summary about angina
Angina or tonsillitis is an acute inflammation of the throat (oropharynx and/or tonsils). This is a very common disease in children, but also in adults, and in these it is mainly viral tonsillitis.
Angina can be viral or bacterial. Viral anginas are often caused by cold and flu viruses. Bacterial anginas are usually caused by staphylococci or streptococci. Most angina is of viral origin.
The main symptoms of angina are sore throat, difficulty swallowing, red (or sometimes white) throat, fever, general fatigue, etc. Red angina is often distinguished from white angina. Read angina symptoms and definition
It is very important to treat angina to avoid any complications, you should always consult a doctor in case of angina.
The treatment of angina varies depending on the cause, in cases of viral angina, medicines that treat the symptoms will be used, such as paracetamol and throat lozenges, remember that antibiotics are unnecessary in viral infections.
Avoid self-medication in the treatment of angina, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs can be particularly problematic, masking symptoms and complications.
In cases of bacterial angina, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Avoid self-medication in the treatment of angina. Read also angina treatment
Some medicinal plants can complement conventional therapy. These plants are mainly used to relieve symptoms such as pain. The main plants used are chamomile, marshmallow, sage, licorice, thyme, etc. Read all plants for the treatment of sore throats and angina
Good advice is: drink and eat liquid foods, suck on ice and ice cream to improve pain.
Tonsil removal is sometimes recommended for children with recurrent severe angina. Find out more about this surgery
Definition
Angina is an acute inflammation of the pharynx (throat). If the entire pharynx is inflamed, we speak of pharyngitis and if only the tonsil region is inflamed, we speak of tonsillitis.
We emphasize that many pediatricians and physicians talk about angina to patients in order to simplify things, even though the term tonsillitis is more accurate.
Angina is a very common disease, especially in children under 9 years old. Children under 3 years old are often affected by angina ( tonsillitis) of a viral origin, often associated with nasopharyngitis.
Angina can often be of viral origin, but also of bacterial origin, so we speak of viral angina and bacterial angina (streptococcal angina).
There are different types of angina and it is possible to classify angina according to the specific symptoms, in addition to the cause (bacterial or viral), so we speak of red angina or white angina.
There are also other types of angina, such as ulcerative angina, Duguet’s angina, etc. Only a doctor will be able to make an exact diagnosis and provide you with the necessary information for your type of angina.
Causes
Angina can be caused by viruses or bacteria, so we speak respectively of viral angina or bacterial angina. It is important to note that the physician must use a throat swab to determine which angina is being treated.
A angina viral
Viral angina is caused by viruses, usually cold and flu , that invade the pharynx (throat) region.
In rare cases, viral angina can be a sign of mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein Barr virus). This is accompanied by other symptoms, such as great fatigue , which last for several weeks.
Bacterial
angina Bacterial angina is caused by bacteria such as streptococci (we speak of streptococcal angina) or staphylococci,
In rare cases, bacterial angina can be a sign of diphtheria (caused by the Klebs-Löffler bacillus). In industrialized countries, diphtheria has virtually disappeared.
Symptoms
Although there are different types of angina, it is possible to highlight the usual symptoms:
– sore throat (which increases when swallowing)
– difficulty swallowing
– red throat (pharynx), which is particularly the case with red angina. In case of white angina, a whitish layer covers the pharyngeal mucosa.
– fever (up to 39°C), especially in the case of bacterial angina, such as streptococcal angina.
– bronchitis , hoarse voice, cough ,…associated, in most cases, with viral angina and not bacterial angina. We emphasize that the duration of symptoms of viral angina is generally 3 to 4 days.
– inflamed tonsils
– swollen glands in the neck area
– malaise, general fatigue
– possible bad breath
– in rare cases and when there are complications for all types of angina, there is a possibility of accumulation of pus, which can lead to abscesses.
– In case of bacterial angina and in rare cases of complications, there is the possibility of developing heart, kidney or even rheumatic diseases.
