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On days 4-6, the abscess may spontaneously open, pus will flow into the nasopharynx, and the patient’s condition will improve. However, if a breakthrough of purulent contents occurs on the other side, purulent leakage will occur in the parapharyngeal space. In this case, parapharyngitis develops, a very serious complication.
When examining the pharynx, a large bulge in the shape of a ball in the tonsil area, displacement of the uvula, pronounced swelling of the tonsils, arches, and soft palate are visible. In some localizations of the process, its external signs are not clearly expressed.
In the first days of paratonsillitis, conservative treatment is carried out: anti-inflammatory, painkillers, etc. are prescribed. The formation of a paratonsillar abscess is an indication for urgent surgery: opening and draining (cleaning) the abscess. If the patient has already had abscesses, has chronic tonsillitis, or frequent sore throats, he is offered to remove the affected tonsils and remove the source of chronic inflammation. The condition of patients after surgery returns to normal much faster than after a conventional opening of paratonsillitis.
This complication occurs most often in children. It is an inflammation with the formation of pus, localized in the loose fiber of the retropharyngeal space. Such fiber is especially developed in children under 4 years of age, and then gradually disappears.
The first symptoms of the disease after a sore throat are a deterioration in the child’s condition, refusal to eat, an increasing sore throat, and a new wave of fever. If the abscess is located behind the nasopharynx, a nasal sound appears. If the focus is located lower, it is manifested by a hoarse voice, difficulty breathing, suffocation, which threatens the life of the child.
A retropharyngeal abscess should be opened immediately in a medical facility. After surgery, antibiotics, antiseptic rinses, and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
In case of sudden suffocation, it is necessary to perform a tracheotomy as soon as possible - a dissection of the trachea, allowing the child to breathe.
Acute otitis (inflammation of the middle ear) develops especially often in young children. It manifests itself as pain in the ear, discharge from it, and hearing loss. The child is worried, cries, turns his head, and tries to “drown” the sore ear into the pillow. Treatment for this complication includes antibiotics and corticosteroids, primarily in the form of ear drops. Antihistamines and dry heat are prescribed. If otitis media is not recognized in a timely manner, perforation of the eardrum and persistent hearing loss may occur in children.
Acute laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) develops mainly in adolescents. It manifests itself as dryness, soreness in the throat, and a painful dry cough. The voice becomes hoarse or disappears completely. Then the cough turns into a wet one, first light and then purulent sputum is released. For treatment, antibiotics, antitussives, distraction methods (mustard plasters, etc.) are used. If treatment is not sufficiently effective, acute laryngitis can become chronic.
Cervical lymphadenitis is inflammation of the lymph nodes located in the neck. They retain and cleanse the lymph coming from the pharynx. Normally, lymph nodes with angina necessarily enlarge, but when they become inflamed, they become painful, making it difficult to move in the neck. The progression of the process is accompanied by purulent melting of the lymph nodes with the formation of abscesses and phlegmons. In this case, severe fever, severe pain in the neck, redness and swelling of the skin over the nodes appear. Cervical lymphadenitis must be treated with antibiotics, and in severe cases, surgically.
These diseases are most often caused by streptococcal infection and appear some time (usually about a month) after recovery from a sore throat. Their appearance is associated with the infectious-allergic nature of sore throat. When streptococci invade, the body produces a large number of antibodies that form complexes with the antigens of these microbes. Circulating complexes settle in some tissues that have some similarity of their proteins with streptococcal antigens, and cause the development of inflammation in them, that is, a protective reaction of the body directed not against microbes, but against its own cells.
Rheumatic carditis occurs most often and poses a great health hazard. Another serious complication is. Other late complications of angina often develop:
In the mid-twentieth century, rheumatic heart disease after tonsillitis occurred in many people. Currently, the frequency of this complication has decreased somewhat, but it is still relevant.
Rheumatic carditis is more often recorded in children of primary and secondary school age. This is a manifestation of a systemic disease caused by streptococcal infection. In mild cases, the disease does not manifest itself in any way. In more severe cases, patients are worried about palpitations, pain in the heart area without connection with the load, suffocation in a lying position,. Rheumatic carditis, regardless of its severity, leads to the formation.
This complication most often occurs in children aged 5 to 9 years. 1.5-2 months after recovery from a sore throat, children become lethargic and their performance at school decreases. The classic clinical picture then develops, including swelling, increased blood pressure and changes in urine. Treatment of the disease is quite lengthy, but in most cases the disease ends in recovery. Only one child out of 100 cases subsequently develops it.
Systemic complications of angina can be associated with the spread of microbes through the vascular bed and their sedimentation in various organs. Inflammation occurs there, which may not appear at first, but comes to the fore after recovery. The lungs, appendix, mediastinum, joints, and renal pelvis may be affected. In severe cases, general “blood poisoning” and sepsis develop. All these complications have characteristic symptoms that are well known to doctors.
