Complications after tonsillitis. How to prevent complications after a sore throat? Why is tonsillitis dangerous for a pregnant woman?

Sore throat, or acute tonsillitis, is an infectious and inflammatory disease that affects the palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsils. Most often, the causative agents of the disease are staphylococcus or hemolytic streptococcus.

The disease leads to the appearance of symptoms that you want to get rid of as quickly as possible: sore throat when swallowing, sore throat, hyperemia, purulent plaque on the surface of the tonsils, hyperthermia, apathy, headaches, general and muscle weakness. The manifestations of sore throat are similar to other respiratory diseases, which is why the diagnosis should be carried out by a qualified specialist.

A sore throat can put both a defenseless child and a strong man to bed. Why is a sore throat dangerous?

Untimely treatment of the disease can lead to the spread of the infectious process and damage to vital organs and systems. Possible complications can be both general (damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, joints) and local (localized in certain areas of the respiratory system). The most dangerous consequence of the disease is blood poisoning, which poses a threat to life.

For what reason do complications occur after a sore throat? The penetration of pathogenic microorganisms is a kind of signal for the production of protective antibodies by the immune system. Incorrect diagnosis, abuse of antibacterial agents, weakened immunity, self-medication - all this can lead to the development of serious complications in the body.

Under no circumstances should you interrupt drug therapy ahead of schedule. Even if it seems to you that your health has improved significantly, this does not guarantee the absence of pathogens. So, what are the possible consequences of a sore throat?

Interruption of drug therapy is one of the common causes of complications of angina. Imaginary recovery causes some patients to stop treatment

Is it possible to die from a sore throat? The short answer is that there are indeed cases where, in the absence of adequate treatment, angina led to death. An increased level of purulent formations can seriously harm internal organs.

Local complications with angina

Let us highlight the common consequences of local sore throat:

Otitis. Most often, the disease occurs with sore throat in children. A severe coughing attack can cause infection to spread from the throat through the ear canal into the middle ear cavity. Typically, otitis media manifests itself in the form of shooting pains. In addition, patients complain of ear congestion, hearing loss, dizziness, and discharge from the ear cavity. The disease can occur both during the height of the infectious process and during the rehabilitation period. When it becomes chronic, the complication is fraught with the development of deafness.
Lymphadenitis. Usually the inflammatory process affects the submandibular lymph nodes, but sometimes it affects the cervical and subclavian zones. Usually it is possible to get rid of lymphadenitis by conservative means, but if suppuration occurs, then, most likely, prompt assistance from a surgeon will be required.
Swelling of the larynx. This condition requires immediate assistance from specialists. Difficulty breathing in this case can pose a threat to the patient’s life.
Pharyngeal abscesses. The complication usually occurs in young children. In adults, a peritonsillar abscess occurs, in which suppuration reaches the tissue of the neck. With an abscess, the patient cannot turn his head; it is usually tilted in the direction of the pathological process. There are complaints about the inability to swallow and open the mouth. Sometimes the body temperature reaches forty degrees.
Mediastenitis. The purulent process affects the deep parts of the neck. In some cases, purulent secretion may even reach the mediastinum.
Chronic tonsillitis. The pathological process is characterized by frequent exacerbations, sometimes even every month. In fact, during a chronic process, the bacterial infection does not spread throughout the body, but the immune system is still unable to cope with it.

Sore throat causes complications in the ear. If left untreated, it can subsequently lead to meningitis or sepsis.

Common complications of sore throat in adults

It is difficult to predict how pathogenic microflora will manifest itself in a particular organism; complications can be the most unpredictable. It all depends on at what stage of the pathological process treatment was started. Do not forget that purulent tonsillitis is dangerous due to the development of diseases that cannot even be treated with antibiotics. Under no circumstances should you endure a sore throat on your legs. Failure to comply with bed rest is fraught with heart complications.

Acute rheumatic fever

This pathological process affects the heart, joints and skin. In this case, the patient develops the following diseases:

Rheumatic carditis. Patients usually complain of severe pain in the heart. As a result, all this can end in the appearance of vices.
Chorea. As a result of brain damage, a nervous disorder occurs.
Polyarthritis is inflammation of the joints.
Skin hyperemia.

The penetration of bacterial toxins leads to the development of rheumatic fever. Pathogens are even able to disguise themselves as structural proteins of the heart, remaining undetected by the immune system. In essence, an autoimmune process develops that cannot be treated. If you do not start using antibiotics in time, the antibodies will attack not only pathogens, but also your own organs. Ultimately, due to damage to the heart valves, everything can end in death.

Streptococcal toxins can cause excruciating joint pain

Rheumatism does not stop with damage to heart tissue. Complications after a sore throat on the joints manifest themselves as follows:

swelling of the joint capsules;
hyperemia;
wandering pains;
rash;
increased fatigue;
persistent dry cough;
wave-like lesions of large symmetrical joints;
fever.

Arthritis

Inflammation of the joints leads to thinning of the articular cartilage and deformation of the joint capsule along with the ligaments. The most common parts of the body affected by arthritis are: hands, elbows, knees, and feet. In advanced cases, curvature of the fingers and toes is observed. Arthritis manifests itself as follows: swelling and hyperemia of the skin over the joint, pain after sleep, stiffness of movement, increased local temperature, and in severe cases, general temperature.

