Causes of tracheitis
— the most common factors causing the disease are polluted air;
inhalation of smoke, dust, toxic substances, as well as smoking cause inflammation of the trachea and dry cough; - often the disease develops in people prone to allergies when inhaling air contaminated with pollen, chemicals or dust;
- a non-infectious form of tracheitis can occur after a person has breathed very cold or very hot and dry air for a long time;
— often the disease appears in people with reduced immunity after contact with bacteria or viruses;
- tracheitis can occur as a complication after influenza, adenovirus infection or a cold; it can be caused by pneumococci and staphylococci;
— chronic tracheitis sometimes develops due to emphysema, heart and kidney diseases. It can also be caused by chronic diseases of the nasal cavity. Very often the disease appears in people who abuse alcohol and smoking. But tracheitis most often develops in this form in adults. Treatment in this case can be very long.
Medicines for the patient
In addition to inhalations, medications for tracheitis are prescribed:
- antibiotics: Ceftriaxone, Azithromycin, Amoxiclav;
- antiviral: Proteflazid, Cycloferon, Interferon;
- antiallergic: Loratadine, Cetrin;
- expectorants: Mucaltin, cough tablets with thermopsis;
- mucolytics (thin the sputum) and mucokinetics (stimulate the removal of sputum): Bromhexine, Ambroxol, ACC.
After the elimination of acute inflammation, physical therapy is recommended: UHF, electrophoresis, amplipulse to the tracheal area. An alternative to inhalation through a nebulizer can be speleotherapy - inhalation of crushed salt in special rooms.
Watch this video about the symptoms and treatment of tracheitis in adults:
Description of the pathology
Tracheobronchitis is an inflammatory lesion of the tracheal mucosa. Both adults and children are at risk. In children, tracheitis develops together with infectious diseases of the respiratory tract. In adults, the disease is bacterial in nature and occurs together with diseases such as laryngitis and pharyngitis.
- Attacks of dry cough
- Painful, uncomfortable sensations in the chest and throat
- Slight increase in body temperature
- Hoarseness in voice
- Nasal congestion
If timely treatment is not started, the pathology will progress and descend lower into the larynx, trachea and lungs. Bronchitis and suffocation may develop.
Causes
The causes of acute tracheitis are commonplace:
- ARVI, influenza and other viral respiratory tract infections;
- Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract (streptococcus, staphylococcus, hemophilus influenzae, etc.);
- Hypothermia;
- Dry cold air;
- Contaminated air.
Most often, tracheitis occurs in combination with bronchitis.
The following persons are at risk:
- Smokers (smoker's cough);
- People who abuse alcohol;
- Patients not treated for acute tracheitis;
- People working in hazardous industries, in the cold;
- Patients suffering from congestion in the respiratory tract;
- People with chronic runny nose.
Tracheitis in a child: how to properly treat the disease, what methods are used for children
To understand why cough occurs with tracheitis, you need to know what the trachea is. This is a hollow tube protected by cartilage tissue. It connects the larynx and bronchi - the two main bronchi go from it to the lungs. The inside of the trachea is lined with sensitive epithelium. When it comes into contact with various irritants - dust, chemicals or bacteria, inflammation occurs.
Of course, the diagnosis must be made by a specialist. Only then is it possible to begin proper treatment of the disease in a timely manner. But you need to know its signs in order to go to the doctor on time. The main symptom of tracheitis is a painful, debilitating cough, especially worse at night and in the morning. A coughing attack can also occur when inhaling cold air, laughing, or even taking a deep breath.
Other signs of tracheitis can be confused with symptoms of other respiratory diseases. This is pain and burning in the chest when coughing, hoarseness of the voice, wheezing. There is also a deterioration in the general condition: headache, fever and weakness. The cough with this disease is most often dry, but after a few days the sputum usually begins to clear.
If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner or fail to follow his recommendations, tracheitis can become chronic. In this case, treatment is delayed for several months and continues even during periods of remission. Chronic tracheitis comes in two types, which need to be treated differently. If sputum with pus is produced, then the use of antibacterial drugs is mandatory.
Inhalations for chronic tracheitis should also have a disinfecting effect. For example, you can mix onion and garlic juice with a 0.25% novocaine solution. And expectorants are taken continuously until complete recovery. Another feature of chronic tracheitis is the more active use of traditional methods of treatment. To prevent complications and strengthen the immune system, medications alone are not enough.
Rules for the procedure that ensure positive dynamics of treatment:
- It is recommended to conduct at least three sessions per day;
- Inhalation is carried out on an empty stomach, or an hour after the last meal;
- During the procedure, it is forbidden to talk or change body position;
- You cannot combine inhalations and warming your feet;
- After the procedure you need to lie down for about 30 minutes.