How to prevent the development of complications of angina or reduce their consequences.
Complications after a sore throat in adults and children occur very often, especially in cases where the course of antibiotics was interrupted. The main causative agent of purulent tonsillitis (acute tonsillitis) is group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (pyogenic streptococcus). These are gram-positive bacteria that are very dangerous to the body because they can destroy red blood cells. During their life, these microorganisms secrete a number of poisons and toxins, which cause the development of unpleasant symptoms.
Tonsils are lymphoid organs with a large number of blood and lymphatic vessels, therefore, if there is an inflammatory process in them, pathogenic microbes through the blood and lymph flow very quickly spread throughout the body and cause the development of complications in both adults and children.
Treatment for bacterial sore throat should include the use of antibiotics. But if you do not start taking them on time or stop therapy ahead of schedule, the disease becomes chronic. Along with the blood flow, streptococcus moves, causing inflammatory processes in other organs and tissues.
The following are the consequences of angina:
Refers to early complications of acute tonsillitis. With a peritonsillar abscess, the inflammatory process affects the subcutaneous fatty tissue of the pharynx.
This is a fairly serious disease in which the patient experiences symptoms such as:
In 30% of cases, despite treatment, endocarditis leads to death because the heart valves are damaged.
To treat peritonsillar abscess, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used; in addition, local therapy can be prescribed. In severe cases, surgery is necessary.
Otitis media is also one of the earliest and most common complications of tonsillitis in children and adults. In this case, the infection enters the middle ear, causing an acute inflammatory process that can spread to the salivary gland or outer ear. In this case, in addition to the symptoms of acute tonsillitis, the patient experiences:
As the disease progresses, the eardrum ruptures.
Treatment of otitis media is carried out using antibiotics in the form of tablets, suspensions, injections and ear drops. They also take painkillers and antipyretics.
With lymphadenitis, inflammation of the lymph nodes occurs. The infection, penetrating from the primary focus, affects the lymph nodes, resulting in symptoms such as:
The disease is treated with antibiotics; for a purulent abscess, surgical intervention is necessary.
This complication is quite rare, but requires immediate medical intervention as it can be fatal. Why is it developing? With this pathology, pathogenic microorganisms enter the patient’s blood, causing inflammation not in any individual organ, but throughout the entire body.
To treat peritonsillar abscess, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used; in addition, local therapy can be prescribed.
This disrupts the functioning of the heart, kidneys and respiratory system. The patient may be unconscious. Treatment is carried out in the intensive care unit.
The first signs of kidney disease appear a few days after a sore throat. This is a fairly common complication of the disease, the causative agent of which is streptococcus.
With pyelonephritis, the patient may experience the following symptoms:
Treatment is carried out in a hospital. In complex therapy of the disease, antibiotics, corticosteroids, diuretics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
Glomerulonephritis is classified as an autoimmune disease, the trigger of which is infection. In this case, the body's immune cells begin an attack on the kidney parenchyma. The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
In the treatment of glomerulonephritis, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, and antispasmodics are used.
This complication of tonsillitis can appear 2-4 weeks after tonsillitis. It is less common than damage to the heart and kidneys, but is quite difficult to treat. In some cases, a person becomes disabled.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks healthy tissue and causes many unpleasant symptoms. This is an autoimmune disease that is almost impossible to get rid of.
The following symptoms are typical for rheumatoid arthritis:
Treatment of rheumatism is very long-term and includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and chondroprotectors.
Often among the late complications of tonsillitis there are heart diseases, the causative agent of which is pyogenic streptococcus or staphylococcus.
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium) and is characterized by symptoms such as:
This is a fairly serious disease that requires treatment by qualified specialists in a hospital setting.
It is one of the dangerous late complications of tonsillitis. In 30% of cases, despite treatment, endocarditis leads to death because the heart valves are damaged. The patient has symptoms resembling myocarditis:
Glomerulonephritis is classified as an autoimmune disease, the trigger of which is infection. In this case, the body's immune cells begin an attack on the kidney parenchyma.
Treatment of the disease is carried out in a hospital. In addition to antibiotics, hormonal drugs, diuretics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
Sore throat is a very serious disease, the improper treatment of which can lead to serious consequences. But this can be avoided if, if you experience a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, or an increase in body temperature, consult a doctor in time and strictly follow all his recommendations.
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Doctors distinguish between local (at the site of inflammation) and general complications. Common complications include complications affecting other organs - rheumatism, nephritis, arthritis, sepsis. Local - purulent complications in the area of the tonsils and pharynx.