Kidney diseases

Long-term exposure to antibodies negatively affects kidney tissue, leading to the following complications:

Glomerulonephritis. This is a lesion of the renal glomeruli of an infectious-allergic nature. The pathological process is based on a violation of the morphology of the kidneys. Untreated glomerulonephritis threatens to impair the functional activity of the kidneys, up to the development of uremic coma. A high temperature that is not relieved by antipyretic drugs, back pain, intoxication - all this indicates the onset of the inflammatory process. Transition to the purulent stage threatens the development of renal failure.
Pyelonephritis. In this case, the pelvis, parenchyma and renal tubules are affected. The penetration of pathogens into deeper parts is fraught with the occurrence of serious intoxication of the body.

The kidneys are the second organ after the heart that are susceptible to complications after a sore throat.

Sepsis

Blood poisoning occurs when the purulent process damages the walls of blood vessels. As a result, the bacterial infection spreads through the blood, infecting the entire body. In just a few days, septic shock can develop and is highly fatal.

Sepsis can be of various types, depending on which phlegmons and ulcers develop in different parts of the body. This is all accompanied by vomiting, dehydration, as well as a serious disruption of the functional activity of internal organs. Patients with blood poisoning are placed in the intensive care unit.

Meningitis

Sore throat can sometimes lead to damage to the meninges. Clinically, meningitis manifests itself as follows:

weakness;
pallor and swelling of the skin;
shortness of breath;
severe headaches;
high temperature;
bluish border around the lips.

Complications of sore throat in children

A child’s body reacts in its own way to certain diseases, so the consequences of a sore throat in childhood can differ radically. The above-described otitis media and abscess are not all the complications of tonsillitis in children. Let's look at other consequences:

Scarlet fever. Usually occurs in preschool children. This is explained by the lack of antibodies to hemolytic streptococcus, which causes scarlet fever.
Bleeding tonsils. The inflammatory process, combined with weakness of the walls of blood vessels, can lead to bleeding. In some cases, coughing fits can make the problem worse, making the bleeding more pronounced.
Endocarditis. This is a disease that damages the inner layers of the heart. The child experiences swelling, the phalanges of the fingers thicken, and the body temperature rises. Cardialgia may appear much later.

Sore throat has a negative impact on pregnancy

Complications of sore throat in pregnant women

Sore throat is fraught with the following consequences:

toxicosis;
high risks of glomerulonephritis and myocarditis;
penetration of infection through the placental barrier;
placental abruption;
risk of miscarriage;
intrauterine growth retardation;
defects of the internal organs of the fetus;
weakness of labor.

If you have a sore throat, stay in bed

It is better to try to prevent complications of a sore throat than to treat them later. To do this, you should adhere to the following rules:

bed rest will reduce the risk of complications and speed up the recovery process;
the use of traditional methods is allowed, but alternative medicine alone cannot cure a sore throat: rinsing and traditional methods will help relieve the symptoms a little;
antibiotic therapy is a mandatory element of the treatment process;
drinking plenty of fluids will help cope with intoxication;
hardening, physical exercise, vitamin courses - all this will help strengthen the body's defenses;
careful attitude towards your health and quick response to emerging changes in well-being.

Based on all of the above, a logical conclusion suggests itself: in order to avoid serious complications from the heart, kidneys and joints, you should adhere to simple treatment recommendations. Timely consultation with a doctor, antibiotic therapy, symptomatic treatment - all this will help cure a sore throat in the shortest possible time. If you take good care of your body, avoiding hypothermia, dressing for the weather, then you will reduce the risk of developing the disease. Strong immunity is your body’s protective armor against the penetration of pathogens!

Tonsillitis is scary not in itself, but because of its consequences. It would seem that the symptoms have much in common with ordinary ARVI: the onset of fever, weakness, sore throat, but long after the illness, complications after a sore throat can develop.

They are divided into local and general, but each is very dangerous and threatens human health and sometimes life.

Causes of complications after tonsillitis

The consequences of a sore throat appear for the following reasons:

This is a streptococcal infection. The insidiousness of this microorganism is that it has antigens similar to the cells of the human body. When the immune system goes after these bacteria, it often damages its own cells.
The pathogen itself, without timely destruction, provokes inflammatory processes in tissues. Local signs of the disease appear.
The variety of forms of tonsillitis often makes diagnosing the disease difficult and allows for the possibility of errors.
Sometimes doctors, without conducting adequate diagnostics, prescribe drugs for their own reasons. This action often leads to a deterioration in the patient’s condition: he develops impotence, weakness and other signs of ill health.

The norm of fluid intake is not observed. Patients should drink at least 3 liters of water per day. In addition to fluids, an organism weakened by disease also needs vitamins.
When the causative agent is a type of herpes, it will be difficult to fully recover. The presence of this microorganism requires treatment from the patient in case of exacerbations of a chronic disease.
Drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking during illness weakens a person’s defense system, as does the presence of diseases of somatic origin.
If you do not adhere to bed rest during a sore throat, ignore diagnosis and do not receive timely treatment, forget to do procedures for sanitation of the oral cavity.

Informed people who do everything correctly after the onset of the disease have a good chance of recovering from tonsillitis without complications.

What are the complications of angina?

When tonsillitis just begins, you need to immediately stop the spread of infection at the beginning of the disease, because pathogenic bacteria will multiply and spread through the bloodstream throughout the body. As a result, diseases of varying degrees of severity will arise (this depends on when proper treatment begins).

The consequences of a sore throat can be:

General. Distant signs of ill health are located in organs not directly related to the throat. They arise due to the spread of pathological microflora throughout the body and disrupt the functioning of many organs. Complications can result in one of these diseases: rheumatism, arthritis, blood poisoning, polyarthritis, myocarditis, glomerulonephritis.
Local. Local diseases include those that affect nearby organs, such as the tonsils or larynx. They, compared to general complications, are less dangerous, but still require careful treatment. These are parapharyngeal or retropharyngeal abscesses, otitis, paratonsillitis, swelling of the throat, bleeding in the tonsils.