Inhalations help cure tracheobronchitis for adults and children. They speed up recovery in chronic and acute forms of pathology.
For children
- Monitor the child’s emotional state during the procedure - he should be calm and sit up straight
- The maximum temperature of the inhalation solution for children does not exceed 70 degrees, otherwise the child will suffer a burn to the mucous membrane
- Inhalation with a nebulizer is more effective than steam inhalation in children's treatment
- The duration of the procedure does not exceed 10 minutes
Pregnant and lactating women are allowed to treat tracheobronchitis by inhalation, provided that the choice of drugs is made by a doctor. As a rule, doctors prescribe herbal-based drugs and avoid the use of antibiotics. An allergist must conduct an allergen test before prescribing the drug. The course and dosage of medications for pregnant and lactating women has been reduced.
The inhalation procedure is approved by doctors as an auxiliary method for the treatment of tracheobronchitis. At the same time, the use of medications and the implementation of medical recommendations are not canceled. Before using folk remedies, especially for treating children, consult a doctor to prevent worsening.
Tracheitis is a disease from the group of acute respiratory diseases. It can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. The diagnosis is made when the inflammatory process is localized in the tracheal area.
What is tracheitis
Tracheitis is an acute inflammation of the tracheal mucosa. In a child, this pathology often complements laryngitis, bronchitis and other acute respiratory infections. In such a situation, the diagnosis sounds like tracheobronchitis, tracheolaryngitis, rhinotracheitis, rhinopharyngotracheitis, etc. The course of the disease brings a lot of discomfort to the baby’s life. But if the lesion is detected in a timely manner and proper treatment is organized, the disease ends quickly and without consequences.
The symptoms of tracheitis are similar to rhinitis, bronchitis and pharyngitis; frequent attacks of unproductive obsessive coughing occur.
Tracheitis in a child usually becomes a consequence of the process of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and occurs as a descending infection.
The pathology is less often isolated and is often combined with rhinitis, sore throat, laryngitis and other diseases of the respiratory system. In groups of children, the disease develops in outbreaks during the cold season - usually in autumn and spring.
In addition to influenza viruses, the causes of infection include measles, whooping cough, and, less commonly, typhus.
Tracheitis is an infectious disease that affects the internal mucosa of the trachea. The pathology is contagious and transmitted by airborne droplets. According to the course of tracheitis, it is classified into 2 types:
- acute – accompanied by a barking, sharp cough;
- chronic - develops as a result of frequent acute lesions of the trachea.
The chronic form can develop according to the atrophic or hypertrophic type. Hypertrophic tracheitis is characterized by thickening and proliferation of the mucosa. With atrophic laryngitis, the mucosa gradually becomes thinner and even disappears in some areas.
Acute damage in addition to viruses and bacteria can provoke hypersensitivity. Antihistamines are prescribed for therapy.
Symptoms
When the trachea becomes inflamed, receptors and viruses are irritated. In this regard, a severe cough of a non-productive nature develops. It provokes pain and a decrease in the timbre of the voice.
The disease begins with a common sore throat and frequent coughing. Then the coughing becomes obsessive and noticeably intensifies.
Typically, attacks occur in the morning and at night, and then the child complains of pain in the chest.
Symptoms of tracheitis in a child are:
- when coughing, sputum does not come out, or the way out is minimal;
- temperature rises;
- hoarseness and hoarseness appear, rhinitis develops;
- Chest pain and headache occur.
It is prohibited to take any measures on your own to treat tracheal diseases. There are many similar diseases, but their treatment is different. Lost time will worsen health problems. Symptoms and treatment of tracheitis in children can only be determined by a doctor. He will choose treatment methods and prescribe the necessary medications.
Organization of treatment
Treatment of symptoms of tracheitis should be comprehensive. Many body functions are weakened due to illness, and exhaustion occurs due to a painful cough. The acute form of tracheitis, if diagnosed in a timely manner, responds well to treatment. Complex therapy includes several stages that answer the question of how to treat tracheitis in a child:
- Mandatory plenty of warm drinks - tea with rose hips, lemon, a variety of fruit drinks, etc.
- Organization of distracting procedures - compresses, mustard plasters, rubbing.
- Inhalations – for safety reasons, it is recommended to carry out procedures using a nebulizer.
- Drug treatment with expectorants and antibiotics as needed.
- Maintaining normal humidity in the room, air temperature - optimally 20 degrees.
- Organization of daily wet cleaning.
- Refusal to use any irritating fragrances; it is also necessary to ensure that tobacco smoke does not penetrate into the room.
- It is forbidden to strain the vocal cords - talk, cry, etc.