Peritonsillitis. The most common complication of tonsillitis (angina). This is the development of inflammation in the tissues surrounding the tonsil. Unlike the classic symptoms of tonsillitis, paratonsillitis usually appears on one side and most often occurs above the tonsil, but it can also occur behind it, as well as on the side where the tonsil is closer to the cheek.
With paratonsillitis, the patient's condition is usually serious, the body temperature rises to 39–40°C, and there is an excruciating pain in the throat, which intensifies when swallowing, making it difficult to eat.
The pain intensifies when turning the head, can radiate to the teeth or ear, and it is difficult for the patient to open his mouth to examine the throat. If the examination is still possible, you can see a swollen tonsil with redness, which is especially enlarged on the side where the pain is more severe. After 3–4 days, an abscess forms at the site of this swelling and inflammation - an accumulation of pus under the mucosa.
Treatment of paratonsillitis depends on the stage. If the patient has a stage of inflammation with edema, he is prescribed antibiotics and detoxification (removal of toxins from the body) is performed. The patient is given a vitamin drip because swallowing is difficult, and the need for fluid remains and even increases with increased body temperature.
If the patient develops an abscess, this is an indication for immediate surgery: opening the abscess.
In cases where the patient has repeatedly suffered similar conditions, the abscess is removed along with the tonsil - the source of infection.
Parapharyngeal (parapharyngeal) abscess. A very serious and dangerous condition in which suppuration of the tissues of the peripharyngeal space occurs. Often occurs when paratonsillitis worsens. A sharp one-sided pain in the throat occurs, the patient cannot open his mouth, tilts his head to the painful side to reduce muscle tension. Sharp pain also occurs when trying to palpate the side of the neck - this is due to the involvement of muscles and lymph nodes in the inflammatory process.
The general condition is serious, the temperature rises to 40°C. There is a high risk of pus getting into the area of nearby vessels and nerves.
In this condition, emergency (immediate, within a couple of hours) surgery is necessary, and antibiotics are prescribed at the same time.
Retropharyngeal (retropharyngeal) abscess. Purulent inflammation of the soft tissues of the posterior pharyngeal wall. It occurs mainly in children due to the structure of fiber at this age.
A sore throat appears, which intensifies when swallowing (it is almost impossible to eat), the temperature rises to 39–40°C.
Breathing may be difficult. The mucous membrane swells, redness and swelling appear. This condition is also an indication for immediate surgery. In addition, antibiotics and mouth rinses are prescribed.
Rheumatism. General (systemic) inflammatory disease. With rheumatism, the heart is most often (and most severely) affected, and rheumatic carditis occurs. It is manifested by weakness, fatigue, fever, palpitations, pain in the heart, which are combined with signs of heart failure (shortness of breath, swelling) and heart murmurs - the doctor can hear them when listening with a stethoscope. As a result, valve defects often form.
Also, with rheumatism, pain in large joints, motor restlessness, grimacing (pretentious facial expressions), handwriting disorders, mood changes, skin rashes, and cough are possible.
The disease is treated with antibiotics. When a valve defect is formed, it is recommended to replace it and take blood thinning drugs to prevent the formation of blood clots in the heart.
Glomerulonephritis. After a sore throat, in some cases, acute glomerulonephritis (acute inflammation of the kidneys) occurs, which then completely resolves. This is manifested by symptoms of kidney damage - swelling, weakness, malaise appear, blood pressure rises, protein appears in the urine, the level of erythrocytes - red blood cells - increases (sometimes they color the urine a dirty color).
The disease is also treated with antibiotics, most often with penicillins, to which streptococcus, the causative agent of sore throat, is sensitive.
The patient must follow a protein-restricted diet and may be prescribed diuretics and drugs that lower blood pressure. In general, the disease is curable and does not lead to the development of chronic nephritis (a fairly serious kidney disease).
Arthritis. This is a reactive inflammation of the joints, usually large ones. There is severe pain, swelling, there may be redness, and a feeling of stiffness in the joint. The skin over the joint is hot. To treat this condition, antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
Sepsis. An extremely serious complication that can occur not only after a sore throat, but also after any purulent disease.
With sepsis, the infection enters the blood, where the pathogen multiplies and spreads throughout the body, affecting more and more organs - lungs, heart, kidneys, liver. The patient complains of weakness, fatigue, malaise, and a constant increase in temperature.
Sometimes the symptoms are so mild due to a decrease in the body’s defenses that it is extremely difficult to suspect a complication, although bacteria are detected in a blood test for sterility (this is a separate blood test). And at this time, the disease quickly, literally with lightning speed, “covers” new organs, which leads to death due to a decrease not only in the functioning of the affected organs, but also in the immune system, which cannot cope with the infection even when very strong antibiotics are prescribed.
A septic condition requires hospitalization and constant monitoring of the patient, and the prescription of powerful antibiotics in large doses. However, the prognosis for sepsis, alas, is often disappointing.