Each case of complications with angina, like the disease itself, requires proper treatment.

Heart complications

After healing from a sore throat, you need to be especially attentive to yourself and observe whether your health is restored. It is known that in the presence of streptococci, the human body produces antibodies that protect it, but they, in addition to the pathogen, also suppress the proteins of their own body. This most often causes cardiac rheumatism. It manifests itself in adults and elderly people suffering from tonsillitis. Often myocarditis develops because of it. The symptoms of this pathology are as follows:

the occurrence of shortness of breath during movement;
high fever and red throat after a sore throat;
discomfort near the heart;
feeling of weakness in the body;
rapid onset of fatigue during physical activity;
violation of facial expressions, nervous tension is present.

Rheumatism is a disease that leads to serious consequences and even disability. This condition most often occurs in children over 4 years of age and adolescents.

Due to complications of tonsillitis, blood clots sometimes form in the vessels located in the heart.

Sometimes children develop endocarditis when the heart is damaged. Then the child suffers from the presence of edema, thickening of the fingers, fever, and impaired heart function.

Kidney complications

If a sore throat causes a complication on the kidneys, then this may result in:

Development of pyelonephritis. With this disease, there is the presence of an acute inflammatory process that can quickly turn into a chronic one.
Glomerulonephritis, a pathology that is of an immunoinflammatory nature. During its course, the renal glomeruli are affected. Glomerulonephritis can occur as an independent disease, or be a consequence of the presence of systemic diseases.

If your kidneys hurt after a sore throat, what should you do? These diseases can be detected using general blood tests (the number of red blood cells changes) and urine (protein levels increase).

For both ailments, it resolves with elevated temperature, swelling in the legs and face, discomfort in the lower back, and intoxication. Glomerulonephritis as a complication often occurs after a sore throat and goes away on its own without external intervention, but the level of protein in the body is increased, blood pressure indicators creep up, weakness and pain in the head are felt.

Pyelonephritis affects the renal pelvis. Most often one kidney is affected, but it happens that inflammation affects both. Signs of this disease manifest themselves in increased fever, and there is also a frequent urge to urinate, the person feels discomfort in the kidneys, and shudders. Both the first and second diseases require hospital stay and adequate therapy. You need to be wary of the disease turning into a purulent form and causing kidney problems.

Complications on the joints

There are repeated cases when, after a sore throat, a complication occurs in the joints, because a rheumatic process can begin there, because rheumatism is a systemic disease, and it does not stop at damage to the heart. This condition is expressed in swelling of the joints, redness, and discomfort when moving the feet. The nature of the pain is inconsistent, it is wandering.

This condition is called arthritis - swelling occurs in the knees and elbows, and patients suffer from severe pain associated with bending and straightening their arms or legs. Inflamed areas have an increased temperature.

In order to alleviate the manifestations of arthritis, they use external agents in the form of anti-inflammatory ointments and gels, as well as injections. In particularly severe cases, surgical intervention is possible to clean out the internal cavities.

Signs of the disease last a couple of weeks and disappear, but increased sensitivity of the joints remains when weather conditions change. As a result, joint tonsillitis must be treated with medication using physiotherapy.

Local complications of sore throat in adults and children

Everyone needs to know what local complications can be after a sore throat in people of different ages. This is otitis media, which is often provoked. The inflammation is localized in the middle ear and affects the eardrum. His signs are as follows: there is fever, weakness, pain in the ears. The disease contributes to a decrease in hearing acuity or the development of deafness.

In addition to ear problems, there are abscesses and swelling of the throat.

Cellulitis and fiber abscess

Cellulitis or cellulose abscess can appear as a result of purulent or follicular inflammation. These are similar conditions, and the only difference between them is that the first disease does not have pronounced contours, while the second one does.

Both ailments begin with the development of the inflammatory process after the form. Near the tonsils, the cavity is filled with purulent masses. Characteristic signs of complications after tonsillitis in adults, symptoms:

swallowing food becomes problematic due to intense pain;
the temperature rises;
lymph nodes swell;
general exhaustion manifests itself, and eventually breathing becomes heavy.

Treatment is surgical abdominal drainage.

Swelling of the larynx

Swelling of the larynx is, although a rare complication of sore throat in adults, but requires medical intervention. Edema of the larynx is preceded by a change in voice timbre; coughing does not bring results. Then it becomes increasingly difficult to breathe due to increased swelling, and this causes the skin color to take on a blue tint. Difficulty breathing can develop very quickly, so this dangerous condition can cause death.

Complications after purulent sore throat

Purulent inflammation of the throat is already unpleasant in itself, but if you consider that masses of pus can penetrate into the deep tissue layers and cause complications, this makes this disease very dangerous. The development of consequences sometimes occurs gradually, and in other cases with amazing speed. This condition is called paratonsillitis or a complicated form of tonsillitis. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately identify the cause of the ailment; treatment cannot be delayed.

One of the dangerous diseases that occurs after a purulent sore throat is acute fever of rheumatic origin (rheumatism) - it affects a person’s joints, his skin, heart and brain. The features and symptoms of this pathology were described above.

The next disease that can cause purulent inflammation in the throat is streptococcal toxic shock - a multisystem disease with a severe course. This pathology carries a mortal danger because many internal organs are affected after infection enters them.