Inhalations and any distracting procedures can only be carried out with the permission of a doctor. If implemented incorrectly, they provoke an attack of croup.
Tracheitis requires urgent treatment, especially with coughing attacks at night. In a child’s body, the inflammatory process quickly penetrates the lungs, causing pneumonia.
If all the rules established by the doctor are followed, complete recovery occurs in 1–2 weeks.
There are some features of how to treat tracheitis in children:
- Antitussives should be given only in the form of syrups.
- From the very beginning of infection, it is recommended to carry out antiviral therapy with Viferon, Interferon or Arbidol.
- In rare cases, but antibiotics may still be required, children with tracheitis are most often prescribed Sumamed, which is produced in the form of a suspension.
- To stop the process of inflammation in the larynx and trachea, inhalations with a nebulizer are required.
- If the temperature is normal, then therapy can be supplemented with heating of the trachea and upper part of the bronchi, rubbing and compresses.
- Additionally, it is necessary to strengthen the baby’s immunity so that he can cope with the pathology faster - for this, the doctor prescribes immunomodulators, vitamins and herbal medicine.
If tracheitis is diagnosed in an infant, then therapy is carried out under the supervision of a specialist in a hospital.
Approaches to how to treat tracheitis of viral and bacterial origin in a child may differ slightly. It is important to visit a doctor to clarify the diagnosis and the nature of the developing pathology.
Bacterial
Bacterial tracheitis, as a rule, is a secondary lesion; they develop with a long-term weakened state of the baby’s immunity. In such a situation, it is necessary to use antibacterial agents, the minimum course of which is 3 to 5 days. Only a doctor should select a specific drug.
Allergic
Inhalation of mineral water with a nebulizer for tracheitis
Mineral water is used to treat many respiratory diseases. During the procedure, mineral water is sprayed into the respiratory tract.
Important: Only non-carbonated mineral water can be used for inhalation. If you purchased carbonated water, you must completely release the gas from the water before starting the inhalation procedure. To do this, leave the water bottle with the lid open overnight.
Water should be chosen with a small amount of minerals; it is better to use alkaline water, as well as water that contains table salt.
After the procedure, you should refrain from going outside for several hours. You should not inhale if your body temperature exceeds 38 C.
Attention! Today, many doctors consider mineral water inhalation DANGEROUS and recommend using it only in a steam nebulizer. Read more in the article: The dangers of inhalation with a nebulizer.
Treatment of tracheitis in children with a nebulizer
In children, the causes of tracheitis may be:
- Allergic reaction;
- Hypothermia of the body;
- Prolonged inhalation of cold air;
- Inhalation of cigarette smoke;
- Infections arising from dental disease;
- Chronic respiratory diseases;
- Viral diseases.
How to treat tracheitis with a nebulizer if the patient is a child. For this purpose, many models include special attachments for children, in the form of small masks, oral and nasal tubes, complete with the main device. The mixtures for the treatment of tracheitis described above can also be used for a child, only in minimal doses. But, it is better if the mother consults a doctor before starting the procedure.
Using a nebulizer, you can turn the treatment process into a game for your child. The baby will happily look at the miniature mask and tube, imagining himself as a real doctor.
Types of tracheitis
The disease itself occurs mainly in adults. There are two forms: acute tracheitis and chronic.
In addition, it may be accompanied by inflammation of the larynx, then they speak of laryngotracheitis. If the disease is not treated, the infection penetrates the bronchi. Tracheobronchitis develops, it is especially dangerous for children and the elderly, because inflammation can quickly spread to the lungs. Usually, if you start treating acute tracheitis in a timely manner, it goes away within a week.
The chronic form of the disease can last for several months, manifesting itself in attacks of coughing and poor health. Therefore, it is so important to know how to treat tracheitis. Cough should be taken especially seriously in children, pregnant women and the elderly, as well as in those with severely weakened immune systems.
Rules for the procedure
1. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe appropriate medications, so you should not self-medicate.
2. It is very important to drink a lot during illness. Warm herbal decoctions, vitamin fruit drinks and compotes, and still mineral water are especially useful. The liquid will help improve mucus removal and quickly cleanse the body of toxins, bacteria and viruses.
3. Both adults and children who have been diagnosed with “acute tracheitis” receive treatment at home. But it is advisable to observe bed rest. The room where the patient lies needs to be wet cleaned regularly. The room must be ventilated and the air humidified to facilitate breathing and expectoration.
4. Most often, people are worried about acute tracheitis. Treatment should mainly be aimed at eliminating the main symptom of the disease – dry cough. For this purpose, antitussives and mucolytics, expectorants and sputum thinners are used. Only a doctor can determine which treatment to choose.
