contribute to the development of chronic tonsillitis:

  • frequent sore throats (acute inflammation of the tonsils);
  • dysfunction of nasal breathing as a result of curvature of the nasal septum, the formation of polyps in the nasal cavity, hypertrophy of adenoid vegetations and other diseases;
  • the appearance of foci of infection in nearby organs (caries, purulent sinusitis, adenoiditis, etc.);
  • decreased immunity;
  • more frequent allergic reactions, which can be both a cause and a consequence of the disease, etc.

Most often, chronic tonsillitis begins after a sore throat. In this case, acute inflammation in the tissues of the tonsils does not undergo complete reverse development, the inflammatory process continues and becomes chronic.

There are two main forms of tonsillitis:

  1. Compensated form - when there are only local signs of inflammation of the tonsils.
  2. Decompensated form - when there are both local and general signs of chronic inflammation of the tonsils: abscesses, paratonsillitis.

Chronic tonsillitis, compensated, manifests itself in the form of frequent colds and, in particular, sore throat. To prevent this form from developing into a decompensated form, it is necessary to extinguish the source of infection in a timely manner, that is, not to let the cold take its course, but to engage in comprehensive treatment.

Signs in adults

The main signs of chronic tonsillitis in adults include:

  • persistent sore throat (moderate to very severe);
  • pain in the tonsils;
  • swelling in the nasopharynx;
  • plugs in the throat;
  • inflammatory reactions in the throat to food and cold liquids;
  • body temperature does not decrease for a long time;
  • smell from the mouth;
  • weakness and fatigue.

Also, a sign of the disease may be the appearance of nagging pain and aches in the knee and wrist joints, and in certain cases there may be shortness of breath.

Symptoms of chronic tonsillitis

The simple form of chronic tonsillitis is characterized by scanty symptoms. An adult is concerned about the feeling of a foreign body or awkwardness when swallowing, tingling, dryness, bad breath, and possibly an increase in temperature to low-grade levels. The tonsils are inflamed and enlarged. Outside of exacerbation, there are no general symptoms.

Characterized by frequent sore throats (up to 3 times a year) with a protracted period of recovery, which is accompanied by fatigue, malaise, general weakness and a slight increase in temperature.

In the toxic-allergic form of chronic tonsillitis, tonsillitis develops more often than 3 times a year, often complicated by inflammation of neighboring organs and tissues (peritonsillar abscess, pharyngitis, etc.). The patient constantly feels weak, tired and unwell. The body temperature remains low-grade for a long time. Symptoms from other organs depend on the presence of certain associated diseases.

Consequences

With a long course and the absence of specific treatment for chronic tonsillitis, consequences arise in the body of an adult. The loss of the ability of the tonsils to resist infection leads to the formation of peritonsillar abscesses and infection in the respiratory tract, which contributes to the occurrence of pharyngitis and bronchitis.

Chronic tonsillitis plays a large role in the occurrence of collagen diseases such as rheumatism, periarthritis nodosa, polyarthritis, dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, hemorrhagic vasculitis. Also, persistent sore throats lead to heart diseases such as endocarditis, myocarditis and acquired heart defects.

The human urinary system is most susceptible to complications from infectious diseases, so pyelonephritis is a serious consequence of chronic tonsillitis. In addition, cholecystitis and polyarthritis develop, and the musculoskeletal system is disrupted. With a chronic focus of infections, glomerulonephritis, minor chorea, paratonsillar abscess, septic endocarditis and sepsis develop.

Exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis

The lack of preventive measures and timely treatment for chronic tonsillitis leads to various exacerbations of the disease in adults. The most common exacerbations of tonsillitis are tonsillitis (acute tonsillitis) and paratonsillar (peritonsillar) abscess.

Sore throat is characterized by elevated temperature (38-40˚ and above), severe or moderate sore throat, headaches, and general weakness. Aches and severe pain in the joints and lower back often appear. Most types of tonsillitis are characterized by enlarged lymph nodes located under the lower jaw. Lymph nodes are painful on palpation. The disease is often accompanied by chills and fever.

With proper treatment, the acute period lasts from two to seven days. Complete rehabilitation requires a long time and constant medical supervision.

Prevention

To prevent this disease, it is necessary to ensure that nasal breathing is always normal and to promptly treat all infectious diseases. After a sore throat, you should carry out preventive rinsing of the lacunae and lubricating the tonsils with drugs recommended by the doctor. In this case, you can use 1% iodine-glycerin, 0.16% Gramicidin-Glycerin, etc.

Regular hardening in general, as well as hardening of the pharyngeal mucosa, is also important. For this, morning and evening rinsing of the throat with water that is at room temperature is recommended. The diet should contain foods and dishes high in vitamins.

Treatment of chronic tonsillitis

Today in medical practice there are not many methods for treating chronic tonsillitis in adults. Drug therapy, surgical treatment and physical therapy are used. As a rule, methods are combined in different versions or alternately replace each other.