Its symptoms are:

high body temperature;
muscle pain;
cramps in the stomach;
a sharp drop in pressure;
presence of tachycardia;
dizziness and fainting;
redness of the skin.

If streptococcal toxic shock occurs, you need to call an ambulance quickly, because pathological changes develop in the cardiovascular, respiratory and excretory systems.

Features of complications in children

The nature of complications of angina in children is different than in adults, differing both in severity and manifestation of diseases:

otitis, which can turn into labyrinthitis;
sinusitis and sinusitis;
purulent lymphadenitis;
scarlet fever;
with a cough reflex, bleeding of the vascular walls is possible due to a sore throat of necrotic origin;

rheumatism, often turning into endocarditis or rheumatic carditis;
swelling of the larynx with the possible development of stenosis that can block the flow of air;
pleurisy, rheumochorea as a consequence of rheumatism;
cutaneous form of rheumatic manifestations in the form of nodes under the skin;
retropharyngeal abscess.

The age at which the risk of severe complications after a sore throat increases is the time period from 4 to 8 years. The reason for this lies in the lack of a fully developed immune system. The formation of systems and organs is also in the development stage. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, the child should be examined by a pediatrician.

Features of the course of swelling of the larynx in the ultra-rapid development of swelling, there is a high probability of stenosis.

The signs of endocarditis are similar to the symptoms of cardiac dysfunction. The only difference between them is that the feeling of pain in the heart with endocarditis appears later.

In children, tonsillitis more often leads to bleeding on the tonsils than in adults, due to the small thickness of the vascular walls.

How to prevent complications

Complications in acute and chronic angina are prevented by timely diagnosis and immediately begin a course of therapy, treatment is prescribed by an otolaryngologist or pediatrician (therapist).

There are the following methods to prevent sore throat:

In addition to the prescribed antibacterial agents, it is also necessary to irrigate the sore throat with Furacilin.
It is imperative to adhere to bed rest until complete recovery.
Do not overcool, have only light physical activity, maintain psychological balance. It is necessary to carefully take care of yourself for at least a month after curing a sore throat.
During the acute period, you should drink fluids in increased quantities.
Healthy people undergo hardening procedures and enrich the body with vitamins.
It is necessary to avoid contact with people suffering from tonsillitis and acute respiratory infections.

How to properly treat a sore throat

Tonsillitis is an insidious disease, and its treatment must be comprehensive. Antibiotics for sore throat must be prescribed by a doctor. In addition, you need means to relieve symptoms: an antipyretic drug, antiseptics for rinsing and lubricating the sore throat. If shortness of breath occurs, the person is given an antiallergic medication.

If you follow all the doctor’s instructions, maintain bed rest and drink water, the patient has a good chance of curing his sore throat and subsequently avoiding complications.

On days 4-6, the abscess may spontaneously open, pus will flow into the nasopharynx, and the patient’s condition will improve. However, if a breakthrough of purulent contents occurs on the other side, purulent leakage will occur in the parapharyngeal space. In this case, parapharyngitis develops, a very serious complication.

When examining the pharynx, a large bulge in the shape of a ball in the tonsil area, displacement of the uvula, pronounced swelling of the tonsils, arches, and soft palate are visible. In some localizations of the process, its external signs are not clearly expressed.

In the first days of paratonsillitis, conservative treatment is carried out: anti-inflammatory, painkillers, etc. are prescribed. The formation of a paratonsillar abscess is an indication for urgent surgery: opening and draining (cleaning) the abscess. If the patient has already had abscesses, has chronic tonsillitis, or frequent sore throats, he is offered to remove the affected tonsils and remove the source of chronic inflammation. The condition of patients after surgery returns to normal much faster than after a conventional opening of paratonsillitis.

Retropharyngeal abscess

This complication occurs most often in children. It is an inflammation with the formation of pus, localized in the loose fiber of the retropharyngeal space. Such fiber is especially developed in children under 4 years of age, and then gradually disappears.

The first symptoms of the disease after a sore throat are a deterioration in the child’s condition, refusal to eat, an increasing sore throat, and a new wave of fever. If the abscess is located behind the nasopharynx, a nasal sound appears. If the focus is located lower, it is manifested by a hoarse voice, difficulty breathing, suffocation, which threatens the life of the child.

A retropharyngeal abscess should be opened immediately in a medical facility. After surgery, antibiotics, antiseptic rinses, and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

In case of sudden suffocation, it is necessary to perform a tracheotomy as soon as possible - a dissection of the trachea, allowing the child to breathe.

Other local complications

Acute otitis (inflammation of the middle ear) develops especially often in young children. It manifests itself as pain in the ear, discharge from it, and hearing loss. The child is worried, cries, turns his head, and tries to “drown” the sore ear into the pillow. Treatment for this complication includes antibiotics and corticosteroids, primarily in the form of ear drops. Antihistamines and dry heat are prescribed. If otitis media is not recognized in a timely manner, perforation of the eardrum and persistent hearing loss may occur in children.

Acute laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) develops mainly in adolescents. It manifests itself as dryness, soreness in the throat, and a painful dry cough. The voice becomes hoarse or disappears completely. Then the cough turns into a wet one, first light and then purulent sputum is released. For treatment, antibiotics, antitussives, distraction methods (mustard plasters, etc.) are used. If treatment is not sufficiently effective, acute laryngitis can become chronic.

