Epiglottitis is a rare disease, but it develops rapidly, and therefore very dangerous - it requires quick and effective intervention in a hospital setting. Untreated - poses a direct threat to life. What are the symptoms of epiglottitis? How is the treatment going?
Epiglottitiscan even lead to death, so it is worth knowingsymptomsthat may indicate the appearance of the disease.The epiglottisis small cartilage covered with a mucosa and surrounded by ligaments and muscles. Its task is to close the entrance to the larynx while swallowing food. If this site is infected with bacteria calledhaemophilus influenzae(and sometimes streptococci or pneumococci), inflammation appears, followed by swelling. A swollen epiglottis can effectively block the laryngeal inlet and prevent breathing. And that leads to death.
Epiglottitis: symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of epiglottitis appear most often at night. They can be very similar to signs of a cold or sore throat. The patient feels bad, has an elevated temperature, has a sore throat, has trouble swallowing. However, a rise in temperature very quickly turns into a high fever, there are obvious difficulties with breathing, which force you to sit down with a pronounced leaning forward (in this position, the feeling of breathlessness is the least bothersome). The patient is salivating excessively because he cannot swallow the secretions, he is hoarse and loses his voice quite quickly. Every movement causes severe pain and hypoxia - drowsiness. When you inhale, you can hear a distinct whistle. Such a situation requires immediate medical attention.
Epiglottitis treatment
While waiting for the doctor's arrival, it is worth taking the patient to cool air: breathing it should reduce swelling and prevent closure of the respiratory tract. Epiglottitis is diagnosed by the doctor on the basis of indirect laryngoscopy, i.e. by viewing the larynx with a suitable mirror. Sometimes in these cases, an x-ray of the neck (side) is performed. The first step in the treatment of epiglottitis is to open the airways, if necessary, endotracheal intubation or tracheotomy (incision of the trachea) must be used.Hospital care: this is to minimize the risk of suffocation as well as the generalized spread of bacteria in the blood, i.e. sepsis. Like any bacterial infection, epiglottitis is treated with an antibiotic, and steroids are used to reduce swelling and improve airway patency. As a result of such treatment, the inflammation of the epiglottis passes quickly and without complications.