5. Tracheitis is especially dangerous in children. Treatment should begin as soon as you notice the appearance of a dry cough in order to prevent complications. Even if the child does not have a fever, you need to show him to the doctor.
For children
Solutions for inhalation
- Soda solution - stir two teaspoons of salt in a glass of boiling water and inhale the vapors with your mouth. Breaths must be deep
- Alkaline - 5 ml of mineral water is heated to 35 degrees and inhaled
Saline solution is used as an independent component for inhalation. It warms the trachea, helps with the discharge of sputum and the removal of mucous accumulations. It is used to dilute medications. This is a neutral, non-toxic product, approved for pregnant women and young children.
Herbal
- Chamomile
- Coltsfoot
- Thyme
- St. John's wort
- Melissa
Do not cook the herb for a long time, 10 minutes is enough.
Drug treatment of tracheitis
- Miramistin
- Furacilin
- Dioxidin in the form of ampoules
Berodual
Berodual is a drug that has a pronounced effect and is sold strictly according to prescription. Berodual has a combined effect and has bronchodilator properties. Its use eliminates symptoms, spasm and suffocation. Dilatation of the bronchi makes breathing easier. A nebulizer is used for inhalation; improvement occurs 20 minutes after use. The effect lasts 10 hours.
- Children under six years old – 10 drops three times a day.
- Children under twelve years of age – 20 drops four times a day.
- From twelve years of age – forty drops four times a day
Before use, the drug is diluted with sodium chloride. The ratio for preparing the solution is specified in the instructions for the drug.
Ambrobene
Ambrobene is a mucolytic expectorant. Inhalation of the drug relieves inflammation, improves motility of the bronchial tree, and expands the airways. As a result, ventilation of the lungs improves. After the second application, the patient breathes easier, the dry cough turns into a wet one, and sputum discharge becomes easier.
Lazolvan
Lazolvan is an analogue of Ambrobene. The drug has a pronounced mucolytic effect, dilutes viscous sputum accumulated in the trachea and removes it from the body.
Miramistin
Inhalations with a nebulizer with Miromistin solution have an antiseptic effect if tracheobronchitis is of an infectious nature. Miramistin relieves the inflammatory process, destroying pathogenic microflora. The course of use of the drug is 7 days. Inhalations take place twice a day - morning and evening for 10 minutes each. The patient's condition improves on the second day after the procedure.
To get rid of tracheitis, you need to use many different drugs and methods. Treatment of this disease is always a complex of measures. What should you pay attention to for a faster recovery?
— Treatment of cough consists of stopping attacks at night by prescribing antitussive drugs, and during the day expectorants and mucolytics are used so that the cough turns from dry to wet.
— Antibacterial or antiviral therapy is required if the disease was caused by an infection.
— Prevention of allergic reactions with antihistamines.
— Treatment of tracheitis necessarily includes procedures that restore the mucous membrane and relieve its inflammation. Most often these are inhalations, but you can also do warming, compresses and physiotherapy.
— To increase the body’s defenses, treatment with immunomodulators is carried out.
— Massage, therapeutic breathing exercises and various traditional methods of treatment are used as additional means.
1. Drugs to get rid of a painful cough: “Codeine”, “Libexin”, “Glaucin”, “Sinekod” or “Stoptusin”.
2. Expectorants: “Gedelix”, Lazolvan”, “Ambrobene”, “ACC”, licorice root syrup, marshmallow, thermopsis herbs.
3. Preparations for inhalation and irrigation of the nasopharyngeal cavity: “Bioparox”, “Berodual”, “Yoks”, “Inhalipt” or “Chlorphilipt”.
3. Antiviral drugs: Remantadine, Interferon, Arbidol or Tamiflu.
4. Antibiotics are prescribed for infectious diseases. Most often it is Sumamed, Ampicillin or Cephalexin.
5. To maintain immunity, you need to take multivitamins, additional vitamins C and A, echinacea and ginseng preparations.
How can inhalations help with tracheitis?
Inhalations for tracheitis help:
- reduce cough;
- facilitate the discharge of sputum;
- destroy the causative agents of tracheitis (bacteria and/or viruses);
- relieve symptoms of intoxication (fever, general weakness, body aches);
- relieve sore throat, sore throat with concomitant pharyngitis or laryngitis (inflammation of the pharynx, larynx);
- prevent the spread of infection to the bronchi and lungs;
- reduce the concentration of allergen in the respiratory tract with a non-infectious origin of the disease.
What inhalations to do in a nebulizer
For tracheitis, you can do inhalations in a nebulizer with medications (see table) of various effects: antibiotics, expectorants, antiseptics, antivirals.
