infectious laryngitis. Is laryngitis contagious and how is it transmitted? What is laryngitis

Laryngitis is an acute or chronic disease in which an inflammatory process develops in the mucous membrane of the larynx and edema of the vocal cords occurs. How laryngitis is transmitted is well known to physicians.

The routes of infection are similar to other bacterial and viral infections, the symptoms of which are often similar to the manifestations of the disease. This usually raises the question of whether laryngitis is contagious.

The inflammation may go away within a few days or last up to 2 weeks.

Laryngitis is contagious or not, depending on what caused the pathology. If the disease is viral or bacterial nature, then it can be transmitted from the patient by airborne droplets.

If the inflammation arose due to irritation of the throat, then it is impossible to get infected.

Features of the disease in adults

In adults, the problem is more common than in children, especially in people who, due to work, are forced long time load the vocal cords. The main causes of the pathology are as follows:

• viral diseases that are transmitted by airborne droplets;
• vocal cord overload;
• severe hypothermia of the body;
• throat burn;
• throat injury.

The presence of such provoking factors significantly increases the likelihood of the onset of the disease:

• smoking;
• alcohol abuse;
• work on harmful production, in which there is a constant inhalation of substances that irritate the mucous membrane of the pharynx;
• deviated nasal septum;
• regular stay in public transport at the time of maximum passenger traffic.

Thus, almost all adults have certain disease-provoking factors.

Laryngitis due to allergies

Allergic laryngitis does not pose a danger to others, as it is not contagious. The symptomatology of inflammation in this case is clearly expressed and greatly annoys the patient. To provoke the appearance of this form of the disease can:

• dust;
• chemical substances;
• various production emissions;
• pollen;
• wool;
• Food.

When allergic form disease, there is a pronounced decrease in local immunity. Therefore, it is often added to the allergic bacterial form pathology.

In this case, laryngitis is contagious to others, but only because of the development infectious form.

Laryngitis as a reaction to medication

A reaction to the use of sprays to treat a sore throat can lead to a problem. Most often, this phenomenon is observed in children.

After the throat has been treated with a drug that is sprayed onto the mucous membrane, its particles can be perceived by the body as foreign objects. In this case, he will respond to them with the development of an inflammatory process.

Most often, this phenomenon is observed when funds intended for adult patients are used to treat a child. Additionally, it also irritates the mucous membranes and the spray, which is supplied under great pressure.

Such a seemingly insignificant blow can cause inflammation.

Laryngitis and emotional distress

For this reason, the disease may appear in small child and in an adult with an overly excitable nervous system.

Against the background of an emotional outburst, spasm of the vocal cords occurs, due to which they become inflamed, and the disease develops. Such laryngitis is not contagious. It is extremely rarely accompanied by a bacterial infection.

Laryngitis and genetic predisposition

A number of individuals have a genetic predisposition to the disease, in which the throat is rather weak. Therefore, due to his frequent inflammatory diseases there is a violation of the state of the vocal cords, leading to the appearance of laryngitis.

Infectious laryngitis

A disease that is bacterial, fungal or viral nature, is infectious and contagious. In such situations, laryngitis is transmitted by airborne droplets, and therefore the patient must be isolated from communication with other people.

After the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease, isolation continues for as long as there are still days to catch the disease - usually 2-3 days.

Is viral laryngitis contagious in adults and children

Viral forms of the disease are infectious equally in children and adults. Antibiotics needed for bacterial disease are useless against viruses. Viral infections are treated antiviral agents rather than antibacterial.

If the patient needs to communicate with healthy people, in order not to infect them, he must wear a protective mask.

Is bacterial laryngitis contagious?

Bacterial forms of the disease are contagious and easily transmitted from sick to healthy. Such laryngitis is quite common and often occurs against the background of non-contagious form illness. Fighting pathogenic bacteria carried out with antibiotics.

To establish the causative agent of the disease, a swab is taken from the pharynx. This allows the patient to prescribe the most effective drugs.

The causative agents of the disease are released by the patient when coughing and sneezing, when tiny droplets of saliva are in the air. Is it possible to catch laryngitis from a sick person, largely depends on his accuracy.

Often the bacterial form of the disease occurs in children's groups, when it is worth getting sick alone and an epidemic immediately breaks out. Because of this, a child who has been diagnosed with a pathology should remain at home until complete recovery.

