Subatrophic pharyngitis - what it is, chronic form, symptoms and treatment

Subatrophic pharyngitis refers to inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract with localization of the pathological process in the larynx. It is characterized by swelling of the affected mucous membrane and severe pain. Due to the acute form of the disease, the surface epithelium of the throat is destroyed with partial atrophy of its tissues. In 78% of cases, the pathological process indirectly affects not only the mucous membrane of the larynx, but also the nasopharynx as a whole. Timely initiation of adequate drug treatment makes it possible to stop the disease at the initial stage of development and prevent atrophic processes in the upper respiratory tract. It is not uncommon for subatrophic pharyngitis to lead to severe physiological complications in the form of the formation of malignant tumors.

Causes of development of chronic subatrophic pharyngitis

The main reason for the development of chronic subatrophic pharyngitis is inhalation of too cold or too dirty air. Therefore, this disease is very widespread in countries with cold, damp climates, as well as in large industrial cities.

In addition, cigarette smoke and alcohol consumption have a detrimental effect on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx.

Subatrophic chronic pharyngitis, the symptoms of which can be “smeared”, appears when the mucous membrane is exposed to prolonged aggressive action. Pharyngitis often occurs as a result of exposure to various viruses, fungi and bacteria. The presence of carious teeth, sinusitis or rhinitis is also a provoking factor.

Causes

The main cause of subatrophic pharyngitis is prolonged irritation of the mucous membranes of the throat. A number of factors lead to this:

External causes of the inflammatory process are inhalation of smoke, dust and chemicals, getting dry and hot air into the throat.
Anatomical features of the structure of the throat and digestive system.
Problems with nasal breathing. The cause of the harmful effect on the throat may be the use of vasoconstrictor drops, which are used to relieve nasal congestion.
Bad habits - smoking and drinking strong alcohol.
Diabetes.
Allergy.
Endocrine disorders, including menopause.
Vitamin A deficiency.
Failure of the kidneys, heart, lungs.
Autoimmune pathologies. One of them is Sjogren's syndrome, which is characterized by dry mucous membranes of the digestive system and an increase in the size of the salivary glands.
Pathologies of the digestive organs. In this case, acid from the stomach enters the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, leading to their irritation. Such symptoms occur with peptic ulcers, gastritis, esophageal reflux.

Characteristic symptoms of chronic subatrophic pharyngitis

As with any other disease, with chronic pharyngitis there are periods of exacerbations and remissions. When periods of exacerbations occur, characteristic symptoms such as severe sore throat and dry mucous membranes, general malaise, acute pain and fever appear. Occasionally, but still, a symptom such as enlarged cervical lymph nodes occurs.

A patient with a chronic form of the disease constantly notes symptoms of subatrophic pharyngitis. There is always a feeling of dryness and a lump in the throat, which seems so obvious that you always want to clear your throat. There is almost always mucus on the back wall of the larynx, so the patient has to constantly swallow it.

Due to the fact that subatrophic pharyngitis is the last stage of the chronic form of pharyngitis, patients exhibit sclerosis of the mucous membrane, submucosal layer and the entire lymphoid apparatus. Therefore, upon visual inspection, a thin, dry pharynx with traces of dried mucus is visible. Injected vessels are visible on the surface of the mucosa, and with an exacerbation of the condition, swelling of the mucosa and hyperemia are possible.

Possible complications

In the absence of adequate treatment, chronic subatrophic nasopharyngitis gradually leads to the development of complications:

exacerbation of existing chronic respiratory diseases: bronchial asthma, sinusitis, sinusitis, etc.;
in young children, acute nasopharyngitis can provoke false croup;
the transition of inflammation to neighboring organs with the development of: otitis media, bronchitis, tonsillitis and even pneumonia.

In addition, any chronic diseases greatly weaken the immune system, and a loose and thinned mucous membrane is an open gate for pathogenic infections that a healthy body could easily cope with. This means that acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections and colds become constant companions, which, in turn, cause an exacerbation of subatrophic rhinopharyngitis. This creates a vicious circle that can only be broken by proper treatment.