For chronic tonsillitis, treatment is applied locally; regardless of the phase of the process, it includes the following components:

  1. Rinsing the lacunae of the palatine tonsils to remove purulent contents, and rinsing the pharynx and oral cavity with copper-silver or physiological solutions with the addition of antiseptics (miramistin, chlorhexidine, furatsilin). The course of treatment is at least several sessions.
  2. Taking antibiotics;
  3. Probiotics: Hilak forte, Linex, Bifidumbacterin to prevent dysbacteriosis, which can develop while taking antibiotics.
  4. Medicines that have a softening effect and eliminate symptoms such as dryness, sore throat, sore throat. The most effective remedy is a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, which must be gargled 1-2 times a day. In addition, a propolis-based preparation in the form of a spray (Proposol) can be used.
  5. In order to correct general immunity, Irs-19, Bronchomunal, Ribomunil can be used as prescribed by an immunologist.
  6. Conducting physiotherapy (UHF, tubos);
  7. Sanitation of the oral cavity, nose and paranasal sinuses.

To increase the body's defenses, vitamins, aloe, vitreous, and FIBS preparations are used. To cure chronic tonsillitis once and for all, you should follow an integrated approach and listen to your doctor’s recommendations.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic procedures are always prescribed against the background of conservative treatment and a few days after surgery. Several decades ago, the main emphasis was placed on these methods: they tried to treat chronic tonsillitis using ultrasound or ultraviolet light.

Physiotherapy does show good results, but it cannot be a basic treatment. As an auxiliary therapy, its effect is undeniable, therefore physiotherapeutic methods of treatment for chronic tonsillitis are used all over the world, and are actively used.

Three methods are considered the most effective: ultrasound, UHF and ultraviolet radiation. They are mainly used. These procedures are almost always prescribed in the postoperative period, when the patient is already discharged from the hospital to home and begins outpatient treatment.

Removal of tonsils for chronic tonsillitis: reviews

Sometimes doctors perform surgery to remove the diseased tonsils, a procedure called tonsillectomy. But such a procedure requires evidence. Thus, tonsil removal is performed in cases of recurrent peritonsillar abscess and in some concomitant diseases. However, it is not always possible to cure chronic tonsillitis with medication; in such cases, it is worth considering surgery.

Within minutes, under local anesthesia, the tonsils are removed with a special loop. After the operation, the patient must remain in bed for several days, taking only cold, liquid or pasty, non-irritating food. After 1-2 weeks, the postoperative wound heals.

We have selected some reviews from tonsil removal for chronic tonsillitis that were left by users on the Internet.

  1. I had my tonsils removed 3 years ago and I don’t regret it one bit! The throat sometimes hurts (pharyngitis), but very rarely and not at all like before! Bronchitis often occurs as a complication of a cold (But this is not at all the same compared to the torment that tonsils brought me! I had a sore throat once a month, constant pain, pus in the throat, high temperature, tears! There were complications in the heart and kidneys. If everything is not so neglected for you, then maybe there is no point in just going to the ENT specialist a couple of times a year for a rinse and that’s all...
  2. Delete and don't think about it. As a child, I was sick every month, with a high temperature, heart problems began, and my immune system weakened. Removed after 4 years. The pain has stopped, sometimes only without fever, but my heart is weak. The girl, who also constantly suffered from sore throats and who never had surgery, developed rheumatism. She is now 23 and walks with the help of crutches. My grandfather had it removed at the age of 45, more severely than in childhood, but inflamed tonsils cause serious complications, so find a good doctor and have it removed.
  3. I had the operation in December and have never regretted it. I forgot what it was like to have a constant temperature, constant congestion in the throat and much more. Of course, we must fight for the tonsils to the last, but if they have already become a source of infection, then we definitely need to part with them.
  4. I had it removed at the age of 16. Under local anesthesia, in the old-fashioned way, they tied me to a chair, covered my eyes so that I couldn’t see anything, and cut me off. The pain is terrible. Then my throat hurt wildly, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t really eat either, and I was also bleeding. Nowadays it probably doesn’t hurt as much and is done more professionally. But I forgot about the sore throat, only recently I started to get a little sick. But it's her own fault. We need to take care of ourselves.
  5. I had my tonsils cut out at the age of 35, after many years of continuous painful sore throats, gargles and antibiotics. I got to the point where I asked for surgery from an otolaryngologist. It was a little painful, but not for long and - voila! No sore throat, no sore throat, just in the first year after surgery, try not to drink cold things and take immunostimulants. I am pleased.

People tend to worry that having their tonsils removed may weaken their immune system. After all, the tonsils are one of the main protective gates when entering the body. These fears are justified and justified. However, it should be understood that in a state of chronic inflammation, the tonsils are not able to do their job and become only a hotbed of infection in the body.

How to treat chronic tonsillitis at home

When treating tonsillitis at home, it is important to boost your immunity first. The sooner there is no opportunity for the infection to develop, the faster you can bring your health back to normal.

