Tracheitis
Tracheitis is a lesion of the larynx accompanied by inflammation, most likely caused by infection.
The content of the article:
Classification of tracheitis
Causes of tracheitis
Symptoms and manifestations of tracheitis
Diagnosis of tracheitis
Complications caused by tracheitis
Treatment of tracheitis
Tracheitis
Tracheitis is characterized by pain that occurs during or after coughing, localized behind the sternum. Coughing attacks during tracheitis occur frequently. The cough itself is usually dry, but may be accompanied by thick mucous or purulent discharge. To detect tracheitis, a wide range of ENT procedures are used, such as laryngotracheoscopy, lung X-rays. In addition, it is mandatory to consult specialists — a phthisiologist, a pulmonologist, an allergist. Smears of secreted sputum are also analyzed, the patient’s blood is checked. Tracheitis very rarely acts as an independent disease, most often it is a consequence or accompaniment of laryngotracheitis, tracheobronchitis or rhinitis. If tracheitis is caused by an allergy, then it will develop in parallel with allergic rhinitis, sinusitis or acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye.
Tracheitis is dangerous for its complications, which can cause acute and chronic inflammation of the bronchi and the pulmonary system of the body. In addition, complications from tracheitis include benign and malignant formations, crusts on the trachea. Diagnosis and treatment of tracheitis should be carried out in order to prevent the possible aggravation of the disease, neoplasms and the transition of the inflammatory process into a chronic form. Complications after tracheitis can affect the entire pulmonary-respiratory system of the human body and lead to pathological changes in it.
Treatment of tracheitis occurs only after the cause of the disease is established. The nature of tracheitis can be allergic, infectious or viral. Depending on the diagnosis, tracheitis will be treated with mucolytics, antitussives, physiotherapy and a complex of medications.
Classification of tracheitis
There are three main groups in the classification of tracheitis:
infectious (bacterial, viral, bacterial-viral);
allergic;
infectious and allergic.
There is also a separate classification of tracheitis according to the degree of its development and the course of the process. According to her, tracheitis happens:
acute (characterized by sudden manifestation, short duration of the disease);
chronic (occurs on the basis of acute tracheitis, after the transition to this state, exacerbations are observed, which are replaced by a latent period) Chronic tracheitis leads to hypertrophic or atrophic changes in the mucous membrane of the trachea.
Causes of tracheitis
There are many reasons why tracheitis can occur and develop, the symptoms and treatment prescribed for this disease vary for each individual case.
The nature of tracheitis can be infectious. This means that tracheitis is caused by viruses or bacteria that have entered the body along with the air. Tracheitis is difficult to get infected by airborne droplets, since the pathogens of this disease cannot live long in the environment. However, it is possible to get infected with tracheitis through direct contact with patients. It is also widely known that tracheitis easily develops in the body against the background of other viral infections. So, widespread diseases such as acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, parainfluenza, as well as measles, scarlet fever and rubella can weaken the immune system. Infectious tracheitis develops especially rapidly in an organism that has been subject to long-term chronic diseases. Also, the course of tracheitis is affected by the general state of immunity, the presence of HIV infection. Tracheitis develops rapidly even if a person has been ill with somatic diseases for a long time, such as hepatitis, stomach ulcer, cirrhosis, heart and kidney failure, diabetes, rheumatism.
Bacterial tracheitis is separately isolated, caused by specific bacteria, and developing against the background of other diseases. Bacterial tracheitis can be provoked by a stick of influenza, strepto-, pneumo- and other cocci bacteria. Most often, bacterial tracheitis is the result of activation of flora located in the respiratory tract, often having a pathogenic character.
Allergic tracheitis is a reaction to pathogens of an allergic reaction in the body. They enter the respiratory tract along with the air. Allergens include: dust (domestic or industrial), pollen, animal hair, as well as individual components of perfumes, cosmetics, household, pharmaceutical, chemical products. Sometimes allergies can be caused by microbial antigens, then an infectious-allergic type of tracheitis is diagnosed.
Symptoms and manifestations of tracheitis
Cough. The first and main symptom of tracheitis is, of course, cough. At first, the cough is dry, there is no discharge. Later, the cough is accompanied by thick secretions of sputum and mucus. Tracheitis is characterized by such a cough, which occurs in the form of seizures, increasing in a wave. Often such attacks occur after laughing, crying, deep breathing, screaming. Cough may be accompanied by pain during or after expectoration. Such pains are localized behind the sternum. Bacterial or bacterial-viral tracheitis can be accompanied not only by mucous, but also by purulent discharge. In general, with an increase in the time of tracheitis, sputum becomes more liquid and abundant.
Chronic tracheitis is characterized by a constant cough, especially worse during sleep and at night. The decline or absence of cough is observed in the daytime. The atrophic form of tracheitis is characterized by a dry cough, hypertrophic — abundant sputum. Exacerbation of chronic tracheitis causes coughing attacks, subfebrility, general fatigue and weakness of the body.
Temperature. From the beginning of the course of tracheitis, the patient’s temperature may rise to febrile figures, but subfebrility is more characteristic. An increase in temperature is also typical for the end of the day, in the evening fatigue and general weakness of the body will be especially felt. This is due to the fact that tracheitis is accompanied by a strong cough, inevitably exhausting the patient. Therefore, special irritability, insomnia, headache may also occur.
