Tonsillitis: how to avoid complications?
We all have experienced a sore throat and we know how it sometimes interferes with life. Therefore, it is important to learn to recognize the slightest symptoms that precede the disease, and learn how to deal with them.
A fairly common disease, a symptom of which is a sore throat, is tonsillitis.
What is tonsillitis?
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils. Tonsillitis is acute and chronic. Acute tonsillitis is a very common disease, as a result of which the tonsils increase in size and can fester. Acute tonsillitis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- A sharp deterioration in health;
- Increased body temperature;
- Severe sore throat when swallowing;
- Plaque on the tonsils.
With such a state of health, a person has no choice but to be treated. Usually doctors prescribe antibiotics. If you let the disease take its course, it threatens with various complications.
Chronic tonsillitis is not as fast and noticeable as acute. Symptoms can appear over a long period of time, so they are often ignored, and even more so, without a visit to the doctor.
Chronic tonsillitis is caused by the anatomical feature of a person, namely, the shape of the tonsils, as well as the influence of environmental factors (for example, working in places of constant crowding or excessive exposure to cold or hot air). In a chronic disease, an exacerbation can occur under the influence of various factors - a draft, hypothermia, a temporary weakening of immunity. At the same time, an infection enters the body, which settles on the glands and is destroyed due to local immunity, without spreading to other organs.
What should be done at the first symptoms of tonsillitis?
- Gargling;
- Alcohol compresses on the throat;
- Reflexology with warm mustard socks. You can steam your feet, but only if there is no temperature;
- Home mode;
- Drink plenty of fluids.
The following solutions are effective for gargling the throat:
- One teaspoon of vinegar, dissolved in a glass of water;
- Ten drops of hydrogen peroxide, diluted in a glass of water;
- One teaspoon of salt dissolved in a glass of water (removes excess fluid from the tonsils);
- One teaspoon of baking soda, diluted in a glass of water (softens tonsils and removes plaque);
- Herbal decoctions of calendula, chamomile, eucalyptus;
-
Antiseptic solutions sold in pharmacies in a wide range.
The main thing in the treatment of tonsillitis is to prevent complications
Prevention comes first
Naturally, the disease is better prevented than treated, so the following preventive measures should not be neglected:
- Keep your feet warm and dry;
- Dress for the weather, do not freeze. You should not go without a hat in cold weather;
- Choose catering places carefully - dishes with insufficient sanitation can be a source of all kinds of infections;
- Do not forget to wash your hands after using public transport;
- Eat fortified foods, strengthen the immune system (for example, temper);
- In winter, a warm heating pad applied to the feet, a sauna or steam bath, as well as a glass of mulled wine in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere is an excellent way to keep warm.
Why is tonsillitis dangerous?
Tonsillitis itself is not dangerous, neither chronic nor acute. But it can cause serious complications. Sore throat is caused by various types of viruses and bacterial streptococcus, which leads to damage to the tonsils. In this case, the bacteria release toxins that are dangerous for the kidneys, joints and the cardiovascular system. Timely and effective throat treatment will help avoid unwanted complications.
In the case of the development of tonsillogenic pathologies (cardiomyodystrophy, myocarditis, rheumatism), doctors can prescribe surgery and cut out the tonsils. This happens when the tonsils cease to perform the protective functions of the body, but, on the contrary, turn into a breeding ground for infection. The risk of getting complications in this case increases dramatically, so it is better to get rid of tonsils altogether.
In any case, you shouldn't treat tonsillitis yourself. See your doctor.
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