Sore throat, or acute tonsillitis, is an infectious and inflammatory disease that affects the palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsils. Most often, the causative agents of the disease are staphylococcus or hemolytic streptococcus.
The disease leads to the appearance of symptoms that you want to get rid of as quickly as possible: sore throat when swallowing, sore throat, hyperemia, purulent plaque on the surface of the tonsils, hyperthermia, apathy, headaches, general and muscle weakness. The manifestations of sore throat are similar to other respiratory diseases, which is why the diagnosis should be carried out by a qualified specialist.
A sore throat can put both a defenseless child and a strong man to bed. Why is a sore throat dangerous?
Untimely treatment of the disease can lead to the spread of the infectious process and damage to vital organs and systems. Possible complications can be both general (damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, joints) and local (localized in certain areas of the respiratory system). The most dangerous consequence of the disease is blood poisoning, which poses a threat to life.
For what reason do complications occur after a sore throat? The penetration of pathogenic microorganisms is a kind of signal for the production of protective antibodies by the immune system. Incorrect diagnosis, abuse of antibacterial agents, weakened immunity, self-medication - all this can lead to the development of serious complications in the body.
Under no circumstances should you interrupt drug therapy ahead of schedule. Even if it seems to you that your health has improved significantly, this does not guarantee the absence of pathogens. So, what are the possible consequences of a sore throat?
Interruption of drug therapy is one of the common causes of complications of angina. Imaginary recovery causes some patients to stop treatment
Is it possible to die from a sore throat? The short answer is that there are indeed cases where, in the absence of adequate treatment, angina led to death. An increased level of purulent formations can seriously harm internal organs.
Let us highlight the common consequences of local sore throat:
Sore throat causes complications in the ear. If left untreated, it can subsequently lead to meningitis or sepsis.
It is difficult to predict how pathogenic microflora will manifest itself in a particular organism; complications can be the most unpredictable. It all depends on at what stage of the pathological process treatment was started. Do not forget that purulent tonsillitis is dangerous due to the development of diseases that cannot even be treated with antibiotics. Under no circumstances should you endure a sore throat on your legs. Failure to comply with bed rest is fraught with heart complications.
This pathological process affects the heart, joints and skin. In this case, the patient develops the following diseases:
The penetration of bacterial toxins leads to the development of rheumatic fever. Pathogens are even able to disguise themselves as structural proteins of the heart, remaining undetected by the immune system. In essence, an autoimmune process develops that cannot be treated. If you do not start using antibiotics in time, the antibodies will attack not only pathogens, but also your own organs. Ultimately, due to damage to the heart valves, everything can end in death.
Streptococcal toxins can cause excruciating joint pain
Rheumatism does not stop with damage to heart tissue. Complications after a sore throat on the joints manifest themselves as follows:
Inflammation of the joints leads to thinning of the articular cartilage and deformation of the joint capsule along with the ligaments. The most common parts of the body affected by arthritis are: hands, elbows, knees, and feet. In advanced cases, curvature of the fingers and toes is observed. Arthritis manifests itself as follows: swelling and hyperemia of the skin over the joint, pain after sleep, stiffness of movement, increased local temperature, and in severe cases, general temperature.
Long-term exposure to antibodies negatively affects kidney tissue, leading to the following complications:
The kidneys are the second organ after the heart that are susceptible to complications after a sore throat.
Blood poisoning occurs when the purulent process damages the walls of blood vessels. As a result, the bacterial infection spreads through the blood, infecting the entire body. In just a few days, septic shock can develop and is highly fatal.
Sepsis can be of various types, depending on which phlegmons and ulcers develop in different parts of the body. This is all accompanied by vomiting, dehydration, as well as a serious disruption of the functional activity of internal organs. Patients with blood poisoning are placed in the intensive care unit.
Sore throat can sometimes lead to damage to the meninges. Clinically, meningitis manifests itself as follows:
A child’s body reacts in its own way to certain diseases, so the consequences of a sore throat in childhood can differ radically. The above-described otitis media and abscess are not all the complications of tonsillitis in children. Let's look at other consequences:
Sore throat has a negative impact on pregnancy
Sore throat is fraught with the following consequences:
If you have a sore throat, stay in bed
It is better to try to prevent complications of a sore throat than to treat them later. To do this, you should adhere to the following rules:
Based on all of the above, a logical conclusion suggests itself: in order to avoid serious complications from the heart, kidneys and joints, you should adhere to simple treatment recommendations. Timely consultation with a doctor, antibiotic therapy, symptomatic treatment - all this will help cure a sore throat in the shortest possible time. If you take good care of your body, avoiding hypothermia, dressing for the weather, then you will reduce the risk of developing the disease. Strong immunity is your body’s protective armor against the penetration of pathogens!