Name | Purpose of inhalation | Multiplicity and course for tracheitis |
Ambrobene, Lazolvan | Stimulation of mucus removal | 2 times a day 5-7 days |
Fluimucil, ACC injection | Thinning sputum, accelerating tracheal cleansing | 2-3 times a day 7-10 days |
Gentamicin, Fluimucil antibiotic | Destruction of bacteria | 1-2 times a day 5 days |
Dekasan, Miramistin, Dioxidin | Destroying viruses, bacteria, reducing inflammation | 2-3 times a day 5-7 days |
Berodual | Widening the airways, reducing spasm | 1-2 times a day 3-4 days |
Interferon, Derinat | Destroying viruses, increasing immunity, improving response to antibiotics | 2 times a day 5-7 days |
Adrenalin | Relieving swelling in allergic tracheitis | Once during an attack of suffocation |
Is it always possible to do
Inhalations are an effective and fairly safe procedure, but they can only be done if there are no contraindications:
- intolerance to the components of the solution;
- body temperature from 37.5 degrees for a nebulizer and 37 degrees for steam procedures;
- purulent sputum (for thermal inhalations);
- bleeding (nasal, pulmonary), streaks of blood in sputum;
- severe forms of pulmonary and heart failure;
- heart rhythm disturbances;
- hypertonic disease;
- vascular diseases of the heart (progressive angina), brain (stroke, ischemic attacks).
Many medications and herbs are prohibited during pregnancy, and there may be restrictions on use for a particular drug. Therefore, it is important that inhalations are prescribed by a doctor; it is also necessary to take into account compatibility with tablets taken orally or medications administered by injection.
We recommend reading about how to use Berodual for inhalation. From the article you will learn about the main characteristics of the drug, instructions for use for inhalation, indications for use.
And here is more information about how and when you can use Sinupret for inhalation.
Will steam ones work?
Steam inhalations for tracheitis are less effective than through a nebulizer. This is explained by the fact that large droplets are formed when a hot solution evaporates. About 90% is deposited in the nasopharynx, and less than 10% passes deeper (into the trachea and bronchi). Their use is allowed only in the following cases:
- sputum is mucous, there is no admixture of pus or blood;
- normal body temperature;
- there is no spasm of the respiratory tract;
- there is no swelling of the mucous membrane, no significant difficulty breathing.
Most often, steam procedures treat tracheitis against the background of colds and viral infections, in combination with a sore throat, runny nose, and hoarseness.
ethnoscience
Traditional medicines are allowed to be used exclusively in heat-moist inhalers. The solution with herbal antiseptics is also poured into a container (bowl, kettle, thermos with a funnel attachment for liquid). There are also modern devices (for example, Romashka), which provide a heating function and maintain the desired temperature.
Recommended formulations for tracheitis:
- to 500 ml of water at a temperature of 50-55 degrees, add 5 drops of one of the oils (cedar, eucalyptus, sage, tea tree);
- infusion of herbs (a tablespoon per 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes): linden flowers, chamomile, elderberry, calendula, eucalyptus leaves, sage herb, thyme;
- soda-salt: for 500 ml of hot water, a teaspoon of soda and salt.
If the disease has an allergic component, then the first two methods are contraindicated; soda-salt procedures and inhalation of alkaline mineral water vapors (Borjomi, Narzan, Essentuki) are allowed.
How to treat tracheitis in children at home
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The trachea is a hollow tube that leads from the larynx to the bronchi. For various reasons, this tube can become inflamed, leading to a disease such as tracheitis. Tracheitis is characterized by a cough - long, debilitating, most often dry.
Tracheitis is a fairly common disease, especially in children under 5-7 years of age. The fact is that tracheitis rarely occurs on its own. It occurs against the background of respiratory diseases and often remains in the body for a long time.
If a simple cold goes away in a week, then chronic tracheitis in the form of a lingering cough can last for months or even years.
Since all respiratory organs in the body are connected, tracheitis rarely occurs alone. Most often, the doctor diagnoses tracheobronchitis, laryngotracheitis, etc. depending on the inflamed organs. Before considering methods of treating this disease, let’s try to understand how tracheitis occurs in children, what are its symptoms and what causes the development of the disease.
Tracheitis often occurs against the background of respiratory diseases, but what can cause inflammation?
- Viral infection. Most often, tracheitis occurs due to the causative agent of adenovirus; it can be diagnosed as a result of measles, influenza and enterovirus entering the body.
- Bacterium. More serious pathogens are bacteria that are difficult to remove from the body without antibiotic therapy. The cause of the development of tracheitis can be pneumococci, staphylococci, and whooping cough bacillus.