Cervical lymphadenitis is inflammation of the lymph nodes located in the neck. They retain and cleanse the lymph coming from the pharynx. Normally, lymph nodes with angina necessarily enlarge, but when they become inflamed, they become painful, making it difficult to move in the neck. The progression of the process is accompanied by purulent melting of the lymph nodes with the formation of abscesses and phlegmons. In this case, severe fever, severe pain in the neck, redness and swelling of the skin over the nodes appear. Cervical lymphadenitis must be treated with antibiotics, and in severe cases, surgically.

General complications

These diseases are most often caused by streptococcal infection and appear some time (usually about a month) after recovery from a sore throat. Their appearance is associated with the infectious-allergic nature of sore throat. When streptococci invade, the body produces a large number of antibodies that form complexes with the antigens of these microbes. Circulating complexes settle in some tissues that have some similarity of their proteins with streptococcal antigens, and cause the development of inflammation in them, that is, a protective reaction of the body directed not against microbes, but against its own cells.

Rheumatic carditis occurs most often and poses a great health hazard. Another serious complication is. Other late complications of angina often develop:

infectious polyarthritis;
pyelonephritis;
appendicitis;
sepsis;
tonsillogenic mediastinitis.

Rheumatic carditis

In the mid-twentieth century, rheumatic heart disease after tonsillitis occurred in many people. Currently, the frequency of this complication has decreased somewhat, but it is still relevant.

Rheumatic carditis is more often recorded in children of primary and secondary school age. This is a manifestation of a systemic disease caused by streptococcal infection. In mild cases, the disease does not manifest itself in any way. In more severe cases, patients are worried about palpitations, pain in the heart area without connection with the load, suffocation in a lying position,. Rheumatic carditis, regardless of its severity, leads to the formation.

Glomerulonephritis

This complication most often occurs in children aged 5 to 9 years. 1.5-2 months after recovery from a sore throat, children become lethargic and their performance at school decreases. The classic clinical picture then develops, including swelling, increased blood pressure and changes in urine. Treatment of the disease is quite lengthy, but in most cases the disease ends in recovery. Only one child out of 100 cases subsequently develops it.

Other complications

Systemic complications of angina can be associated with the spread of microbes through the vascular bed and their sedimentation in various organs. Inflammation occurs there, which may not appear at first, but comes to the fore after recovery. The lungs, appendix, mediastinum, joints, and renal pelvis may be affected. In severe cases, general “blood poisoning” and sepsis develop. All these complications have characteristic symptoms that are well known to doctors.

Prevention of complications

How to prevent the development of complications of angina or reduce their consequences.

Sore throat is a rather unpleasant disease that can put any restless child or strong man to bed. And what a relief a person experiences when the temperature drops, the symptoms of severe malaise disappear, and the throat stops hurting. However, it is unlikely that many people know that the danger lies not in the disease itself, but in complications after a sore throat. It is the complications that scare tonsillitis: the consequences of tonsillitis can appear 2-3 days after complete recovery and completion of the antibacterial course, some of them manifest themselves two or even three weeks after the illness.

All complications after tonsillitis can be divided into 2 groups: general and local. Their appearance depends on the correctness and timeliness of the treatment, the reactivity of the immune system, the general state of health and the presence of certain pathologies of organs and systems. As with other infectious diseases, complications usually affect the most vulnerable and weak organs, the inflammatory processes of which will certainly be in the patient's medical history. However, the impact of complications after a sore throat in children, and even in adults, can be completely unexpected.

Local complications: target - nearby organs

More serious general reactions may begin with local consequences after a sore throat. That is why during the recovery period you should carefully monitor the throat and the condition of nearby organs.

Ear infection

Otitis media tops the list of complications after tonsillitis in children. An infection from the throat through the Eustachian tube (the canal connecting the pharynx and middle ear) enters the ear with a strong cough. Otitis media can begin both in the midst of the disease and during the recovery period. However, shooting pains in the ear with a clear clinical picture of tonsillitis are not always a sign of incipient otitis.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes

Lymphadenitis, an enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes, is observed with any form of tonsillitis. However, the inflammatory process in the lymphatic system can spread to the cervical and subclavian areas. Typically, lymphadenitis is treated conservatively, but suppuration of the lymph nodes is a direct path to the surgeon’s operating table.

Chronic tonsillitis

Severe tonsillitis or frequent cases of this disease can lead to the formation of chronic tonsillitis (enlargement of tonsil tissue). Depending on the degree of tonsil proliferation, the doctor chooses conservative or surgical treatment.

Laryngeal edema

A fairly rare complication after a sore throat, but very dangerous and requiring immediate action. With the catarrhal form of tonsillitis, it is unlikely. Severe swelling of the tonsils can spread to the entrance to the larynx with subsequent involvement of the vocal cords.

Attention: Rapidly developing difficulty breathing with this disease indicates the spread of edema to the larynx and a threat to life!

Abscesses

The appearance of a focus of suppuration on the back wall of the pharynx (retropharyngeal abscess) is observed in children less than 5-6 years old. Only babies have lymph nodes in this area, which then disappear. Local consequences of tonsillitis in adults can manifest as a paratonsillar abscess, when suppuration spreads to the tissue of the neck, extending beyond the tonsils. An even more serious complication is mediastinitis - involvement of the deep parts of the neck in the inflammatory process; pus can descend to the mediastinum.

Common complications: a sore throat strikes unexpectedly

Local consequences after a sore throat are not so terrible in comparison with the harm tonsillitis can cause to the body as a whole. The following may be at risk for tonsillitis:

heart;
kidneys;
joints;
brain;
the whole body (sepsis).