How to cure chronic subatrophic pharyngitis

Treatment of chronic subatrophic pharyngitis is a long and complex process, requiring considerable patience and financial costs. The symptoms of the disease will bother the patient for a long time, but if you are persistent, everything will definitely work out.

Otherwise, the result of long-term untreated subatrophic pharyngitis can be very serious consequences, such as complications of the heart, bronchi and lungs.

Treatment should begin with high-quality diagnosis and treatment of the root causes of the disease. Before starting to restore the mucous membrane with the help of medications and physiotherapy, it is necessary to obtain the results of a blood test, analyze the state of the digestive organs and endocrine system, and study living and working conditions.

Treatment of the symptoms of subatrophic pharyngitis is primarily aimed at eliminating them or at least weakening them. For this purpose, local and general therapy is carried out. Local therapy can improve the general condition of the patient, increase mucus secretion and make it less viscous, and also start the regeneration process.

Before using any medications prescribed by a doctor, you must ensure that the mucous membrane is cleared of mucus and dried crusts.

Irrigation of the mucous membrane using proteolytic enzymes, alkaline solutions, as well as mechanical removal of crusts with cotton swabs soaked in Vaseline will help get rid of them.

Physiotherapy and folk remedies for the treatment of subatrophic pharyngitis

After the condition of the mucous membrane improves, it will be possible to begin treatment using physical procedures, such as ultraviolet irradiation or UHF. The main goal of this treatment of subatrophic pharyngitis is to increase blood flow to the damaged pharynx.

After stimulating the mucous membrane, an active substance is applied to it, which is quickly absorbed and helps cure the disease.

Any drug treatment, with the consent of the attending physician, can be supplemented with auxiliary drugs and means. For example, such folk remedies for the treatment of subatrophic pharyngitis as infusions and decoctions of herbs for inhalation and rinsing. Natural honey and sea buckthorn oil are excellent for treating atrophic pharyngitis. In addition, you should adhere to certain nutritional rules. Do not irritate your throat with too salty, spicy or hot foods and drinks. Also, during treatment you need to stop drinking alcohol and smoking, or better yet get rid of these bad habits altogether.

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Diagnostics

Having noticed obvious signs of atrophic pharyngitis, you need to go to the hospital, undergo diagnostics and begin treatment in order to avoid further complications. The set of diagnostic procedures includes:

collecting anamnesis (a set of characteristics of general well-being);
external examination of the inner surface of the throat;
a smear of mucous discharge from the throat for bacteriological culture;
endoscopic examination of the lower parts of the throat if there is a suspicion of a connection between atrophic pharyngitis and gastrointestinal diseases.

Types of pharyngitis

In modern medicine, there is the following classification of pharyngitis.

Depending on the nature of the disease, there are only two main types of the disease:

Acute pharyngitis.
Chronic pharyngitis.

If we take into account the causes of the disease, pharyngitis has the following types:

Bacterial, caused by certain bacteria.
Traumatic.
Fungal.
Viral, appearing against the background of the presence of a virus in the body.
Allergic.
Spicy.
Pharyngitis caused by irritating factors, such as inhaling dirty air.

Chronic subatrophic pharyngitis: symptoms

It is impossible not to notice the manifestation of pharyngitis. But it is necessary to know its signs, especially if ARVI manifests itself very often. The symptoms are as follows:

The patient feels soreness and dryness. Some people complain that they feel a lump in their throat.
The sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the throat causes the desire to cough and eliminate it. However, a constant cough does not solve the problem.
The presence of a dry cough that torments the patient continuously.
The patient feels that the back wall of the throat is constantly filled with some mucus. It is difficult to get rid of it, which is why permanent crusts appear on the throat.
The patient has bad breath. It is especially necessary to take a closer look at this symptom for those who keep their oral cavity in order.
Nervousness and irritability increase, which appear as a result of poor sleep due to discomfort in the throat.