- Allergy. Sometimes tracheitis occurs against the background of an allergic reaction. This type of tracheitis is the most difficult to treat, since the cause and nature of the disease is not immediately clear. In this case, inflammation of the trachea appears due to constant irritation of the mucous membrane by coughing and exposure to allergens. An allergen can be plant pollen, dust, animal hair, or the smell of cigarettes.
- Temperature changes. The trachea can become inflamed if its mucous membrane is exposed to excessively hot or cold air.
- Polluted air. Not only allergens can irritate the tracheal mucosa. If tiny particles of hairspray, household chemical vapors, or nicotine (this means both active and passive smoking) get on it, this also provokes inflammation.
- Provoking factors. If tracheitis occurs frequently, you need to pay attention to neighboring organs, which may be a source of infection. You definitely need to check your teeth for caries - often inflammation starts from there. Tracheitis can be observed against the background of enlarged adenoids or sinusitis - be sure to visit an ENT specialist.
It is very important to know the cause of the disease in order to develop treatment tactics and avoid relapses.
One of the main signs of tracheitis is a cough. Most often it is dull, low-pitched, dry and painful.
During the development of the inflammatory process, nerve endings are affected, of which there are a lot on the tracheal mucosa. The receptors are irritated and a cough reflex occurs. Often the cough is accompanied by pain inside the sternum.
If tracheitis is not associated with inflammation of the bronchi, then the sputum is difficult to separate, it is often viscous and there is very little of it.
As a rule, the cough worsens at night and in the morning. This is due to the horizontal position of the body and deep breaths. Cough with tracheitis most often begins with a slight tickling and coughing, and in the acute period it becomes very painful and paroxysmal. The cough also worsens after running, laughing, crying and emotional shock.
Tracheitis in its acute form can also change the timbre of the voice. Most often, the voice becomes hoarse and hoarse. But this condition rarely lasts more than 4 days. Over time, the inflammation subsides, the voice returns to normal, the cough becomes softer, and sputum begins to disappear. From now on, attacks occur less and less frequently.
During tracheitis, the general condition of the child also changes. He becomes apathetic, drowsy, capricious. If tracheitis occurs against the background of respiratory diseases, accompanying symptoms may be present - fever, runny nose, aching joints.
If the runny nose becomes barking and whistling, the baby most likely has laryngotracheitis. This is an inflammation of the trachea and larynx. With such a diagnosis, it is very important to keep your finger on the pulse - inflammation can lead to a narrowing of the respiratory lumen, which can lead to suffocation. This is especially dangerous for young children.
The diagnosis is tracheitis!
Tracheitis in children is treated by a pediatrician. It is very important to recognize the nature of the disease, and if the cough is allergic, you will need to consult an allergist.
If tracheitis does not respond to intensive treatment, it may be of infectious origin - in which case you will need an infectious disease specialist. If inflammation affects the bronchi and lungs, you will have to consult a pulmonologist.
When tracheitis occurs against the background of sinusitis or enlarged adenoids - the path to an ENT specialist. If a child is often sick and coughs, although there are no provoking factors, you need to contact an immunologist.
After this, the doctor will listen to the baby using a phonendoscope, which will help identify breathing noises. At the beginning of the disease, dry wheezing and harsh breathing are heard. If the sputum begins to leave, the wheezing becomes moist and softer.
At the same time, there is no wheezing in the lungs themselves only if tracheitis occurs along with bronchitis.
What is tracheitis
Tracheitis is a respiratory disease that in most cases affects not one, but several areas of the respiratory system. Most often, tracheitis in children develops against the background of other diseases: bronchitis, rhinitis, laryngitis, and therefore requires an integrated approach to treatment.
Tracheitis - etiology
Infectious tracheitis is caused by the same pathogens that lead to the development of pharyngitis, laryngitis and rhinitis: streptococci, staphylococci. If these diseases are not treated (or treated incorrectly), the inflammatory process can spread to the trachea. Tracheitis can be acute or chronic.
There is also a non-infectious form of tracheitis, which develops as a result of hypothermia of the upper respiratory tract or the harmful effects of chemical suspensions, dust, and steam.
The development of tracheitis may be influenced by the following factors:
- inflammatory processes in the nasal passages and nasopharynx;
- smoking tobacco;
- regular inhalation of toxic substances;
- frequent hypothermia;
- chronic respiratory diseases;
- Constantly breathing in air that is too hot or too cold.
Most often, tracheitis occurs against the background of respiratory diseases that were not treated in a timely manner. This respiratory tract pathology is most common in young children (from six months to 3 years). This is due to the immune system not being fully formed and lack of contact with viruses (in particular, the influenza virus) in the past.