How and with what to treat the disease at home? Let's look at common recipes:
  1. For chronic inflammation of the tonsils, take fresh leaves of coltsfoot, wash, chop, squeeze out the juice three times, adding equal amounts of onion juice and red wine (or diluted cognac: 1 tablespoon per 0.5-1 glass of water). Place the mixture in the refrigerator and shake before use. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, diluted with 3 tablespoons of water.
  2. Crush two large cloves of garlic that have not yet sprouted, boil a glass of milk and pour the garlic pulp over it. After the infusion has stood for some time, it must be strained and gargled with the resulting warm solution.
  3. Propolis tincture with alcohol. Prepare as follows: grind 20 grams of the product and pour 100 ml of pure medical alcohol. The medicine should be infused in a dark place. Take 20 drops three times a day. The tincture can be mixed with warm milk or water.
  4. All you need is 10 sea buckthorn fruits every day. You will need to take them 3-4 times, each time rinsing your throat thoroughly before doing so. Chew slowly and eat the fruits - and tonsillitis will begin to go away. Treatment should be carried out for 3 months, and the method can be used by both children and adults.
  5. Chop 250 g beets, add 1 tbsp. vinegar, let sit for about 1-2 days. You can remove the sediment. Rinse your mouth and throat with the resulting tincture. One or two tbsp. Recommended to drink.
  6. Yarrow. You need to brew 2 tablespoons of herbal raw materials in a glass of boiling water. Cover with a lid and leave to steep for an hour. Then filter. Use the infusion when treating chronic tonsillitis with folk remedies during its exacerbation. Gargle 4-6 times a day.
  7. Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with one tablespoon of sugar and take three times a day. This remedy will help improve your health and also help get rid of tonsillitis. In addition, for gargling with tonsillitis, it is recommended to use cranberry juice with honey, warm carrot juice, a 7-9-day infusion of kombucha, and a decoction of St. John's wort.

How should chronic tonsillitis be treated? Strengthen your immune system, eat right, drink a lot of water, gargle and lubricate your throat if your condition allows, do not rush with antibiotics and, especially, do not rush to cut out your tonsils. They may still be useful to you.

Good to know:

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6 comments

I have nothing against traditional medicine. This is a good addition to your doctor's prescription. I was prescribed Tonsilotren. Cool pills. I cured my tonsillitis within a week. The sore throat went away quite quickly.

I also suffer from tonsillitis. But salt caves have a good effect. Firstly, they have an antiseptic effect. They strengthen the immunity of children and adults, improving the tolerance of viruses. We have seen from our own experience... you can go at least 2 times a year, thereby getting a microclimate enriched with microelements, which helps cope with many diseases.

I have had chronic tonsillitis since childhood. If I have ARVI or the flu, then every once in a while I get a sore throat. I have a weak throat. Rinsing helps, but not always. The doctor prescribes antibiotics. I don't really like antibiotics because they are harmful to the stomach. But there is nowhere to go. This year the doctor prescribed Azitral. It helped quickly and there were no side effects. I took two capsules a day two hours after lunch. A good and inexpensive antibiotic, I recommend it to everyone.

When I have a sore throat, I save myself by drinking plenty of fluids, gargling, rinsing and gargling again, honey, raspberries, milk with cocoa butter, which greatly relieves the pain and heals the throat.

Sore throat is a terrible disease. It’s good that I recently found yodangin cocoa butter. It helps to quickly relieve sore throat and has a natural composition

Grammidine helps me well. It felt a little sore, I immediately took a pill, it relieves pain well, and it tastes good.

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Chronic tonsillitis - photo of the throat, causes, symptoms, treatment and exacerbation in adults

Chronic tonsillitis is characterized by the development of a constant inflammatory process in the tonsils; the course of the disease is accompanied by alternating periods of remission and exacerbations. Lack of therapy can lead not only to serious local complications, such as peritonsillar abscess, but also to damage to internal organs - kidneys, heart, lungs, liver.

Let's look at what this disease is, the causes, the first signs and symptoms in adults, as well as how to treat the chronic form of tonsillitis using pharmaceutical and folk remedies.

Chronic tonsillitis: what is it?

Chronic tonsillitis is a long-term inflammation of the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils (from the Latin tonsollitae - tonsil glands). Develops after a sore throat and other infectious diseases accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx

The tonsils, located in the nasopharynx and pharynx, are part of the lymphoepithelial system responsible for immunity. The surface of the tonsils is covered with non-pathogenic microorganisms and has the ability to self-clean. But when this process is disrupted for some reason, they become inflamed; this inflammation is tonsillitis, which can become chronic if treated incorrectly or untimely.

In some cases (about 3% of the total number of patients), chronic tonsillitis is a primarily chronic disease, that is, it occurs without previous tonsillitis.

Several factors can lead to infection of the tonsils:

  • untreated infectious diseases;
  • frequent pharyngitis (sore throat);
  • allergy;
  • inflammation in the sinuses;
  • deviated nasal septum;
  • caries and gum disease;
  • low immunity.

