Doctors do not consider laryngeal edema to be an independent disease, but classify it as symptoms of disorders in the body. Men aged 20-35 years, as well as children, are susceptible to the unexpected development of edema.
CAUSES OF THE DISEASE
Inflammatory edema (edematous laryngitis) develops under the influence of toxins that are produced by streptococci. At risk are people whose immunity is weakened for one reason or another. Often, the cause of edema can also be mechanical damage to the larynx, for example, after eating too hot food or liquid, as well as due to ingestion of a foreign body.
Swelling can also develop due to the course of purulent processes in the pharynx, in acute infectious diseases, tuberculosis and syphilis.
Edema of a non-inflammatory nature occurs due to kidney diseases, cardiovascular system, cirrhosis of the liver, circulatory disorders and as a symptom of allergies to food or medicine.
In addition, laryngeal edema may develop as a result of surgical intervention on the throat.
kinds
It is customary to divide all laryngeal edema into inflammatory and non-inflammatory. Inflammatory edema is caused by infection, and non–inflammatory edema is caused by metabolic disorders, allergies and other problems in the functioning of organs and systems.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Laryngeal edema can develop quite quickly (especially when a foreign body enters or with a spasm), or swelling will develop for a long time (with a chronic disease). The main signs of laryngeal edema are sore throat, foreign body sensation, hoarse voice, difficulty breathing. Often the breathing becomes noisy, whistling. In severe cases, stenosis may develop, leading to suffocation and the threat of death.
diagnostics
Laryngeal edema is diagnosed quite simply – with the help of a laryngoscopic examination by an ENT doctor. It is somewhat more difficult to establish the cause of edema, especially when you consider that the edematous larynx can sometimes cover a tumor or a small foreign body. Therefore, the diagnosis of laryngeal edema may also include the use of bronchoscopic and radiological methods. The choice of methodology is always at the discretion of the specialist.
PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT
Treatment of laryngeal edema can be both conservative and surgical.
Conservative treatment involves taking the following medications:
Broad-spectrum antibiotics,
Antihistamines (antiallergic drugs),
Diuretics (for the purpose of removing excess fluid from the body),
Corticosteroids.
In the absence of noticeable success in treatment, the doctor may prescribe surgery, especially if the swelling threatens life, or tumors or foreign bodies have been found to be removed.
PREVENTION
Prevention of laryngeal edema should be given sufficient attention to prevent the development of edema and its transition to a life-threatening condition. Infection prevention plays a significant role here – the use of clean dishes, timely care of immunity, taking vitamins and trace elements, hardening. Regular checkups with a doctor are also necessary.
If we are talking about the prevention of laryngeal edema in children, it is very important to allow the child’s body to develop immunity. In no case should you keep the baby “in the incubator”, protecting it from all diseases. The child’s body, with all its vulnerability, must be tempered, acquiring a natural ability to resist.