If the patient suffers from subatrophic pharyngitis, the patient requires serious attention. If the disease is not treated in time, a chronic form of pharyngitis occurs. Further, a completely advanced form may appear, and it is very dangerous to health. Tumors may subsequently appear, as well as laryngeal cancer, which will lead to complete atrophy of all tissues of the pharynx. The patient’s immune system also suffers changes, as it reacts negatively to pathogenic bacteria.

At the same time, other diseases may occur, for example, laryngitis, tracheitis, etc.

What it is?

This phenomenon, as a rule, is a consequence of untreated rhinitis or pharyngitis. In order to avoid complications in the form of nasopharyngitis, you need to know about diseases that can trigger its development.

Rhinopharyngitis is the simultaneous development of the two diseases described above.

The disease is classified into three types: acute, allergic and chronic nasopharyngitis, which occurs as a complication of the first two forms. Let's look at the symptoms of each type.

The main signs of acute nasopharyngitis are:

Sneezing;
Constant congestion of the nasal passages;
Dry cough;
Inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx;
Throbbing in temples.

Infants have difficulty feeding, and the baby constantly stops to take a breath. Later, the child may lose his appetite, lose weight, sleep poorly, and cry constantly. You may also notice that older children throw their heads back to facilitate the breathing process. Nasal mucus is initially clear, but as the condition worsens, it thickens and changes color to cloudy. Sometimes there is an admixture of pus or blood. Solidified nasal secretions block the nasal passage, further preventing normal breathing. The patient may complain of tinnitus, pain in the lymph nodes that become inflamed. The voice changes noticeably (becomes nasal), and pain in the ear canal may appear.

The body temperature does not always rise, but if it reaches high numbers, the child may also experience convulsions. In addition, nausea or vomiting and stomach upset may sometimes occur.

With proper, high-quality treatment, this condition goes away in a week. But there are also complications, for example, otitis media, pneumonia, bronchitis. In addition, nasopharyngitis can provoke a serious illness such as croup (occurs only in children).

Allergic

Rhinopharyngitis manifests itself as an allergic reaction to an allergen, for example, flowering. It is difficult to distinguish this species from others. Let's look at the main features:

Nasal congestion appeared suddenly;
There is a burning and itching sensation in the eyes and nose;
Difficulties arise in the breathing process;
Mucous discharge is abundant;
There is redness of the eyelids;
Cough;
Symptoms are more pronounced in a horizontal position.

A distinctive feature of allergic rhinopharyngitis is that symptoms appear less if a person stops contacting the allergen. In such a situation, it is necessary to consult a specialist; the disease is not dangerous, but it negatively affects performance and can provoke the development of asthma.

Chronic

This condition is a consequence of the first form of nasopharyngitis. As a rule, chronic nasopharyngitis develops due to improper or insufficient treatment. The most common symptoms are:

Dry cough that does not stop for a long time;
Enlarged lymph nodes on the lateral and posterior walls of the pharynx;
Manifestation of hoarseness;
Mucous, sometimes purulent nasal discharge.

There is also chronic subatrophic nasopharyngitis. This condition is caused by pancreatic disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, various gastrointestinal pathologies, and decreased intestinal tone. Symptoms manifest themselves in the form of a sore throat, changes in voice, discomfort when swallowing, and the formation of discharge from the throat. The pharynx is dry and pale in appearance.

Treatment of pharyngitis

If a diagnosis of subatrophic pharyngitis is made, treatment in adults should be aimed at eliminating the symptoms that cause the disease, as well as restoring the mucous membrane. It is important to understand that it is impossible to treat pharyngitis on your own - only under the supervision of a doctor. In this case, pharyngitis can have the same symptoms as a cold and it is very easy to confuse both diseases. By delaying the treatment process, the disease can develop into a chronic form and it will be very difficult to treat the disease in the future.

Subatrophic pharyngitis is a disease that belongs to infectious diseases. Therefore, it is impossible to do without the use of antimicrobial therapy. This means that it is necessary to be treated with antibiotics.