The symptoms of chronic tonsillitis clearly manifest themselves during periods of relapse, when during an exacerbation the body temperature rises, the lymph nodes become enlarged, pain appears, a sore throat, pain when swallowing, and bad breath.

Inflammation develops as a result of the influence of a number of unfavorable factors - severe hypothermia, a decrease in the body's defenses and resistance, and allergic reactions.

An important role in the transition of acute to chronic tonsillitis is played by a decrease in the body's immune response and allergies.

Causes

The palatine tonsils, together with other lymphoid formations of the pharyngeal ring, protect the body from pathogenic microbes that penetrate along with air, water and food. Under certain conditions, bacteria cause acute inflammation in the tonsils - sore throat. As a result of repeated tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis can develop.

The constant penetration of pathogenic microbes forces the defenses to work in constant “overload” mode. Particularly dangerous are the so-called beta-hemolytic streptococci, microbes that have the ability to severely allergize the body. The immune system usually copes with this problem, but as a result of various reasons it can sometimes fail.

Diseases that provoke the development of chronic tonsillitis:

  1. Impaired nasal breathing - polyps, adenoids, purulent sinusitis, sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, as well as dental caries - can provoke inflammation of the tonsils
  2. Decreased local and general immunity in infectious diseases - measles, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, etc., especially with severe cases, inadequate treatment, and incorrectly selected drugs for therapy.
  3. It is necessary to carefully monitor dental hygiene and periodontal condition. If you are tormented by chronic tonsillitis, consult a dentist and have your teeth treated, try to prevent gum disease. The fact is that an infection that has settled in the oral cavity has every chance of “making its way” further, right up to the tonsils.
  4. Hereditary predisposition - if there is a family history of chronic tonsillitis in close relatives.

If during the current year the patient sought help 3-4 times for acute tonsillitis, then he is automatically included in the risk group for chronic tonsillitis and is taken under observation.

Forms of the disease

Doctors talk about chronic tonsillitis in cases where the tonsils are constantly in an inflamed state, and there can be 2 options:

  1. first - tonsillitis seems to completely disappear, but with any hypothermia its symptoms immediately return;
  2. second - the inflammation practically does not go away, it only subsides, while the patient feels satisfactory, but the doctor sees that the tonsillitis has not disappeared anywhere, but has entered a subacute stage.

In both cases, it is necessary to take measures to achieve long-term (preferably several years) remission.

In medical circles, there are two forms of chronic tonsillitis:

  • Compensated. P appears as local signs of chronic inflammation of the tonsils;
  • Decompensated form. It is characterized by local signs, aggravated by purulent complications in the form of abscesses (encysted purulent foci), phlegmon (diffuse purulent foci), complications of distant organs (kidneys, heart).

It is important to consider that with any form of chronic tonsillitis, the entire body can become infected and an extensive allergic reaction can develop.

First signs

Signs of the disease depend on its form - recurrent and sluggish tonsillitis (without exacerbations). Also, chronic tonsillitis can be atypical with a long course, low or low-grade fever and symptoms of intoxication (discomfort in the joints and muscles, nausea and headache). Such a clinical picture in some cases can affect a person’s entry into the army, but only if the disease is extremely severe.

Among the most obvious local signs of the presence of chronic tonsillitis in the body are the following:

  • Frequent sore throats, that is, recurrence of the disease more than three times a year;
  • Changes in the normal state of the tissues of the tonsils - their increased looseness or compaction, cicatricial changes and other pathological processes.
  • The presence of dense purulent “plugs” in the tonsils or the release of liquid pus from the lacunae.
  • Sharp redness and increase in volume of the edges of the palatine arches, which visually resembles the formation of ridges.
  • The presence of adhesions and scars between the tonsils and palatine arches indicates a long-term inflammatory process.
  • Inflammation and enlargement of the submandibular and cervical lymph nodes, accompanied by increased pain (when touched or pressed).

Symptoms of chronic tonsillitis + photo of the throat in an adult

If chronic tonsillitis occurs, the following symptoms usually appear:

  • Frequent sore throat and pain when swallowing. It feels like there is a foreign object in the throat.
  • Cough.
  • Temperature (most often rises in the evening).
  • The patient feels fatigued quickly.
  • Drowsiness appears.
  • Frequent attacks of irritability.
  • Shortness of breath appears, and the heart rhythm may be disturbed.
  • A white coating and purulent plugs appear.

Unpleasant symptoms can appear from almost all human organs and systems, because pathogenic bacteria can penetrate from the tonsils to any place in the body.

  • Pain in the joints;
  • Allergic skin rashes that cannot be treated;
  • "Aches in the bones"
  • Weak cardiac colic, disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
  • Pain in the kidney area, disruption of the genitourinary system.

During the period of remission, the patient may have the following symptoms:

  • discomfort in the throat;
  • feeling of a lump in the throat;
  • slight pain in the morning;
  • bad breath;
  • plugs on the tonsils;
  • small accumulations of pus in the lacunae.

