Acute laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx and vocal cords of an infectious or allergic origin. The disease rarely occurs in isolation, therefore, patients are often diagnosed with concomitant respiratory diseases - scarlet fever, ARVI, acute bronchitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, etc. The defeat of the respiratory tract is facilitated by hypothermia, burns of the mucous membranes, decreased immunity, inhalation of dusty air and overstrain of the vocal cords.
Hoarseness, painful swallowing, sore throat and "barking" cough are typical manifestations of laryngitis in adults. With severe edema of the mucous membranes of the larynx, symptoms of respiratory failure may occur - cyanosis of the lips and limbs, shallow and rapid breathing, nausea and dizziness. If left untreated, the infection can descend into the lower respiratory tract. Subsequently, this can lead to the development of side diseases such as acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, etc.
General information
What is Acute Laryngitis? Respiratory disease is characterized by damage not only to the mucous membranes of the larynx, but also to the vocal cords. Due to inflammation of the soft tissues, severe swelling of the glottis occurs, as a result of which the patency of the airways decreases. Lack of oxygen in the body makes patients breathe shallowly and often. Chronic hypoxia, i.e. oxygen starvation, disrupts gas exchange in tissues, so CO begins to accumulate in them2 (carbon dioxide). That is why the skin of patients with laryngitis acquires a characteristic bluish tint.
People suffering from chronic sinusitis, sinusitis and other sluggish inflammation in the nasopharynx are prone to the development of the disease.
As mentioned, acute laryngitis in 97% is a secondary disease that can develop against the background of pharyngitis, tonsillitis, adenoiditis, bronchitis or a common cold. A particular threat to health is stenosing laryngitis, in which the patency of the respiratory tract can be reduced by 80-90%. In some cases, asthma attacks are even fatal.
Causes
What are the reasons for the development of acute laryngitis in adults? Allergic reactions, infections and mucosal trauma can provoke inflammation of the larynx, vocal folds and upper trachea. According to research, ENT disease is more often diagnosed in men who work in hazardous industries. Inhalation of dust, paint vapors and chemicals can irritate the throat and cause inflammation.
Conditionally pathogenic viruses or bacteria, including staphylococci, pneumococci, Haemophilus influenzae, rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, etc., can provoke an infectious lesion of the respiratory tract. Very often, the pathogenic flora enters the larynx in an ascending or descending way against the background of the development of sinusitis, periodontal disease, ethmoiditis, rhinosinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis or ARVI.
Factors that increase the risk of developing the disease include:
- tobacco smoking;
- hypothermia and overheating;
- deficiency in the body of vitamins;
- mechanical injury to the throat;
- inhalation of polluted air;
- overstrain of the vocal cords;
- burn injuries of the respiratory system;
- allergic reactions.
Laryngitis is an occupational disease that is more common among radio hosts, singers, teachers, actors and other people of the "speech" professions.
Allergic laryngitis occurs as a result of inhalation of irritating substances - fumes from household chemicals, animal hair, dust, etc. Severe swelling of the mucous membranes leads to the appearance of a spastic cough, hoarseness and discomfort in the larynx. In this case, it is possible to stop the manifestations of the disease with the help of antiallergic (antihistamines) medications.
Clinical picture
How does acute laryngitis manifest and can it be identified independently? At the initial stage of development, the symptoms of the disease are similar to the manifestations of ARVI. Patients complain of headaches, malaise, lack of appetite, sore throat and low temperature. After a couple of days, the symptomatic picture is replenished with the following signs:
- hoarseness;
- discomfort when swallowing;
- Barking cough;
- rapid fatigue of the voice;
- feeling of a coma in the Adam's apple;
- dry throat.
If the inflammation is not stopped within two weeks, it will lead to stenosing and respiratory failure.
The infection progresses rapidly and simultaneously affects the upper and lower trachea. In this regard, there is a risk of developing laryngotracheitis. The concomitant disease is characterized by a severe course and frequent exacerbation of coughing attacks, which intensify mainly at night.
When examined by an ENT doctor, the laryngopharyngeal mucosa acquires a characteristic bright red hue. The walls of the larynx become denser, and small ulcerations are found on their surface. With bacterial inflammation in the mucous membrane, purulent foci with a characteristic yellowish bloom are formed.
Types of laryngitis
Depending on the nature of the inflammatory reactions, acute laryngitis is divided into two types: diffuse and limited. The diffuse form of the disease is characterized by diffuse inflammation of the larynx, edema of the vocal folds and dilated blood vessels. Localized inflammation is characteristic of localized laryngitis, which can occur in the epiglottis, on one of the walls of the larynx, or only in the vocal folds.
In otolaryngology, it is customary to distinguish several types of acute laryngitis, which are determined by the causes of the development of inflammatory reactions, as well as morphological changes in the mucous membranes:
- catarrhal - superficial inflammation of the larynx, in which there is redness of the mucous membranes;
- hemorrhagic - the formation of lesions on the surface of the larynx that can bleed;
- diphtheria - the formation of a white film in the airways, followed by swelling of the mucous membranes, which can lead to suffocation;
- professional - the formation of "singing nodules" on the vocal cords, which appear as a result of constant overstrain of the vocal apparatus;
- syphilitic - the formation of purulent ulcers and plaques in the larynx, which subsequently lead to tissue melting and the formation of fistulas;
- tuberculous - the appearance of tuberculous tubercles in the airways, which over time destroy the cartilaginous tissues of the epiglottis and trachea.
The advanced forms of the disease pose a threat to the patient's life, therefore, if pathological symptoms appear, you need to seek help from an ENT doctor, pulmonologist or therapist.
False croup
False croup or subglottic laryngitis is the most dangerous form of respiratory disease, which is accompanied by inflammation of the soft tissues in the area under the vocal cords. Most often, the development of the disease is facilitated by viral and bacterial lesions of the nasopharynx - bacterial rhinitis, sinusitis, ethmoiditis, adenoiditis, etc.
The disease begins suddenly with a spastic cough and attacks of suffocation. In this case, the patient's breathing becomes difficult and wheezing, shortness of breath and intercostal retractions appear. Difficulty inhaling signals a strong narrowing of the airway lumen. The attacks can last up to 30-40 minutes, after which, as a rule, breathing is normalized.
It should be understood that stenosing laryngitis is a dangerous pathology that can be fatal.Without adequate treatment, seizures can recur up to 3-4 times a week. Severe edema of the mucous membrane in the subglottic region can lead to complete blockage of the larynx and, as a result, acute asphyxia and death.
With timely access to doctors and undergoing a course of treatment, acute laryngitis in 98% of cases has a favorable prognosis.
Antiviral agents or antibiotics are used to eliminate inflammation. To stop the "barking" cough and eliminate sore throat, inhalation with a nebulizer is used. If all the doctor's recommendations are followed, acute laryngitis can be cured within 7-10 days without any complications.