Heart is at risk

Complications on the heart after a sore throat often make themselves felt 2-3 weeks after apparent cure. During illness, the body begins to produce antibodies that can neutralize the pathogen. Sometimes they can target cells in their own body, starting to destroy connective tissue proteins. This autoimmune process is called rheumatism. The disease usually accompanies patients with chronic tonsillitis, but in 10% of cases, rheumatism appears after a single case of this disease. A rheumatic complication of the heart after a sore throat can result in acquired heart valve defects, which develop over 3 months to 1 year.

Pain in the heart, arrhythmia, cyanosis and swelling of the extremities, and shortness of breath that appear after tonsillitis are signs of the onset of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle. Severe myocarditis is characterized by fever, heart murmurs, and arrhythmia. Against this background, the development of thromboembolism is possible.

SOS: joints hurt after a sore throat

Rheumatism does not stop with damage to the connective tissue of the heart. The second, no less important sign of rheumatic complications after tonsillitis in adults and children is damage to the joints.

Rheumatism of the joints:

swelling, redness, wandering pain in the joints;
large symmetrical joints (knees, elbows, etc.) are damaged in waves;
fever.

Septic arthritis
An extremely rare complication characterized by the detection of bacteria in the damaged joint. It occurs only when patients with tonsillitis refuse antibiotics.

Is sore throat bad for the kidneys?

The kidneys are the second organ after the heart that are most susceptible to consequences after tonsillitis in adults. 1-2 weeks after tonsillitis, pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidney tissue) or glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidneys) may begin. Glomerulonephritis after this disease is extremely rare. A high temperature that does not respond to conventional antipyretics, back pain, severe intoxication may indicate the onset of inflammation in the kidneys. The most dangerous is the transition of the disease to the purulent stage and the development of renal failure.

Meningitis after a sore throat: rare, but accurate

It is extremely rare that in children and people with weakened immune systems, local complications such as peritonsillar abscess can lead to the spread of infection through the blood to the brain. Meningitis, characterized by inflammation of the meninges, is clinically manifested by severe weakness, pallor and swelling of the skin, shortness of breath, severe headaches, and high fever. A distinctive sign of meningitis is a bluish rim around the lips. Suspicion of meningitis is a serious reason to call a doctor.

Tonsillogenic sepsis

Perhaps the most life-threatening consequence after a sore throat. Acute sepsis awaits the patient from the first day of tonsillitis; such a complication is possible even with the catarrhal form of the disease. When the infection spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body, the patient’s condition sharply worsens, and the tonsils are almost completely saturated with pus.

Specifics of complications of the disease in children

A child’s body reacts in its own way to various diseases, so complications after a sore throat in children can differ radically from the clinical picture in adults, not only in severity, but also in specific manifestations. Otitis media and retropharyngeal abscess described above are not the only possible consequences of tonsillitis for a small organism.

Scarlet fever

The course of streptococcal tonsillitis can be complicated by scarlet fever. Since most adults suffered this infection in childhood, this complication most often occurs at 4-8 years of age. This is also due to the fact that children have not yet developed antibodies to hemolytic streptococcus, which causes scarlet fever.

Bleeding tonsils

Weakness of the vascular walls in a child, combined with inflammation of the tonsils, can cause bleeding of varying intensity. Intensified cough only aggravates the picture, so if bleeding is detected, an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary. Bleeding, as a complication of angina in adults, is extremely rare, either in old age, when the walls of blood vessels are too fragile, or in weakened patients.

Endocarditis

A rheumatic complication of the heart after a sore throat in children is often endocarditis, which affects the internal layers of the heart. Gradually, the baby develops swelling, the phalanges of the fingers thicken, and the temperature rises to high values.

Attention: If a child has endocarditis, there are all signs of heart failure and bleeding is possible. However, heart pain may appear much later than other symptoms.

Why is tonsillitis dangerous for a pregnant woman?

Every expectant mother asks the question: can the consequences of the disease affect the unborn child? A woman who has contracted the disease may not yet know that she is carrying a baby. The risk of tonsillitis complications in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy does not exceed the usual risk level. Since the female body has not yet had time to rebuild itself, antibiotics will cope with the disease without causing harm to the fetus.

Getting a sore throat at a later date is fraught with serious consequences for both the woman and her unborn baby:

increased toxicosis;
increased risk of myocarditis, glomerulonephritis;
the possibility of infection entering the fetus through the placental barrier;
due to high temperature, placental abruption and the threat of miscarriage are likely;
delayed fetal development, formation of organ malformations;
weakness of labor contractions.

Important: The consequences of sore throat during pregnancy, the possibility of their occurrence and severity directly depend on proper treatment. A woman's body, weakened by pregnancy, can react to tonsillitis in the most serious way: heart or kidney failure. There is also a risk of fetal malformations.

How to avoid complications of the disease?

The list of serious complications of tonsillitis is impressive and can cause panic. However, all these terrible consequences can be easily avoided by following a few simple rules:

You shouldn’t rely on your strong body and endure a sore throat on your feet. Bed rest will significantly reduce the risk of complications and allow you to recover faster.
Antibiotics for sore throat are required! The course should not be stopped before the time prescribed by the doctor. Treatment exclusively with rinses and traditional methods may not be sufficient. These methods, although effective, play the role of symptomatic treatment, and do not fight the actual causative agent of the disease.
Drinking plenty of fluids reduces the symptoms of general intoxication and reduces the harmful effects on the body.
Strengthening the body with hardening, vitamin courses and physical exercise makes it easier to endure the disease and avoid the consequences of tonsillitis.
Particular attention to your body’s signals not only during throat diseases, but also during the recovery period gives you a chance to quickly respond to any changes.
You need to take care of yourself equally during acute tonsillitis and after it. Repeated colds can be severe and have inevitable complications.