Drawing conclusions

Laryngitis, which is a very common condition, may or may not be contagious depending on its nature. The patient cannot independently identify what caused the disease and how dangerous it is for others.

Only a doctor can give him correct diagnosis and determine if infectious laryngitis is present. Before the features of the disease are clarified, it is necessary to use a protective bandage so as not to transmit the infection (if present) to others.

Features of the disease, unlike other diseases of the throat, is that laryngitis causes an inflammatory process not only in the mucosa, but also vocal cords. Because of this, when acute form or exacerbation of chronic immediately there is a change in voice, up to its complete disappearance.

Laryngitis is acute inflammation larynx, in which there is irritation of the vocal cords and loss of voice. Often in children, laryngitis begins suddenly - with sharp increase temperature and an asthma attack, which shocks both the child and the mother. There can be many reasons for the development of the disease. Hence the difference in nature this disease. That is why the answer to the question of whether laryngitis is contagious cannot be unambiguous.

First, let's briefly list the main symptoms of laryngitis. Among them:

• A sharp deterioration in well-being, an increase in body temperature to 37.5 - 39.5 ˚С;
• Acute sore throat;
• Increased concentration of leukocytes in the blood;
• Rude, hoarse voice, dryness and sore throat;
• Dry cough that becomes loose in a few days;
• Attacks of suffocation, which especially frighten young children.

In this case, laryngitis can be acute and chronic. Acute laryngitis is independent disease, developing due to tension of the vocal cords or hypothermia. Inflammation covers the entire mucosa of the larynx, the walls of the subvocal cavity, the epiglottis or vocal folds. Total duration illness - 14 days.

Chronic laryngitis develops as. Inflammation covers not only the pharynx, but also the nasal cavity.

As mentioned above, the causes of the development of the disease can be very different. But it depends on the nature of the occurrence of this disease whether a sick person is contagious to others.

Laryngitis due to allergies

Allergies often cause allergies in both adults and children. For example, paints, varnishes, animal feed and wool, pollen and Poplar fluff, getting on the mucous membrane of the larynx, cause irritation and acute allergic reaction. As a result, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, and the sick person begins to suffer from coughing and shortness of breath. Is allergic laryngitis contagious to others? Not! Such a disease is completely safe for other people, but poses a threat to the sick person himself.

Laryngitis as a reaction to medication

Few parents know that for children under 3 years of age, any sprays for the throat and nose can only be used with extreme caution. At the same time, pediatricians tend to treat acute respiratory infections with just such drugs. Oracept, Ingalipt, Salin, Larinal and others are especially popular. However, they can become a direct cause of development. The child's body tries its best to protect Airways from the penetration of foreign particles. And the jet of drugs hits with force back wall nasopharynx, which is saturated with nerve endings. This effect causes a sharp spasm of the vocal cords and their inflammation. Hence the laryngitis. Is it possible to get this kind of laryngitis? No. The disease of this origin is not dangerous for others, but gives the child a lot of trouble.

Laryngitis and emotional distress

Often, attacks of acute laryngitis are accompanied by strong emotional upheavals. This phenomenon is especially common in children. younger age. Psychological trauma causes a spasm of the vocal cords, since the child's psyche is still mobile and the child's emotional response to external events is stronger and more pronounced. Is such laryngitis contagious in children? No.

Laryngitis and genetic predisposition

Some babies have a congenital predisposition to laryngitis. This is primarily due to the peculiarity of the mother's diet during pregnancy. If, while carrying a child, the mother abused carbohydrate and fatty foods, her baby has a tendency to acute respiratory diseases. The same situation is observed in cases where during pregnancy the mother suffered an infectious disease or her age exceeds 35 years. A disease of this kind is not dangerous to others, does not require special treatment.

It is enough to conduct a course of immunostimulating therapy and physiotherapy procedures with the child to restore the mucous membrane of the larynx.

Laryngitis is an acute or chronic inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the larynx, characterized by:

1. sore or sore throat
2. hoarseness or aphonia (loss of voice)
3. difficulty swallowing
4. cough, first dry, then with sputum

Additional symptoms: fever, runny nose, inflammation of the ears or tonsils.

The incubation period can last up to several days, and it is during this period that the patient poses the greatest threat to others, since the disease is transmitted through the air. But more often than not, infectious process actively progresses, causing the onset of symptoms within a few hours.