The photo shows that there are curd masses in the throat on the tonsils, they cause bad breath.

  • sore throat of varying degrees of intensity;
  • periodic increase in temperature;
  • constant redness (hyperemia) and roller-like thickening of the edges of the palatine arches;
  • purulent plugs in the lacunae of the tonsils;
  • enlargement and tenderness of the maxillary lymph nodes (regional lymphadenitis);
  • change in taste and bad breath.
  • vestibular disorders (tinnitus, dizziness, headache);
  • collagen diseases provoked by the presence of beta-hemolytic streptococcus - rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.;
  • skin ailments – psoriasis, eczema;
  • kidney problems - nephritis;
  • blood diseases;

What are the dangers of frequent exacerbations?

Factors that reduce the body's resistance and cause exacerbation of chronic infection:

  • local or general hypothermia,
  • overwork,
  • malnutrition,
  • past infectious diseases,
  • stress,
  • use of drugs that reduce immunity.

With the development of the disease and its exacerbation, the patient does not have enough general immunity to ensure that the palatine tonsils actively fight the infection. When microbes land on the surface of the mucous membrane, a real battle begins between the microbes and the human immune system.

Exacerbation of tonsillitis often leads to the development of peritonsillar abscess. This condition is serious, so the patient is often sent to hospital treatment.

  • Initially, the patient experiences symptoms of a common sore throat (fever, swelling of the tonsils and sore throat). Then one of the tonsils swells, the intensity of the pain increases and swallowing becomes difficult.
  • Subsequently, the pain becomes very severe, so the person cannot eat or even sleep. Also, with an abscess, symptoms such as increased tone of the masticatory muscles are observed, which is why the patient cannot open his mouth.

Complications

With chronic tonsillitis, the tonsils turn from a barrier to the spread of infection into a reservoir containing a large number of microbes and their metabolic products. Infection from affected tonsils can spread throughout the body, causing damage to the heart, kidneys, liver, and joints (associated diseases).

The long course of the disease provokes the appearance of symptoms of infectious complications from other organs and systems:

  • diseases with a pathological increase in collagen production - rheumatism, periarteritis nodosa, dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma;
  • skin lesions - eczema, psoriasis, polymorphic exudative erythema;
  • nephritis;
  • thyrotoxicosis;
  • damage to peripheral nerve fibers - radiculitis and plexitis;
  • thrombocytopenic purpura;
  • hemorrhagic vasculitis.

Diagnostics

An otorhinolaryngologist or an infectious disease specialist can carry out an accurate diagnosis of the disease, as well as identify the degree of its activity, stage and form, based on general and local manifestations, objective symptoms, amnestic data, and laboratory parameters.

Diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis includes the following studies:

  • pharyngoscopy. The doctor examines the tonsils and areas located next to them to identify the characteristic symptoms of the pathology;
  • blood analysis. Makes it possible to assess the severity of the inflammatory reaction;
  • blood biochemistry;
  • bacterial examination of tonsil discharge. During the analysis, the sensitivity of microorganisms to certain groups of antibiotics is determined.

When examining the throat (pharyngoscopy), there are characteristic signs for chronic tonsillitis:

  • tonsil tissue is loosened;
  • there are areas of compaction (scar tissue);
  • roller-like thickening of the edge of the palatine arches;
  • slight hyperemia of the edge of the palatine arches;
  • presence of caseous plugs;
  • when pressing on the lacunae of the tonsils, creamy pus may be released;
  • with long-term processes there may be adhesions and scars on the tonsils.

Treatment of chronic tonsillitis in adults

The following methods of treating chronic tonsillitis are distinguished:

  • taking medications;
  • carrying out physiotherapeutic procedures;
  • use of folk remedies;
  • surgery.

If there are concomitant diseases, which are also sources of constant infection, they need to be cured:

  • mandatory sanitation of the oral cavity - treatment of inflammatory diseases (caries, stomatitis);
  • treatment of sinusitis, pharyngitis, rhinitis.

Among the medications, adults may be prescribed:

  1. Antibiotics are included in the treatment plan for chronic tonsillitis if there is an exacerbation of the pathological process. Preference is given to macrolides, semisynthetic penicillins, and cephalosporins. Therapy is also supplemented with anti-inflammatory drugs. The doctor prescribes them if there is an increase in temperature to high numbers, joint pain and other manifestations of intoxication syndrome.
  2. Painkillers. For severe pain, the most optimal is Ibuprofen or Nurofen; they are used as symptomatic therapy and for minor pain their use is not advisable.
  3. Antihistamines for chronic tonsillitis help reduce swelling of the tonsils and pharyngeal mucosa. The best proven drugs are Telfast and Zyrtec - they are safer, have a long-lasting effect and do not have a pronounced sedative effect.
  4. Immunostimulating therapy is necessary both in the treatment of exacerbations and the chronic course of the disease. It is possible to use natural, homeopathic and pharmacological immunocorrectors. Vitamin therapy and medications containing antioxidants are also recommended. They increase local immunity, help to cope with chronic illness faster and reduce the risk of complications.

