Angina
Angina is an acute infectious inflammation of the tonsils of the periaryngeal ring, with a predominant lesion of the palatine tonsils caused by hemolytic streptococcus group A.
DEFINITION AND ETIOLOGY
A huge number of foreign substances and infectious microorganisms enter our body from the environment by airborne droplets, that is, simply put, through the nose or mouth when breathing. And the very first protective barrier they encounter is a ring of several tonsils in the nasopharynx, pharynx and tongue root. This ring is called Pirogov-Waldeyer and plays a very important role, delaying pathogenic viruses and bacteria and not letting them into the body.
However, with a number of predisposing factors, such as hypothermia, decreased immunity, vitamin deficiency, poor nutrition in composition and quality, as well as poor environmental conditions, our body lacks the strength to protect itself and inflammation develops in response to the attack of pathogenic bacteria. If the tissues of the Pirogov-Waldeyer ring become inflamed, then such a disease is called acute tonsillitis or angina. There are several opinions regarding the etiology of this pathological process, one of which states that angina is an acute infectious inflammation of the tonsils of the pharyngeal ring, with a predominant lesion of the palatine tonsils caused by hemolytic streptococcus group A. While the inflammation of viral, fungal and bacterial (except streptococcal) etiology is acute tonsillitis.
But we will not go into the details of the classification and just remember that a variety of viruses, bacteria and even fungi can cause acute tonsillitis or sore throat. Determining the cause of the disease is of great importance, since treatment tactics will depend on it.
Symptoms or how to distinguish a sore throat from a sore throat with ARVI
With angina, the temperature rises to 38 ° C and above, whereas with ARVI, the temperature is usually 37-37.5 ° C.
Sore throats get worse in the afternoon and warm drinking and eating do not bring relief, but on the contrary lead to increased soreness.
Symptoms of general intoxication are expressed: headache, weakness, lack of appetite, muscle pain.
The cervical lymph nodes are clearly felt.
Upon examination, the local picture will vary depending on the clinical form of angina.
Depending on the depth of the lesion, there are: catarrhal, lacunar, follicular and ulcerative-filmy sore throats. Also, angina can be secondary, that is, it is not an independent disease, but accompany other infectious diseases, for example, infectious mononucleosis, or diseases of the blood system, for example, leukemia.
diagnostics
A doctor must diagnose angina, because the timeliness and accuracy of treatment depends on it.
When making a diagnosis, the doctor will start from the anamnesis of the disease, complaints, clinical picture, including the examination data – pharyngoscopy. It will also be necessary to take swabs to accurately determine the pathogen. Despite the active introduction of test strips for the determination of streptococcus, culture on a nutrient medium remains as before the most accurate and popular method. Its main disadvantage is that the results come in 2-3 days, and treatment must be prescribed immediately. And here, of course, the question arises about the appropriateness of prescribing antibiotics.
treatment
1) Home or even bed rest.
2) Plenty of warm drink – tea with lemon, fruit drinks, juices, milk with butter and honey.
3) The food should be warm, light, not spicy. It is better to eat often, but a little at a time, and in the midst of the disease, you can limit yourself to low-fat broths.
4) Antipyretic drugs are used when the temperature rises above 38 ° C.
5) Gargle as often as possible, preferably 1-2 times an hour. For rinsing, it is worth using saline solutions, infusions of herbs – chamomile, sage, eucalyptus, calendula, as well as pharmaceutical preparations – rotokan, chlorophyllipt, chlorhexidine.
6) To relieve sore throat, you can use lozenges for resorption, such as gramidine, pharyngosept, falimint.
7) Antibiotic therapy is prescribed only for the bacterial nature of the disease. Even before receiving the test results, an experienced doctor may suspect the viral or bacterial nature of the disease. In the case of bacterial angina, you will be prescribed general antibiotics first, and when they receive test results, they can be replaced with narrower ones.
COMPLICATIONS
With angina, especially streptococcal nature, serious complications can develop. In the early stages of the disease, it can be pharyngeal abscesses, as well as meningitis, sepsis, infectious and toxic shock.
A few weeks after the disease, such formidable complications as glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever and heart damage can develop. This is due to the fact that some tissues of our body have antigens similar to group A streptococcus antigens, and antibodies that should have been directed to fight the bacterium attack their own tissues and organs.
Timely access to a doctor and properly selected treatment will help you avoid complications, and prevention and strengthening of the body – forget about angina for many years!
