Phlegmonous tonsillitis: symptoms, treatment

Phlegmonous tonsillitis is a process of inflammation of pharyngeal tonsils. In medical practice, there is a special designation for this disease - acute paratonsillitis.

The main cause of the appearance of the disease is external damage by bacteria. It is also possible to carry the infection with a blood stream from a source of chronic infection in the body (otitis, sinusitis, arthritis, nephritis and other diseases). Getting into the space of tonsil cells, infectious agents quickly begin their reproduction, creating a strong inflammatory process and a general poisoning of the body with toxins that are released during their life. As a rule, one tonsil participates in the pathology process, in rare cases - two. Phlegmonous tonsillitis is most often manifested in people aged 22-44 years.

Causes of the disease

The appearance of the disease is facilitated by:

• Weakening of the immune system after the transferred diseases (hepatitis, influenza, scarlet fever, intestinal or adenovirus infection, otitis, diphtheria, mumps).
• Presence of purulent diseases in the body, especially in the mouth (cyst or caries on the teeth).
• Diseases of the blood (leukemia, anemia).
• Severe hypothermia.
• Excessive consumption of very cold drinks or food.
• Chronic sinusitis, tonsillitis, frontal sinusitis.

Symptomatic of the disease

Phlegmonous angina develops in a very acute form for several hours after the defeat of the infection of the tonsils. Patients note the appearance of pain in the throat both during a conversation, and during the swallowing of saliva, liquid and food. The feeling of pain does not leave people even in a state of rest, they are forced to take different poses (tilt their head back or tilt it in some direction) to at least slightly ease their condition.

The voice of these people is hoarse and deaf, sometimes they can not talk at all. Patients are so much focused on painful sensations that they practically do not open their mouths, their cheekbones are constantly compressed, people refuse to eat, they can not fall asleep. Often there is increased salivation, as well as a bad smell from the mouth.

Together with the symptoms of tonsillitis, there is a pronounced poisoning of the body with toxins. The temperature increases to 38-41 degrees, excessive sweating, a person feels weak and weak. Probability of aches in joints and muscles, pain in the head, dizziness, vomiting, nausea. Lymph nodes in the ears and in the jaw region are painful when palpated and enlarged.

After a few days, you can visually see a strong increase, swelling of the tonsils, redness in this area. All these signs indicate that chronic phlegmonous tonsillitis begins. The photo of the throat (see below) shows vague areas filled with pus. Also, this stage of the disease is distinguished by the appearance and increase of phlegmon, which do not have a clear form and are found throughout the gland area.

When this center is opened, the patients begin to feel relief. The pain decreases, the temperature decreases, the activity recovers, the appetite begins to appear.

When the abscess opens itself, a fistulous opening is formed in this place, pus comes out through it. If such signs have phlegmonous tonsillitis, the treatment in this case occurs surgically and implies a cut on the fiber for the removal of pathological exudates from the glands.

Diagnosis of the disease

This ailment has some distinctive clinical symptoms that simplify the diagnosis:

• In the anamnesis there are beriberi, blood diseases, immunodeficiency states.
• There is a sharp increase in temperature to large values. Intoxication of the body is clearly pronounced.
• The abscess on the tonsils is formed against the background of a continuous passing angina or other processes of inflammation in the oral cavity, after diphtheria or scarlet fever.
• With the diagnosis of "phlegmonous tonsillitis" the photo shows the rapid spread of infiltration on the tonsils, which ends with the appearance of a purulent abscess.
• Strongly expressed swelling of the tonsils, atypical for other types of tonsillitis.

The diagnosis of this disease is based on a person's examination and anamnesis.

Laboratory diagnosis includes collecting general urine and blood tests to determine the degree of inflammation. To determine the infection that caused the disease, use tests for the presence of antibodies to the infectious agent in the blood, smears from the pharynx. To determine if the antibiotic treats phlegmonous angina, a sensitivity test is performed. For this, a diagnostic puncture is performed - a puncture is made in the region of the tonsils with a fence of pathological contents. All these methods make it possible to detect the presence of certain bacteria. As a rule, the disease is caused by the ingestion of a staphylococcal or streptococcal virus.

Possible complications

Phlegmonous tonsillitis without timely and proper treatment leads to a spontaneous opening of the focus of pus that permeates the parenchyma of the glands. Parenchymal tonsillitis requires immediate surgical treatment and is sometimes complicated by the appearance of sepsis.

Abscess of the neck is a consequence, which is most often encountered in a disease such as phlegmonous tonsillitis. Reviews of the treatment of this pathology in doctors are very disappointing because of the close proximity to the surface of the skin in the neck of blood vessels and nerve endings, which are often jammed. If the purulent fluid transmits the capillaries in the glands, then their mechanical deformation accompanied by bleeding is likely.

Conservative and surgical treatment

Given the passage of the disease and the probable complications associated with it, conservative treatment or surgery is performed:

1. Conservative treatment. With the diagnosis of "phlegmonous tonsillitis" treatment occurs with the help of various antibiotics, the time of this therapy is usually 1-2 weeks. Locally prescribed rinsing of the mouth with antiseptic drugs, irrigation of the larynx with anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic properties or treatment of glands with preparations based on iodine.
2. Surgical intervention. As a rule, for treatment of this disease, it is not enough to administer antibiotic therapy alone, very often one has to resort to surgical intervention.

Needle aspiration

This procedure makes it possible to remove pus from the abscess. Needle aspiration is performed with a special needle. During the procedure, the patient is most likely to be injected with a sedative so that he can relax, or a local anesthetic drug to anesthetize a section of the future puncture so that pain does not feel painful. After aspiration, the seized pus is sent for examination to identify the type of infection that caused inflammation, and its reaction to antibiotics.

Draining and incision

Sometimes for the removal of fluid from the abscess, a section of the inflamed area is performed. It is also done under the influence of soothing and relaxing drugs, anesthesia or anesthetics, so that the patient does not experience pain during the procedure.

Tonsillectomy

This is a surgical procedure to remove glands. This operation is advised in especially severe cases or with chronic inflammation of the larynx.

Given the complexity of the disease, the patient may need to spend 3-5 days in the hospital. During this time, medications are administered with a dropper. After discharge, the house will need a bed rest for a week.

Prevention of disease

Preventive measures include:

• Prophylactic excision of tonsils with constantly occurring relapses of inflammatory processes.
• A timely visit to the doctor during the suspicion of any form of angina, as well as during other inflammatory diseases of the nasal and oral cavity.
• A healthy lifestyle, hardening, consumption of vitamins, proper nutrition.
• Avoiding hypothermia, strengthening immunity.

However, the best way to prevent disease is to avoid contact with people who are ill with bacterial or viral pathologies. For example, do not use a cup, a plate of a person who suffers from tonsillitis. Observe personal hygiene, constantly wash your hands with hot water. Smoking also increases the risk of phlegmonous sore throat.

The article describes in detail what a phlegmonous tonsillitis is. Symptoms, treatment of the disease became known to you. To avoid such a serious disease, observe the rules of hygiene and take preventive measures. Take care of yourself!