Local remedies and preparations for adults

Complex therapy is carried out using local treatment methods, which are selected by the doctor separately in each specific case. The following local treatment methods play an important role in the treatment of exacerbation of tonsillitis:

  • washing lacunae;
  • gargling;
  • lubricating the surface of the tonsils with medicinal solutions;
  • suction of pathological contents from lacunae.
  1. gargling with antiseptic solutions (furatsilin solution, alcohol Chlorophyllipt, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin);
  2. irrigating the throat with antibacterial sprays (Bioparox, Hexoral);
  3. Lubricating the surface of the tonsils is carried out with various solutions that have the same spectrum of action as the rinsing agents: Lugol's solution, oil solution of chlorophyllipt, collargol and others. The medicine is applied after washing and not only the tonsils are treated, but also the back wall of the pharynx.

What to gargle with?

At home, adults can gargle for chronic tonsillitis using pharmaceutical preparations. But they can only be used after the approval of the attending physician.

The most popular gargling medications that can be purchased at the pharmacy are the following:

  • Miramistin solution and spray;
  • alcohol solution of chlorophyllipt;
  • aqueous solution of iodinol;
  • Furacilin tablets for dilution;
  • Lugol's solution;
  • Dioxidin for injection.

They ensure normalization of the microflora of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, thereby reducing colonies of pathogenic microbes.

Additionally, you can use the following tools:

  • Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of warm, boiled water. Rinse your throat thoroughly with this solution. This primitive solution allows you to create an alkaline environment on the mucous membrane, which has a detrimental effect on bacteria.
  • A teaspoon of salt is diluted in a liter of warm water. Then pour into a glass and, if necessary, add 3 to 5 drops of iodine. Rinse your throat well with the resulting mixture.
  • A decoction of burdock roots helps with stomatitis, gingivitis, and chronic tonsillitis. Rinse 3-4 times a day.
  • Take 2 cloves of garlic and crush. Add 200 ml of milk to them. Wait 30 minutes, filter and use the product warm to rinse.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment are used at the stage of remission, prescribed in courses of 10–15 sessions. The most commonly used procedures are:

  • electrophoresis;
  • magnetic and vibroacoustic therapy;
  • laser therapy;
  • short-wave UV irradiation to the area of ​​the tonsils, submandibular and cervical lymph nodes;
  • mud therapy;
  • ultrasonic influence.

Three methods are considered the most effective: ultrasound, UHF and ultraviolet radiation. They are mainly used. These procedures are almost always prescribed in the postoperative period, when the patient is already discharged from the hospital to home and begins outpatient treatment.

Tonsil removal

Surgery to remove tonsils for chronic tonsillitis is an extreme case. You should resort to it only when other means do not help, and the situation only worsens.

If complex treatment of tonsillitis does not help for several years, periods of remission become shorter, the tonsils lose their protective functions, or the functioning of other organs is disrupted, then doctors recommend solving the problem surgically.

Tonsils perform a lot of useful functions in the body, protecting against infections and allergies. They also produce beneficial macrophages and lymphocytes. Thus, having lost them, the body is deprived of its natural defenses, and immunity decreases.

Surgical methods are used to treat chronic tonsillitis in a number of cases:

  • In the absence of a therapeutic effect with conservative methods;
  • In case of development of an abscess against the background of tonsillitis;
  • When tonsillogenic sepsis occurs;
  • If malignant pathologies are suspected.

There are two main methods for removing tonsils:

  • tonsillotomy - partial removal;
  • Tonsillectomy – complete removal of the tonsils.

Laser removal is a popular tonsillectomy technique.

Surgeries on the tonsils using a laser system are divided into radical and operations to remove part of the organ, which allows the doctor to choose the optimal method of treating chronic tonsillitis.

  • Radical tonsillectomy involves complete removal of the organ.
  • Ablation involves removing part of an organ.

After the operation, regardless of the method, in the first days you must adhere to the following rules:

  • eat only warm food;
  • avoid foods that “scratch” the throat (for example, cookies);
  • the first three days it is better to eat only soft food (food should not be salty, spices are prohibited);
  • drink more fluids;
  • try to talk less so as not to strain your throat.

Contraindications for adults to removal are:

  • hemophilia;
  • acute course of infectious diseases;
  • severe heart failure, coronary artery disease and hypertension;
  • renal failure;
  • decompensation of diabetes mellitus;
  • tuberculosis regardless of stage and form;
  • menstruation;
  • the last trimester of pregnancy or several months before its onset;
  • lactation.

Is it possible to cure chronic tonsillitis without surgery? No, this is impossible to do. However, traditional complex therapy will help make the breaks between new outbreaks of the disease as long as possible.

Folk remedies

Before using any folk remedies, be sure to consult your doctor.

