Little children who start attending kindergarten always get very sick at first. This occurs due to weak immunity, which is simply not able to cope with a large influx of viruses and bacteria. There is nothing wrong with childhood respiratory diseases if they are treated promptly and proceed without complications. Due to this, antibodies are produced in the body, and it becomes more resistant to various pathogens. Very often, children develop a runny nose, which indicates a bacterial infection. To quickly get rid of it, you can instill Levomycetin drops into your nose.
General description of the drug
Levomycetin eye drops are an antimicrobial drug that is prescribed for various eye diseases of a bacterial nature. The active substance is Chloramphenicol. In addition, the composition contains boric acid and purified water. The peculiarity of this drug is that it has a wide spectrum of action, and resistance to it is developed only in exceptional cases.
Most often, the drug is prescribed for conjunctivitis and barley. This medicine can be used even in young children with dacryocystitis, which is often accompanied by conjunctivitis. In this case, ophthalmologists recommend dripping into the baby’s eyes and at the same time massaging the lacrimal gland.
Despite the fact that the instructions clearly state that this is an eye drug, some doctors prescribe Levomycetin for a runny nose. This drug is considered a local antibiotic, so it can really be used for a bacterial runny nose.
You can talk about a bacterial rhinitis based on specific symptoms. These include high fever, lethargy, purulent nasal discharge and poor appetite.
Composition and release form of Levomycetin
According to the instructions for use, Levomycetin eye drops are available in the form of a 25% solution. The active ingredient, chloramphenicol or chloramphenicol, makes up 1/4 of the mass. The remaining 75% is boric acid and distilled water. Bottles of solution of 5 ml and 10 ml with and without a dispenser are available for sale.
The product is produced not only in the form of eye drops. It is widely used for oral use (tablets, capsules), for external use as liniment (ointment). It is highly effective in the treatment of inflammatory processes in all organs caused by bacterial microflora, except tuberculosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fungi, protozoa, and staphylococci.
When can a runny nose be treated with Levomycetin?
Sometimes doctors prescribe Levomycetin into the child’s nose. This is only necessary if the rhinitis is bacterial in nature or there is a high risk of complications of the disease. The main indications for the use of Levomycytin nasal drops are:
- Long-lasting runny nose, with the release of purulent masses.
- Heat.
- Pain in the nasal area.
- General disturbance of health.
In this case, the doctor may resort to nasal drops called Levomycetin. Experts resort to such off-label use of the drug, since Levomycetin is a good broad-spectrum antibiotic that can destroy the cell membrane of pathogenic bacteria, which leads to disruption of their vital functions and further death.
Drops can be used for a runny nose caused by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as microorganisms that are resistant to antibacterial drugs of the penicillin and sulfonamide groups. Studies have been conducted that have shown that microbes rarely develop resistance to such a drug, so it can be used often if indicated.
Levomycetin eye drops can be used to treat a runny nose only in exceptional cases when there are truly indications for this.
Mechanism of action
According to the instructions for use, the drug Levomycetin is absorbed in limited quantities by the mucous membrane and penetrates the bloodstream. The concentration of the drug in the blood is very low, so it does not have a significant effect on the body. This drug is processed fairly quickly and then eliminated from the body by the kidneys and intestines.
When such drops are prescribed for the treatment of bacterial rhinitis in children, the condition of patients improves very quickly. Already on the second day, the temperature normalizes, the appetite improves, the baby becomes active and cheerful. The discharge of pus from the nose is greatly reduced or disappears altogether. Thanks to this treatment, nasal breathing and sense of smell are completely restored.
Antibacterial nasal drops for children can only be prescribed by a practicing doctor. Before prescribing such a drug, a nasal swab may be prescribed to determine the type of pathogen. The doctor must constantly monitor the treatment process; for this, the child needs to be seen by a specialist a couple of times a week .
If Levomycetin drops do not give an effect, then they are canceled. You should not continue treatment with this drug if any side effects occur.
Efficiency
Levomycetin nasal drops are indicated for a combination of the following symptoms:
- the presence of signs of intoxication, an increase in body temperature above 38 ° C;
- nasal congestion;
- thick yellowish-green mucus with an unpleasant odor;
- headache;
- pain in the paranasal sinuses.
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The instructions for use do not say anything about contraindications when instilling the medicine into the nasal cavity, since this method of use is not provided. Therefore, information about this should be clarified by your doctor. The drug is contraindicated in the following cases:
- intolerance to the components of the drug;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- newborn;
- blood pathologies (porphyria);
- skin diseases;
- insufficiency of liver and kidney function.
You need to understand that using Levomycetin drops in the nose may not have any effect. You should not rely only on the bacteriostatic activity of the drug. The medicine can only enhance the effect of other drugs or dry out the nasal mucosa.
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Levomycetin drops introduced into the nasal cavity will affect only a small part of the mucous membrane. The unaffected mucous membrane will be contaminated with bacteria, which will continue to multiply.
