Otitis and Tonsillitis Can Cause Serious Complications lf Left Untreated

Otitis and tonsillitis are among the most common conditions, especially in children. If they are not treated properly and on time, they can cause serious complications, such as meningitis.

 

Although there are vaccines designed to protect children and prevent them from suffering from diseases such as otitis and tonsillitis, parents sometimes choose not to vaccinate them. Many parents take the wrong decision and feed their babies antibiotics without even having a clear and correct diagnosis. No infection is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics taken without being prescribed by a professional are often inefficient, and patients may experience a worsening of the disease or frequent recurrences. An exact history of the disease is absolutely necessary to determine the recurrent nature of the condition and, implicitly, the treatment plan.

 

Chronic tonsillitis

Palatine tonsils are made of lymphoid tissue located in the pharynx and are part of the Waldeyer lymphatic ring, which contains: palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils, nasopharyngeal amygdala, and lymphoid tissue on the posterior wall of the pharynx. Tonsillitis is of two kinds: acute and chronic. It is one of the most common disorders among children aged 5 to 15 years.

 

Pathogens (viral or bacterial) can reach the body both through the oral cavity and through the nose. When they meet the defense cells, the fight begins. The first consequence is the increase in the volume of the tonsils. This increase may also result in redness or even the appearance of pus points that may increase to the formation of a large pseudo-membrane.

 

The most common pathogen is group A hemolytic beta streptococci, followed by staphylococcus and haemophilus influenzae. Other pathogens involved are: anaerobic bacteria, viruses, gonococci. Acute tonsillitis is the most common among children aged 5-6 years. Many people have no symptoms, but they can transmit the bacteria. Infarctions of pharynx (called pharyngitis) are in most cases of viral etiology. Various respiratory viruses – the influenza virus, in particular, are responsible for this pathology, which also shows the erythema of palatine tonsils. These infections are sometimes less serious than bacterial infections.

 

How can we treat these conditions?

The main symptoms of tonsillitis are throat pain, followed by swelling and flushing with purulent deposits, coughing, headache, swallowing pain, fever (which can be very high in young children), fatigue, ear or throat pain. Even if it happens rarely, vomiting, bad breath and difficulty in opening the mouth can also be considered symptoms.

 

If tonsillitis is caused by a virus such as influenza, other flu-like symptoms such as rhinorrhea can occur. If the condition is caused by bacteria, the patient may experience skin irritation or facial flushing. As a treatment, getting enough rest is highly recommended, and only administer antipyretics (anti-fever medications) or antibiotics after prior checking with a specialist. In the case of chronic tonsillitis, the only treatment that solves this form of the disease is surgery, called tonsillectomy.

 

Otitis and tonsillitis

Otitis can be external or medium. Otitis media, a middle ear infection, may be a complication of tonsillitis, rhino-pharyngeal and sinus infections. Otitis is, of course, one of the diseases most frequently recurring. In the case of otitis media, both for adults, but especially for children, aerosols are an effective solution. However, antibiotherapy is the one that makes the difference between the development of a simple otitis, at an early stage, to serous otitis, or to purulent otitis.




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