  1. Sea buckthorn and fir oils can be used for treatment. They are applied directly to the tonsils with a cotton swab for 1-2 weeks.
  2. Aloe helps well with chronic tonsillitis. Mix aloe juice and honey in equal proportions and lubricate the tonsils every day for two weeks; in weeks 3 and 4, you can carry out the procedure every other day.
  3. If there are no contraindications from the gastrointestinal tract, then be sure to enrich your diet with such wonderful spices as turmeric and ginger. They can be added to a variety of dishes.
  4. Mix a tablespoon of freshly squeezed onion juice with a spoonful of natural honey, take three times a day.
  5. Inhalation using a decoction of eucalyptus leaves, walnuts and chamomile is effective; the same mixture can be used to wash the tonsils to remove plugs.

Prevention

Prevention of any disease is aimed at preventing the causes and factors contributing to its development.

Prevention of chronic tonsillitis in adults:

  • Prevention of colds (especially during seasonal exacerbations);
  • Limiting contact with those who have recently been ill or are sick;
  • Measures to strengthen the immune system: regular exercise, proper nutrition, hardening, walks in the fresh air;
  • Clean your mouth twice a day, in the morning and before bed. In addition to banal hygienic brushing of your teeth, be sure to clean your tongue of plaque and interdental spaces using a special dental floss. After each meal, be sure to rinse your mouth with special rinses. If this is not possible, at least with ordinary water.
  • In a room, living or working, monitor the air humidity. Ventilate it constantly.
  • Avoiding overheating and hypothermia.

A balanced diet and regular exercise will improve your health, and taking vitamins and immune boosters will protect you from the development of chronic tonsillitis.

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Source: http://simptomy-i-lechenie.net/hronicheskiy-tonzillit/

Symptoms and treatment options for tonsillitis in adults

There are 7 places in our body where lymphoid tissues accumulate, including a ring near the pharynx with tonsils (tonsils).

It is part of the immune system that protects the body from microorganisms that enter the mouth. Under the influence of favorable factors, pathogenic microflora begins to attack the tonsils, causing their inflammation and deterioration of the person’s condition.

This is how tonsillitis begins - a disease with unpleasant symptoms, so its treatment in adults should begin as quickly as possible.

What is tonsillitis?

Lymphocytes and macrophages are located in the cellular-fibrous basis of lymphoid tissue, which includes the tonsils. The tonsils are on the way to the lymphatic vessels, and become a filter for the lymph for pathogenic organisms.

You can read more about lymph in the human body here.

When bacteria, viruses or fungi settle on the epithelium of the tonsils, they can increase in size and become inflamed. This is the beginning of the development of tonsillitis - local inflammation of the tonsils.

The photo shows an advanced stage of tonsillitis in adults.

If treatment is not started, the lymphoid tissue gradually begins to be replaced by connective tissue, and lacunae form. They scar, and purulent follicles appear. Frequent relapses lead to the development of chronic tonsillitis, death of lymphoid tissue, and a decrease in the protective function of the tonsils.

Find out more about the chronic form from the video:

The acute form of tonsillitis is tonsillitis; it can occur in adults at any age. Chronic tonsillitis is rarely diagnosed for the first time in adulthood. The problem usually begins in childhood and continues into adulthood.

Reasons for appearance

Infection of the tonsils with bacteria, viruses, fungi and other pathogenic microflora can lead to the development of tonsillitis in adults. You can become infected from a sick person who, when sneezing, coughing or talking, throws particles of the pathogen into the air.

Pathogenic agents can also reach the tonsils exogenously if there are foci of infection inside the body (otitis media, conjunctivitis, caries, etc.).

Most often, inflammation of the tonsils is caused by bacteria (90% of cases):

  • hemolytic streptococcus;
  • Staphylococcus aureus;
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
  • enterococcus;
  • Pneumococcus.

Less commonly, the disease is associated with exposure to viruses:

Secondary acute tonsillitis occurs against the background of infections: measles, influenza, diphtheria, blood diseases, etc. The purulent form of acute tonsillitis is most often diagnosed before the age of 20 years and may be accompanied by pharyngitis.

The following factors may contribute to the development of tonsillitis in adults:

  • being in large groups and crowded places;
  • hypothermia;
  • bad ecology;
  • stress;
  • poor nutrition;
  • failure to comply with hygiene rules;
  • weakened immunity.

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Symptoms

The rapid development of inflammation is diagnosed as acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis). A protracted, sluggish process of inflammation, with periodic exacerbations, is called chronic tonsillitis.

The focus of infection is constantly located in the lymphoid gland. This leads to its growth and compaction, decreased immunity.

Common symptoms for different forms of the disease in adults are:

  1. expansion of the tonsils in volume, hyperemia;
  2. pain when swallowing, which may radiate to the ears;
  3. swelling of the palate;
  4. sore throat and discomfort;
  5. characteristic plaque on the tonsils;
  6. unpleasant odor from the mouth;
  7. increased body temperature, fever;
  8. enlarged cervical lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy);
  9. headache;
  10. general malaise.