Prevention

In order to avoid the development of subatrophic pharyngitis, doctors recommend adhering to the following preventive measures:

It is advisable to visit places with a warm maritime climate every year;
reduce, or better yet eliminate, the amount of alcohol and nicotine consumed;
eat properly without spicy, fried and dry foods;
eliminate soda;
protect yourself from cold air;
gargle with sea water;
maintain normal humidity in the room.

It is very important not to develop an acute form of pharyngitis, to treat all diseases in a timely manner and to undergo an annual examination by an ENT doctor.

Local therapy

For local therapy, insufflation, inhalation, tablets and even lozenges are prescribed for throat diseases. Be sure to use throat sprays and oils that will help relieve inflammation.

Sometimes the disease occurs against the background of an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is imperative to use antihistamines for treatment. Such medications will help to effectively soothe the mucous membrane and have an enveloping effect, which will prevent certain factors from irritating it in the future.

If your throat hurts or it hurts to swallow, how to treat the disease? In order to gargle, you can use herbal decoctions. These are sage, chamomile and propolis. Sea buckthorn oil is used to restore the mucous membrane.

For this disease, many doctors prescribe Lugol's solution. But at the same time, be sure to use the antibiotics recommended by the doctor.

Before starting treatment, it is important to understand that it will take a lot of time and effectiveness will only be achieved when the treatment is comprehensive. But you cannot use the same medications for a long time, so the doctor prescribes the medications one at a time so that the body does not get used to the medications.

If the disease is in an advanced form, then those areas that are affected must be sanitized without fail. If hypertrophy is observed, then it is imperative to cauterize these areas. For this purpose, laser coagulation and cryodestruction methods are used.

The treatment system also includes some nutritional rules. In particular, the patient should completely give up tomato juice, citrus fruits, especially carbonated drinks, quit smoking and not eat spicy foods. That is, it is necessary to avoid foods and drinks that can irritate the mucous membrane of the throat. If possible, go on vacation at the seaside and breathe the mountain air.

For allergy sufferers, be sure to take care not to inhale substances that may cause an allergic reaction.

Traditional methods of treatment

If we talk about traditional medicine, then here too it has certain recipes. In particular, you can use a collection of herbs for brewing. For this it costs 1 tbsp. Take thyme, sage and eucalyptus in a spoon. You need to add 0.5 liters of water to this mixture. Next, you need to boil the mixture and hold it over low heat for no more than 15 minutes. Pour the resulting broth into a thermos so that the herb is brewed for a sufficient amount of time in boiling water. Then you should add honey and a little citric acid to this composition. You should gargle with this mixture. There are no exact instructions on the number of rinses. It is important to do this as often as possible. The procedure must be carried out before bedtime.

Treatment with propolis

Despite the fact that it is important to treat the disease with the help of antibiotics, it is imperative to use the methods that were used by our grandmothers. Treatment of subatrophic pharyngitis with propolis has been used for a long time.

Propolis must be prepared before use. To do this, it is crushed and then dipped in cold water (250 ml). The propolis will separate from the wax and end up at the bottom of the glass. Subsequently, this precipitate must be filled with alcohol and infused for one week. Next, we filter. Now take one part of propolis and add two parts of glycerin or peach oil to it. Mix the mixture thoroughly. Before lubricating your throat with this composition, you must first clear your mouth and nose of mucus and crusts that have appeared. Only after this we apply the composition to the walls 1-2 times a day. It is worth doing this procedure until all cold symptoms completely disappear. This period is 14 days. This is how long it takes for subatrophic pharyngitis to heal.

Treatment in adults with propolis also involves the use of a ready-made solution. This solution can be purchased at any pharmacy in a 10% concentration. Next, you need to pour 40 drops of the product with water (a quarter cup). Then instill the prepared mixture into each nostril, 5 drops.

The product is also ideal for gargling. To do this, you need to hold the composition in your throat for a while and then spit it out. It is better to do this procedure 3 times a day before meals, half an hour.