Laryngotracheitis: Symptoms, Complications, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Precautions

It is an infection that occurs or occurs in the trachea, in the larynx or voice box, and the respiratory tract or bronchi.

These conditions are usually not very invasive or harmful to the body, but medications are prescribed to treat the infection.

This condition occurs because the airways become inflamed, making it difficult to enter and leave the air in the lungs.

Usually, the common denominator of those affected is in an age range between the first year of life to 6 years. This is because the respiratory tracts of children are in development and are very small; therefore, they are more prone to acquire diseases or infections.

Symptoms of Laryngotracheitis

Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition. Usually, they get worse at night; at first, they can be confused with a common cold or with the onset of bronchitis or pneumonia by presenting as follows:

  • Their throat is hoarse and rough.
  • Difficulty breathing. The chest usually goes up and down a lot to get enough air.
  • Whistle or noise when inhaling right in the rib cage.
  • Nasal mucus
  • Mild or high fever

Complications

When not diagnosed in time by a medical specialist, this condition can cause problems or ear infections, including inflammation of the lungs.

What generates a noticeable deterioration of health, resulting in later problems that may threaten the stability or health of the patient for a long time.

 

When Laryngotracheitis worsens, the affected person may have severe breathing problems because the trachea, larynx, and bronchi are too inflamed.

If this happens, the affected person should be taken immediately to be evaluated, seeding it at least between 24 to 48 hours to place a tube in his trachea, thus supplying oxygen to his lungs until it stabilizes, and then begin with the pertinent examinations. Determine the ideal treatment.

Causes of Laryngotracheitis

Laryngotracheitis can be caused by several factors, including the parainfluenza virus being the first cause of the respiratory syncytial virus; it can also develop by respiratory bacteria, allergic reactions, or even measles.

Diagnosis

The specialist doctor should ask about the patient’s medical history to validate if he has had similar or similar conditions in the past. He will proceed with the routine exams to determine if he suffers from Laryngotracheitis and the condition’s level or degree of complication.

The routine procedure to diagnose Laryngotracheitis is to check the throat to check if it is inflamed, check the breathing and request a chest x-ray to measure the degree of swelling.

Treatment for Laryngotracheitis

Laryngotracheitis can last a couple of days if the patient’s defenses act efficiently, plus the help of some medications or antibiotics to eliminate the infection. However, it can last up to a week and, if prolonged, could incur future complications.

That is why the patient should follow the treatment recommended by the specialist doctor and ingest a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration; it is also recommended to relieve and improve breathing difficulty in inhaling the vapor.

It is also essential that the patient stay away from humidity or cold temperatures that may contribute to the production of nasal mucus or collapse the common cold since this may decrease the ability to breathe and inflame the trachea, larynx, and bronchi.

Usually, the treating physician can recommend a medicine called corticosteroid and the oral dosage of a drug under the name of dexamethasone , which contributes to the reduction of the symptoms of Laryngotracheitis thus eliminating the complications of breathing.

However, having a severe condition, the doctor can prescribe budesonide, delivered through a mask placed in a medical center. The medication can be inhaled efficiently while contributing to the inflammation of the affected parties providing relief to the affected.

Precautions

Laryngotracheitis water is highly contagious and can be contracted by touching a surface contaminated by the virus that produces it or by air being released by the sneeze or cough of someone suffering from the condition.