Treatment of tracheitis of infectious origin is complicated by the fact that the child’s body has already been weakened by an untreated disease. Therefore, during flu epidemics, it is important to closely monitor your health and get the vaccinations recommended by doctors.
Experts distinguish two main forms of the disease: acute and chronic. Sometimes an allergic form of tracheitis is also identified, the development of which is caused by a reaction to various irritants. Children living in environmentally unfavorable areas are at risk.
Spicy
The most common cause of acute tracheitis is a bacterial or viral infection. There are secondary reasons that can affect the penetration of infection into the child’s body:
- general or local hypothermia;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- low air humidity in the room;
- regular inhalation of tobacco smoke;
- unfavorable environmental situation.
Chronic
The chronic form of tracheitis develops against the background of prolonged respiratory diseases, the prolonged treatment of which has not yielded results. Often it becomes a consequence of inflammation of the bronchi if the inflammatory process spreads to the trachea (the disease is called tracheobronchitis). The following factors may influence the appearance of chronic tracheitis:
- chronic forms of tonsillitis, rhinitis;
- passive smoking;
- caries not cured in time;
- adenoids.
The main symptom is a dry cough, attacks of which become more pronounced at night and in the morning. The following signs of the disease are also identified:
- disturbance of normal breathing, shortness of breath, oxygen deficiency;
- increased body temperature;
- change or complete loss of voice;
- burning and pain in the sternum;
- characteristic noises when inhaling;
- loss of appetite;
- regular headaches;
- gagging during severe coughing attacks;
- childhood weakness, deterioration of health, exhaustion of the body.
If a child suffers from attacks of dry cough, this may indicate the presence of tracheitis, but only a doctor can confidently diagnose this disease.
Baby
Clinical manifestations of tracheitis in infants require special attention, since the baby is not yet able to independently report his feelings.
This disease occurs even in the youngest children, who are from 1-2 months to 1 year, and can be recognized by shallow breathing and low muffled sounds. In some cases, an increase in body temperature is observed.
From 1 to 4 years
A one-year-old child already has a cough, but it is characterized by unproductivity and poor sputum production. Children who are 3 years old also cough unproductively, since their respiratory system is not yet fully developed. Attacks most often occur at night.
From 5 and older
In children over 5 years of age, hypersecretion predominates, due to which cough with tracheitis quickly transforms from dry to wet. At the age of 12, the disease often progresses without fever.
Cough is quite common, but dangerous for a child, so if it appears, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Self-medication in this case is contraindicated, since identifying the symptoms of tracheitis at home is not always possible, and delaying therapy can lead to complications.
Herbal medicine for tracheitis
A few decades ago, many women knew how to treat this disease with herbs.
Plants with expectorant, anti-inflammatory and restorative properties are used for this purpose. The most common herbal remedies that have received recognition from official medicine for the treatment of tracheitis are licorice, marshmallow, thermopsis, thyme and plantain. Coltsfoot, pine buds, elder flowers, horsetail, peppermint, flaxseed, chamomile, sage, oregano, nettle and calendula have expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects.
How to do inhalations
Inhalations have been the main treatment method for any form of tracheitis for many years. In recent decades, they have become more diverse: special devices and new drugs for the procedure have appeared. But still, only inhaling warm medicinal compounds can effectively fight inflammation during tracheitis.
Inhalations help get rid of cough and improve the general condition of the patient. You need to do them for 5-10 minutes several times a day. For those who have been diagnosed with acute tracheitis, inhalation treatment will help them recover faster. This procedure has no special side effects or contraindications. It is not recommended to do it at a temperature. People prone to allergies should choose non-allergenic formulations.
How to treat tracheitis using inhalations?
— The simplest method, known to our grandmothers, is inhaling steam over a pan with hot infusions of herbs, boiled potatoes or other medicinal compounds. For the procedure to have a greater effect, you need to cover your head with a large towel. The distance from the pan should be 20-30 centimeters.
— You can make inhalation more targeted. To do this, roll a cone out of a large sheet of cardboard, cover the wide part of the bowl with the hot medicine, and take the narrow part into your mouth and inhale the steam.
— The easiest way to do the procedure is with industrial inhalers. They are simple to use - fill in the inhalation composition and inhale it from a special tube. In this case, you can even use cold medicines, because inhalers are electronic or ultrasonic. One of the modern varieties of such a device is called a nebulizer. It effectively relieves inflammation in the respiratory tract and treats cough.
— For the youngest children, you can carry out inhalation in this way: heat water in a saucepan to a boil, add medicinal essential oils to it. In the room, close the windows and doors tightly and breathe with the baby the fumes from the pan.