If you have a sore throat, you should not rely on your competence and try to get rid of the disease without taking antibiotics. Only correctly and, most importantly, timely prescribed in combination with other methods will not leave a chance for any complications after a sore throat.

Complications of tonsillitis are dangerous and lead to serious consequences for the patient’s health. Severe conditions require observation by the attending physician, and sometimes immediate hospitalization is necessary if a person’s health worsens. Clinical symptoms can easily be confused with common infections. Advanced conditions after infection will cause more harm than timely antibiotic therapy.

Complications after tonsillitis in adults often occur due to incorrect or delayed therapy. The causes of acute conditions can be inflammation in internal organs, chronic diseases, infections, and injuries. Tonsillitis develops when accumulations of food debris form in the folds of the tonsils, and this in turn provokes the appearance of clinical symptoms: redness of the larynx, sore throat, plaque formation on the tongue and palate.

Complications after a sore throat and its symptoms can be prevented with simple treatment methods if you follow the basic rules of a healthy lifestyle. People often violate the forbidden principles of therapy against sore throat:

Smoking and alcohol are completely excluded. Tobacco smoke and ethanol molecules will subsequently do nothing good for the laryngeal mucosa. It is better to avoid treatment with pepper and wine - there is no benefit in this, but the harm has been proven by practical examples.
The body's water and vitamin balance is not maintained. Patients are required to drink more than 3 liters of clean liquid per day. In addition, it is recommended to use warm compotes and fruit drinks made from fresh berries and fruits.
The sore throat itself and its consequences often lead to serious conditions in the body if the disease is tolerated “on the legs.” The person continues to work physically, train, and walk down the street. The entire inflammatory period should be spent in bed under the supervision of loved ones.
If the suppuration in the larynx is not removed, the patient will experience deterioration in health from an infection that has descended into the lungs and stomach through the esophagus. Fungi and plaque should be removed immediately with rinsing solutions or a cotton swab soaked in an antiviral and antibacterial agent.
Antibiotics become the only remedy that kills internal infection. But sore throat and its symptoms will not disappear after one drug therapy. You will need to gargle, wipe the body from high fever, and apply compresses. Often people choose one of the listed methods.

The difficulty of treating angina and its manifestations lies in the severe course of the inflammatory process. It is recommended to determine the cause of the illness based on the results of laboratory tests to avoid confusion with other diseases. A red throat occurs after poisoning with chemical vapors, infection, or the result of rotavirus spread. Each case has its own approach to restoring immunity; symptoms are eliminated using established treatment regimens.

Types of inflammation of the respiratory system

To understand why angina is dangerous, you need to understand what types of its manifestations there are. Depending on the specific source of infection or virus, doctors select the main stages of treatment. It is necessary to distinguish between the direct effect of bacteria on the human larynx, referred to as local symptoms of the disease, and the result of an internal inflammatory process. In the latter case, the symptoms are often confused and they begin to carry out therapy based on their own considerations. This only makes the situation worse.

Streptococcal or follicular tonsillitis is widespread. Doctors often do not bother to begin classifying the disease, but prescribe medications based on external signs. All types of throat inflammation are well treated with generally accepted regimens, but it would not be superfluous to obtain information about the cause of the ailment. Such measures will help to avoid a recurrence of the unpleasant situation and carry out preventive treatment.

If you have a viral infection, such as a type of herpes, it will be difficult to get rid of it completely. But the information obtained from blood tests will help you adjust your future life in accordance with the chronic disease. If inflammation is detected in a child, a red throat is observed with ailments such as scarlet fever or measles. Therefore, it can be dangerous to carry out your own therapy; it causes complications with angina.

Results of advanced disease

The consequences of angina are divided according to the area of action on the body:

Directly on the tonsils or larynx.
Long-term symptoms of malaise in the internal organs, as a result of bacterial spread throughout the body.

The first group includes:

Peritonsillitis.
Abscess of the upper respiratory organs can be parapharyngeal or retropharyngeal.

The second group includes:

Glomerulonephritis.
Rheumatism.
Sepsis.
Arthritis.

The symptoms of each complication are different. By simply observing a sick person, you can understand the onset of serious conditions and help him in time. They begin to treat a sore throat at its first manifestations, not forgetting to adjust the therapy according to the consequences.

If complications are not treated, you can even become disabled. Therefore, when it comes to children and the elderly, they consult a doctor at the clinic in order to foresee all possible negative outcomes of the disease.

Medicines are selected individually, taking into account their compatibility.

Even in a mild form of sore throat, unforeseen consequences can occur. These include renal pyelonephritis. A rather dangerous complication that leads to long-term sick leave. Organ failure grows under the influence of bacteria and viruses spread from the throat by the lymphatic system throughout the body.

Description of purulent local inflammation of the tonsil

Here are the typical outcomes of the disease, what complications there are after a sore throat. Suppuration of the tonsils often occurs with penetration into the deep layers of tissue. This condition is called paratonsillitis, as a case of a complicated form of tonsillitis.

Rarely both sides are affected, so swelling occurs in one of the tonsils. The following symptoms of inflammation are observed:

uneven narrowing of the lumen of the larynx, which makes it difficult to eat;
pain and swelling make it difficult to swallow even saliva;
when palpating the neck, the patient emits an involuntary cry of pain;
high temperature does not subside;
a swollen neck makes it difficult to turn your head, discomfort appears when the body is stationary;
There is a radiating pain with false localization, the ear may ache, or a tooth may ache;
symptoms intensify after 3 days, a serious complication occurs, called an abscess.