Since the ocular microflora differs from that in the nasal cavity, eye drops may be useless when used intranasally.
If a clear secretion flows from the nose, then this is most likely a consequence of a viral infection or an allergic reaction. The use of Levomycetin in this case will aggravate the situation by drying out the mucous membrane. But sometimes treatment with this drug brings results. A positive effect will be under the following conditions:
- the flow of yellowish-green mucus from the nose continues for more than a week;
- the bacteria that caused the disease are sensitive to Levomycetin. This is established after performing a bacterial culture from the nasal cavity;
- the product should not be used dropwise. It can be administered by turunda or by nebulization;
- Levomycetin cannot be used as the main drug for the treatment of rhinitis. Together with it, antibiotics in tablets and rinsing of the nasal sinuses should be prescribed.
According to the instructions for use, Levomycetin is not used in patients who are intolerant to the components of the drug. In addition, due to the entry of a small amount of the drug into the blood through the mucous membranes, it is not recommended to use it in case of liver and kidney failure and in cases of hematopoiesis (blood formation) disorders.
Very rarely, some patients may experience burning or itching when using chloramphenicol drops in the nose. With unreasonably long-term use of the drug (more than 2-3 weeks), hematopoietic disorders have been reported (suppression of the formation of red blood cells, leukocytes, platelets). This can cause anemia, decreased immunity and the addition of a fungal infection.
Nasal drops with Levomycetin for rhinitis are a very effective remedy. But you cannot prescribe them to your child yourself. Medical consultation and monitoring are required.
How to drip your nose
Before instilling any drops into your nose, you need to thoroughly clean it of mucus and crusts. To do this, you can ask the child to blow his nose or rinse the nasal passages with a weak saline solution. For very tiny children, the nose is cleaned using a special aspirator and cotton wool pads soaked in Vaseline oil.
Levomycetin is dripped into the nose of children from a bottle with a dispenser or using a regular pipette. Dosage depends on age:
- Children from two years of age are prescribed 1-2 drops of the drug, 3 times a day.
- Children from 7 years of age are prescribed 2 drops of the drug 3 times a day.
- Adolescents from 12 years of age and adults need to drip 3 drops, up to 4 times a day.
It is necessary to drip the nose with the patient lying down . The head should be slightly tilted back. After instillation, it is recommended to lie down for another 5-10 minutes.
Do not exceed the dosage of the drug, as you may get poisoned.
Why is the remedy sometimes effective?
And yet, in some cases, prescribed chloramphenicol drops in the nose kill pathogenic flora. Practice shows that a positive result can be expected only under the following conditions:
- a runny nose is caused by bacteria sensitive to this active substance (this fact is established using bacteriological culture);
- the drug is used for prolonged runny nose, and the secreted mucus has a yellowish-green color;
- the medication is applied to the mucous surface by spraying or introducing turundas, but not by drip;
- in addition to antibiotic therapy, basic treatment is prescribed (oral antibiotics, sinus lavage).
Doctors say that there are few drugs for intranasal administration that have a bactericidal effect on the pharmacological market. For the treatment of nasopharyngeal diseases, the drugs Isofra, Polydexa and Bioparox have become popular.
Bioparox has recently disappeared from pharmacy shelves because it was banned for sale. Polydex contains phenylephrine, a substance that is not always safe and justified in the treatment of rhinitis.
This drug is prescribed to children for a runny nose of a bacterial nature. Viral or cold mucous discharge disappears after 5–7 days, but if the mucus persists for a longer time, it means that a bacterial infection has occurred; in this case, doctors consider Levomycetin to be an effective bacteriostatic drug with an antiseptic effect.
Therefore, eye drops are recommended to be used intranasally, with the expectation of rapid and successful elimination of rhinitis symptoms.
Doctors usually prescribe 2 drops of antibiotic instillation into each nostril, 2 to 4 instillations per day. The duration of therapy is selected individually in each case, but not less than 5 days.
The drug should be instilled into the child’s nose with caution.
Contraindications
Before using Levomycetin drops, you must carefully read the instructions, since there are a number of contraindications for this drug. Levomycetin should not be used to treat a runny nose in the following cases:
- In case of individual intolerance to individual components contained in the composition.
- For severe diseases of the liver and kidneys, which are accompanied by failure of these organs.
- For diseases that are accompanied by hematopoietic disorders.
- For skin pathologies such as psoriasis and eczema.
Levomycetin is prescribed with great caution to pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as to children under 2 years of age.
In special cases, when the drug is instilled into the nose, a strong burning sensation is observed . With prolonged use of the drug, more than two weeks, hematopoietic function may be impaired. This can lead to anemia, severely weakened immunity and fungal infections.
Levomycetin drops are an excellent remedy for rhinitis, which is caused by pathogenic bacteria. But you can start using this drug only if you know for sure that the disease was caused by bacteria. During treatment, you must strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations and periodically see a specialist. If side effects occur, treatment is stopped immediately.