— Patients with tracheitis also benefit from mini-inhalations, when they breathe in the aromas of medicinal essential oils. To do this, you can use an aroma lamp or drop the product onto a wet cloth and hang it on the radiator.
Features of inhalation treatment
Inhalation using nebulizers is a modern method to provide complete treatment and provide the required dose of drugs to the affected respiratory tract, which usually accompanies tracheitis. Any medicine quickly turns into an aerosol mist, which instantly penetrates the diseased areas. Now there is no need to heat and steam over a pan, covered with a towel.
The method is also unique in that it practically does not cause side effects, since it does not penetrate into the blood. The only exception may be individual intolerance to the components of the drug. Nebulizers are used to treat inflammation in children and adults. There are no contraindications. After the first session, the patient feels significant relief. The only thing doctors warn about is that it is undesirable for people with heart problems to use the device.
In children
Such procedures are an opportunity to conduct a full and safe physiotherapy session without leaving home. The main thing is that recipes for preparing mixtures are chosen from those recommended by the attending physician. Such inhalations are part of a comprehensive treatment, so self-medication is inappropriate here. You can only use the procedures yourself as preventive measures.
Before the session, when treating tracheitis, it is not necessary to heat the solution. The optimal temperature is 42 degrees. The most popular medicine for children's inhalations is Sumamed suspension. Do not force your child to take deep breaths. He breathes as usual, but it is advisable to hold his breath for a couple of seconds. Nebulizers are also unique in that they are able to adapt to the patient’s breathing rhythm.
In adults
Such inhalations for tracheitis for adults are practically no different from children. Medicines in the form of aerosols are immediately delivered to the sore spot. This is especially important for patients with severe forms of cough and asthma. Relief occurs within the first minutes.
Such equipment is necessary to have in a house where a small child is growing up or there is a person with chronic diseases that often recur. Before carrying out the procedure, you must do the following:
- wash your hands with soap;
- assemble the nebulizer using the instructions;
- Fill the container with a medicinal solution;
- close, attach the required mask or mouthpiece;
- connect to the compressor using a hose;
- turn on and inhale for no more than 7 minutes.
Such procedures in the treatment of trachitis must be carried out at least 3 times a day during exacerbation of the disease or once a week as a preventive measure.
Tracheitis in a child: how to properly treat the disease, what methods are used for children
What is tracheitis
— Most often, medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties are used for this: eucalyptus, juniper, fir, pine, sage and chamomile.
— Propolis treats inflammation and cough well. You need to mix it half and half with beeswax and put 100 grams of the mixture in an aluminum container. If you put it in a pan of boiling water and inhale the fumes of propolis, it quickly relieves the patient's condition.
— For chronic tracheitis with purulent sputum, inhalations with onion and garlic juice are helpful. The juice should be mixed with novocaine or saline in a ratio of 1 to 3 and poured into the inhaler.
— There are also special medicines for inhalers, for example, “Berodual” or “Lazolvan”.
— For steam inhalations using essential oils of fir, anise, eucalyptus or pine, add a spoonful of soda and a few drops of iodine to the water.
— Inhalations with a 2% sodium bicarbonate solution are effective.
— Alkaline inhalations are good for dry coughs: dilute a teaspoon of soda and salt in hot water. This composition can be used for industrial inhalers or inhaled steam over a pan.
— When treating tracheitis in children, it is very good to use inhalations with a solution of linden honey and calcium chloride.
— Well, the most common inhalation remedy that has long been used is boiled potatoes.
Nebulizer
For tracheitis, doctors often prescribe a nebulizer as an effective method of treating the disease. It has no contraindications for use by adults and young children. This device has a simple operating principle. Under the influence of high temperature, the inhalation liquid turns into steam. Inhalation of the medicine directly affects the mucous membranes. When treating with the device, only medications are used:
- Berodual accelerates the process of clearing mucus from the lungs. The active ingredients included in the medicine - ipratropium chloride and fenoterol - help to quickly cope with the disease. Before placing the medicine in the device, they are diluted with saline solution. The proportions are prescribed by the doctor depending on the severity of the infection, age and weight of the patient.
- Ambrobene relieves inflammation and accelerates the functioning of the bronchial tree.
- Lazolvan contains the active ingredient ambroxol hydrochloride. It clears the airways and enhances the effect of antimicrobial drugs. Helps remove mucus from the bronchi and trachea. The product is used if there is no allergy to the active substance; before use, it is also diluted with sodium chloride and poured into the nebulizer container. To clarify the duration of the procedure and the dose of the drug, you should consult your doctor.
- Mineral water is also used for inhalation using a device. Herbs, oils and other solutions are prohibited from being added to inhalations when using a nebulizer.