Viral tonsillitis occurs more often as a secondary disease against the background of influenza or ARVI. In addition to changes in the tonsils, it is characterized by liquid discharge from the nose, sneezing, swelling of the nasal mucosa, and conjunctivitis. There is no white plaque on the tonsils or purulent plugs characteristic of the bacterial form.

With fungal tonsillitis, a cheesy coating appears on the tonsils. The temperature may remain normal. A blood test may not show the presence of an inflammatory process.

In most cases, after 3-5 days from the start of treatment, acute symptoms stop. Sometimes, despite therapeutic measures, symptoms persist for up to 2 weeks.

Diagnostics

To identify the causative agent of tonsillitis in adults, a microbiological analysis of the flora of a smear sample from the tonsils is performed. Without this, effective treatment is impossible, since different forms of pathogenic organisms have their own methods of combating them.

Additionally, instrumental methods can be used for diagnosis:

Treatment

Any form of tonsillitis requires timely and complete therapy. It should be aimed at destroying pathogenic microflora, reducing the impact of their breakdown products on the body, and relieving the symptoms of the disease.

During treatment, the patient must remain in bed and drink plenty of fluids to quickly flush toxins from the body. In order not to irritate the epithelial cells, you need to eat warm, gentle food. Avoid soda, sour juices, and spicy foods. It is better to cook food by steaming or boiling.

Pharmacy products

The doctor prescribes medications depending on the type of pathogen.

The main component for bacterial tonsillitis is antibiotics. They are prescribed if the symptoms of the disease progress and the high temperature lasts for a long time. They reduce the likelihood of complications.

Antibiotics are selected depending on the sensitivity of the patient’s bacterial microflora to them. If sensitivity cannot be determined, broad-spectrum agents are taken.

More often they resort to the penicillin group of antibiotics. If the patient is allergic to them, sulfonamides, macrolides, and cephalosporins are prescribed. The duration of antibiotic treatment is days. You should not stop taking them prematurely, even if the symptoms have disappeared.

The causative agent of tonsillitis is also affected by local means in the form of solutions, aerosols, sprays, which have an antiseptic effect, wash out bacteria, dead epithelial cells, and pus from the tonsils.

Antiseptics for adults with tonsillitis:

To lubricate the throat, use solutions:

For sore throat, fever and other manifestations of tonsillitis, symptomatic therapy is carried out.

To avoid an allergic reaction, it is additionally recommended to take antihistamines (Cetirizine, Erius, Suprastin).

If the cause of the disease is a virus, then taking antibiotics is ineffective. Within a few days, the immune system can cope with the virus on its own. He needs help with this in order to prevent the possibility of a secondary bacterial infection.

It is recommended to take antiviral drugs:

To relieve inflammation of the tonsils, eliminate discomfort, irrigate the throat with antiseptics:

Traditional methods

Alternative medicine methods at home can be used as an additional measure of primary treatment to alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

Effective remedies for tonsillitis in adults:

  1. Gargling with a decoction of chamomile, calendula, sage, oak bark.
  2. Take chamomile tea with honey orally.
  3. Lubricate the tonsils with sea buckthorn oil.
  4. Take propolis oil an hour before meals for 2 weeks.
  5. Take a steam bath (in the absence of temperature) with plantain, linden, sage, eucalyptus.
  6. Infuse 5 cloves in 0.3 liters of water. Take throughout the day.

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Surgical intervention

For regular recurring attacks of tonsillitis with complications that interfere with a person’s normal life, they may offer surgical removal of the tonsils - tonsillectomy. It is performed under general or local anesthesia.

  1. more than 4 exacerbations of tonsillitis per year;
  2. peritonsillar abscess;
  3. joint damage as a complication of the disease;
  4. complete blocking of the larynx by inflamed tonsils;
  5. suspicion of oncology.

Prevention

To minimize the likelihood of developing tonsillitis in adults, it is necessary to begin strengthening the body’s defenses and immunity as early as possible.

  • to harden;
  • eat properly and balanced;
  • ensure proper sleep;
  • walk in the fresh air more often;
  • carefully monitor oral hygiene;
  • promptly sanitize foci of infection and treat teeth.

Tonsillitis in adults is a serious disease that needs to be treated as early as possible. If you take action in the early stages of the disease, you can recover quickly and prevent relapses and complications.

Tonsillitis is caused by various pathogens. Therefore, careful diagnosis is required in order to correctly prescribe treatment. Self-medication for this disease is unacceptable and can lead to undesirable consequences.

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Attention! The materials on the site are published for informational purposes only and under no circumstances can be considered a substitute for medical consultation with a specialist in a medical institution. The site administration is not responsible for the results of using the posted information. For questions of diagnosis and treatment, as well as prescribing medications and determining their dosage regimen, we recommend that you consult a doctor. Remember: self-medication is dangerous!

Source: http://limfamed.ru/bolezni/tonzillit/simptomy-i-lecheniye-u-vzroslyh.html