Dry throat. In the case when tracheitis develops against the background of another disease, in particular — laryngitis or pharyngitis, the symptom will also be tickling, burning, dry throat. Sometimes the patient also complains of diffuse wheezing, but neither this symptom nor lung percussion are signs of pathological abnormalities or changes in tracheitis.
Diagnosis of tracheitis
It is necessary to correctly determine the cause of tracheitis. Symptoms may indicate a different nature of the disease, however, tests, procedures and consultations of specialists are carried out for accurate diagnosis.
First of all, a general clinical blood test, a laryngotracheoscopy procedure, smears from the oral cavity and nose are prescribed.
A blood test taken from a patient may indicate the infectious nature of the disease. If it is infectious tracheitis, then the blood will show inflammatory changes (acceleration of ESR or leukocytosis).
Laryngotracheoscopy is a procedure that will show swelling of the mucous membrane or hyperemia of the trachea. It is indicated for the diagnosis of petechial hemorrhages. It can also be used to diagnose chronic hypertrophic tracheitis, which is characterized by cyanotic coloration of the mucous membrane, its massive thickening, and the absence of a border between the rings of the trachea. Laryngotracheoscopy is also useful in the diagnosis of atrophic tracheitis — then a decrease in mucosa, the presence of crusts on the walls of the trachea will be revealed.
In addition, a sputum culture tank is carried out, which is analyzed into a cube.
In the case when there is a suspicion of allergic tracheitis, a particularly thorough set of procedures and tests is prescribed. In addition, it is necessary to protect the patient from the influence of allergens, thereby minimizing the response and the inflammatory process.
The doctor should check the patient’s medical history for indications of allergic reactions, chronic diseases. If there is a mention of pollinosis, atopic dermatitis, allergic dermatitis or eczema, then the doctor can diagnose allergic tracheitis. Also, a blood test will indicate the allergic genesis of tracheitis. Such a test will differ in an unexpressed inflammatory process, but will show an increased number of eosinophils. Completion of the diagnosis of allergic tracheitis is accompanied by consultation with an allergist and conducting tests.
Additional studies are conducted if the doctor suspects the presence of not only tracheitis, but also other diseases. So, a consultation with a phthisiologist is prescribed for the diagnosis of tuberculosis developing against the background of tracheitis. If the disease has led to complications of a bronchopulmonary nature, the patient is prescribed an examination by a pulmonologist.
The range of possible ENT procedures is very wide, the possibilities of modern medicine allow for non-invasive operations that will help the patient to overcome diseases and complications faster after it. Many of them are accompanied by anesthesia, general anesthesia or anesthesia, so this is a convenient and painless way to check the patient for all possible infections accompanying tracheitis.
Complications caused by tracheitis
The main group of complications is caused by the spread of the inflammatory process down the respiratory system, so it is necessary to quickly diagnose tracheitis, treatment of the disease will help prevent tracheobronchitis, bronchopneumonia and other complications.
Bronchopulmonary complications are accompanied by high fever, severe cough, the appearance and rapid spread of pulmonary wheezing, and the development of hard breathing in a person’s lungs. If tracheitis turns into pneumonia, then the general state of health deteriorates dramatically and significantly, there are pains in the human chest during breathing and coughing. It is also not uncommon for the symptoms of intoxication to worsen. In addition, the doctor can diagnose local sound dullness in the lungs, weakened breathing, moist small-bubbly wheezing and crepitation.
One of the complications of tracheitis is considered to be changes and neoplasms of an endotracheal nature. They can be both benign and malignant in nature, and arise due to the constant influence of the inflammatory process and changes in the mucous membrane of the trachea.
Allergic tracheitis, occurring under the constant action of allergens, can turn into allergic bronchitis. In some cases, complications include bronchial asthma. Such a disease is accompanied by severe shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, attacks of suffocation.
Treatment of tracheitis
Tracheitis is a complex disease that requires an integrated approach and comprehensive diagnosis. It is important that this disease be strictly separated from other diseases, treated purposefully and systematically. After that, a certain amount of procedures is prescribed, indicated for a patient with a particular type of tracheitis.
Etiotropic therapy of tracheitis. The first step prescribed for treatment includes indications of drugs aimed at eliminating infection, bacteria, viruses or an allergic reaction. Broad and narrow spectrum antibiotics are prescribed after the diagnosis of bacterial tracheitis. With the viral type of the disease, antibacterial and antiviral medications are prescribed. For the treatment of allergic tracheitis, the most effective medications are prescribed, which not only eliminate the disease itself, but also alleviate its symptoms and manifestations.
To relieve cough and other symptoms of tracheitis, drugs that remove mucus and sputum may be prescribed. So, to facilitate expectoration, thermopsis, mother-and-stepmother, mucolytics are prescribed. If the patient experiences a general weakening of the body, which occurs due to a constant cough, then he may be prescribed antitussive drugs that facilitate the course of the disease.
Additional procedures are assigned. The spectrum includes inhalation therapy, spelotherapy, electrophoresis, massage, reflexology. Additional doses of medicinal solutions can be injected into the respiratory tract using a nebulizer.
Carrying out complex treatment, regular and systematic intake of medications, coupled with additional medical procedures, undoubtedly give their effect. It is important to be constantly monitored by an otolaryngologist, allergist and pulmonologist, who will monitor the course of treatment and make adjustments if necessary.