The last stage of the consequences of developed tonsillitis with paratonsillitis occurs with the development of a purulent focus under the mucosa.

It is important to start treatment with potent antibiotics on time. Antibacterial agents help reduce the toxic component, the kidneys and liver perform cleansing functions. Therefore, the body is supplied with enough water per day.

Otolaryngologists know better how to avoid complications after a sore throat. Treatment is prescribed according to the stage of a person’s illness. Swelling needs to be removed with a dropper; it relieves pain and a lump in the throat. The condition is also alleviated by saturating the blood with fluid. At the same time, vitamins and an antipyretic are added. The concentration of toxic substances is reduced.

Extensive suppuration must be prevented surgically by opening the internal areas of the tonsils with a scalpel. If constant relapses of the abscess are observed, the affected tissue will be removed along with the bacterial contents in order to prevent the next growth of harmful microorganisms.

An abscess is distinguished by a parapharyngeal abscess, which is a consequence of paratonsillitis (tonsillitis). Not only the tonsil becomes inflamed, the bacterial environment invades muscle tissue and lymph nodes. Through the latter, infection of the entire body begins through the ducts connecting the entire body.

A retropharyngeal abscess is distinguished by the area of damage to the larynx - pus forms in the retropharyngeal tissue. The child's body is prone to this complication. This occurs due to the still developing body with soft tissue in the throat.

Types of distant lesions due to inflammation

Complications may be far from the area of sore throat. The result of acute tonsillitis is rheumatism, which is more common in adults and the elderly. The heart muscle suffers - the disease is called rheumatic carditis. Symptoms of the painful condition are:

general weakness of the body;
fatigue when performing physical exercises, shortness of breath appears when walking;
persistently high temperature after the redness of the throat and the sore throat disappear;
there is stiffness and pain in the heart area;
external manifestations include: disturbed facial expressions, difficulty performing precise movements - writing, increasing nervous tension.

If a sore throat develops, a complication will certainly occur. Its degree will depend on many factors: the state of immunity, the person’s age, nutrition. Thus, frequent consequences of tonsillitis are joint pain, broken bones, and ailments in the lumbar region due to impaired kidney function. Sore throat provokes the development of thrombosis in women, which can be prevented by thinning the blood in time.

Acute sore throat leads to the development of swelling of the legs, face, and other parts of the body. The disease glomerulonephritis is a common complication that goes away after a few days without additional help. However, this brings discomfort to everyday life. Due to increased protein in the body, blood pressure increases, which makes a person feel weak and have a headache.

Diagnosis of glomerulonephritis is carried out by analyzing urine and blood. In the first, an increased concentration of proteins is found, in the second, the level of red blood cells changes. Complications on the kidneys after a sore throat also occur due to the side effects of antibiotics. Symptoms persist until the main substance of the drug leaves the body.

The result of sore throat is developed arthritis - a disease of the joints. Severe swelling forms in the area of the knees and elbows. Patients often complain of acute pain when extending or bending the arm. The site of inflammation becomes hot, which can be determined by palpation. The complication can be eliminated with local anti-inflammatory drugs: ointments, gels, injections. Surgical cleaning of the internal cavity is rarely carried out.

The cause of sepsis is tonsillitis, the consequences in adults are expressed as a severe complication of a purulent nature. This disease is formed due to the fact that suppuration enters the bloodstream. The infection begins to circulate throughout the body, lingering in the most unpredictable places.

In order to help the patient, a general cleansing of the body is required. Treat inflammation with antibiotics and a drip in a hospital. Neglected cases often result in death.

How to avoid developing other diseases?

Sore throat needs to be completely cured. Consequences inevitably occur in people who are not careful about their bodies. When you spend a period of high body temperature on your feet, your heart suffers first. It becomes weak, and irreparable loss of performance may occur.

Do not be in close contact with a sick person.
Protect the body from cold weather and slush. Even in summer, sore throat appears in people with reduced protective function of the body.
They monitor their immunity level: take vitamins, choose fruit instead of a sweet bun with sprinkles. They try to exclude smoked meats, fatty foods rich in carbohydrates.
It is recommended to coordinate physical activity with your doctor. Not everyone will benefit from weightlifting.
Allergens are excluded in consultation with an allergist. Sore throat is often provoked due to a constant runny nose. It also occurs as a negative reaction to food, chemicals or polluted air.

For angina, strictly adhere to the prescribed therapy. During the treatment period, drink only warm drinks and food. Ice cream and alcohol are on the list of prohibited substances. Gargling is the main method of fighting bacteria in the larynx. Internal infection is killed with antibiotics; they are also used during prophylaxis in lower doses.

Your own measures in the fight against sore throat work until the body weakens. Often people find that they cannot cope with inflammation at home. Sore throat prevents you from sleeping, eating, or carrying out therapy in bed. Such conditions require urgent medical attention. Treatment will continue in the hospital.

It is periodically recommended to support the body with folk recipes. Among which there are substances: honey, garlic, onions, herbs. These are the main ingredients against sore throat on every table in the autumn-winter period. On an empty stomach, important microelements are replenished by drinking a mixture of honey and a spoon of olive oil. This product is both tasty and healthy.

If you can combine the prevention of sore throat with other positive options for the fight, the effect will only increase. Thus, immunity is preserved by periodically going to the bathhouse, attending physiotherapy for the respiratory system, and participating in athletics. You need to follow sanitary and hygienic standards and the rules of a healthy lifestyle, then the body will cope with any infection on its own.