For these last reasons, we realize that angina should be well treated and a medical consultation is advised in almost all cases, in particular in cases of bacterial angina (which requires antibiotic treatment).
– Sometimes headache.
– Sometimes stomach pains, especially in young children.
Symptoms in very young children (infants, babies)
In very young children, tonsillitis can be characterized by drooling (excess saliva) due to difficult and painful swallowing. Other signs are refusal to feed and unusual fussiness, as the Mayo Clinic notes.
Treatments
The doctor will prescribe different medicines depending on the type of angina:
Treatment of viral angina
Treatment of viral angina consists of symptom therapy, as the disease is caused by viruses (there is no antiviral for angina). Antibiotics are therefore useless in case of viral angina!
Anti-pain and fever remedies (febrifuges):
Against sore throats
– Mouthwashes, sucking lozenges, sprays or solutions for gargling.
Bacterial angina treatment
Only a doctor can prescribe antibiotics after diagnosing bacterial angina. In general, he will prescribe treatments based on penicillin or its derivatives, such as amoxicillin .
In case of treatment with antibiotics, respect the dosage prescribed by the doctor, that is, if he tells you to take all the medicines in the box of antibiotics , you will have to do so, even if the symptoms improve, as the opposite action increases resistance to antibiotics. .
The High Authority of Health ( Haute Autorité de Santé ) in France recalled in a statement in November 2016, that for children over 3 years of age suffering from acute bacterial angina (positive diagnostic test), the prescription of amoxicillin is recommended as a first treatment, except in cases of allergy to penicillin or contraindication to beta-lactams.
Typically, a child or adult with tonsillitis begins to feel better within 24 to 48 hours of starting antibiotics. In children, unless there are contraindications, returning to school can occur approximately 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.
Herbal medicine
In the case of severe angina, herbal medicine will certainly not be enough, especially if the angina is bacterial, however, natural remedies can ease the symptoms of angina, such as sore throat. Here are some interesting plants to appease and soothe an angina:
– Chamomile , used in the form of gargles, infusion or capsule
– Gooseberry , used in the form of tablets.
– The marshmallow , used in the form of infusion or tablets
– Malva , used in the form of infusion, lozenges, gargle or capsule.
– Iceland moss , used in the form of tablets or infusion
– Licorice , used in the form of tablets or infusion
– Sage , used in the form of infusion, tablets, capsules or gargles (effective!)
– Thyme (strong disinfectant power), used in the form of infusion, capsule, syrup and essential oil (effective!)
Tips
Here are some tips to ease an angina:
– One of the main problems in case of angina is the difficulty in swallowing (swallowing), as it is painful, so it is advised to eat more liquid and light foods such as soups or purees.
– Take ice cream or suck on ice, as the cold soothes the pain.
– As in the case of many infectious diseases, drink plenty of fluids, as this is very positive for the body and allows the viruses to be diluted (useful in case of viral angina).
– In case of tonsillitis, it is important to rest and get enough sleep. You should also rest your voice.
– Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and keep your throat moist.
– If necessary, use an air humidifier to keep the mucous membranes moist, be careful to clean it every day to avoid the development of bacteria in the device. You can also use saline-based nasal sprays to moisten the nasal mucosa.
Tonsil operations, yes or no?
– In the past (1980s, 1990s) doctors and pediatricians tended to surgically remove tonsils saying that it could be a good means of preventing infectious diseases. However, in recent years (reference 2011) and particularly in the United States, the American Association of Otolaryngology now does not recommend removing tonsils in children, only in cases of very serious infections. Since it is estimated that, in general, the tonsils have a very important role in the immune defense, especially among children.
The tonsil operations that were carried out “large scale” in the 1980s and 1990s seem to be done only in very specific cases. In the years 2010, tonsil operation is particularly recommended for frequent tonsillitis. According to the Mayo Clinic , frequent tonsillitis is defined as more than 7 tonsillitis episodes in one year, more than 5 tonsillitis per year over a 2-year period, or more than 3 tonsillitis per year over a 3-year period.
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