Features of the disease in adults

Causes of laryngitis in adults:

1. Infectious diseases transmitted by airborne droplets.
2. Hypothermia or overexertion of the vocal cords. Is occupational disease singers, vocalists and teachers.
3. Mechanical injury or burn of the larynx.

Also, smoking contributes to the development of the disease, harmful conditions labor, deviated septum. All this lowers the level defense mechanisms human, and increases the likelihood of infection from surrounding carriers of the infection.

Causes of the disease in children

A common cause that provokes the development of childhood laryngitis is reduced immunity, against which the laryngeal mucosa is easily infected with viruses and bacteria. Less often, it can be caused by an allergy, expressed in the form exudative diathesis, rickets, diabetes, beriberi, vegetovascular dystonia.

Laryngitis in children may accompany infectious diseases:

• scarlet fever
• herpes
• flu

As a result of the disease, severe intoxication of the body occurs, accompanied by dehydration, vomiting, shortness of breath, nosebleeds.

Features of laryngitis in children

This disease can be quite dangerous for young children, as swelling of the larynx can provoke respiratory arrest. Many parents are interested in whether laryngitis is contagious or not, and how to determine it.

A characteristic feature of the disease is sharp and significant voice changes caused by narrowing of the glottis due to swelling of the larynx and bouts of painful suffocating cough, during which baby breath often becomes intermittent and whistling, and the skin around the lips and nose is cyanotic. Attacks occur at night, and last about half an hour. Recurrence of seizures requires hospitalization and hospital treatment diseases, since delay leads to the development of a false croup.

Is laryngitis contagious?

Laryngitis caused by an infection is a contagious disease and is transmitted by airborne droplets, so it is better to limit the contact of healthy children with the sick. It is especially dangerous for children under 4 years old, because due to the larynx not fully formed, it provokes severe edema that can lead to suffocation.

Allergic laryngitis is not transmitted to others, as its symptoms are caused by exposure to allergens: food, household and natural irritants, industrial pollution. Treatment of the disease in children under 2 years of age is carried out permanently.

Diagnosis and complications

Only a doctor is able to correctly diagnose the disease, having examined and interviewed the patient, as well as having familiarized himself with the results of his tests.
Most often, the disease of laryngitis in adults occurs in an invested form. Sometimes the disease becomes chronic form or leads to bronchopneumonia or laryngotracheobronchitis. It is considered especially dangerous when laryngitis becomes atrophic or hypertrophic.
In children serious complication is considered when the ailment passes into a serious stenosing form or development malignant form laryngotracheobronchitis, which can be fatal.

Features of treatment

During the period of illness, at the appointment conservative treatment, the patient needs to provide:

• Bed rest
• Voice rest
• sparing diet
• Plentiful alkaline drink
• Regular airing

For treatment, you can use drugs prescribed by a doctor:

1. Antibiotics
2. Antivirals
3. Antipyretic
4. Local remedies for sore throat
5. Antitussive or expectorant drugs
6. Antihistamines

Except medications children can be given warm milk with soda, heated mineral water. And also, to relieve spasm of the larynx, you can periodically press on the root of the tongue with a clean teaspoon, causing vomiting reflex and thereby relaxing the larynx.

During the treatment of laryngitis in children and adults, it is strictly prohibited: steam inhalation, warm compresses, mustard plasters, application of rubbing. There is no need to use onion and garlic during treatment as natural antibiotics because they can irritate the throat.

Is it possible to walk with laryngitis

With the improvement of well-being and during the recovery period, if allowed weather, you can start walking on the street. At the same time, there is no need to walk for a long time on the first day - just sit on fresh air quarter of an hour. If you can’t go out for a walk, you can sit by the window or on the balcony.

As you feel better, you can take leisurely walks, gradually increasing the duration of your stay in the air. Do not walk in cold, windy, hot or slushy weather, if it is impossible to breathe through your nose or during acute stage disease development.

As a result, the answer to the question whether laryngitis is contagious or not depends on the effectiveness preventive measures aimed at strengthening immunity, reducing stress on the vocal cords and timely treatment airborne infections.

Laryngitis is a disease that often occurs due to external factors, for example, after a long stay in the cold. Is laryngitis contagious? In addition to hypothermia, it can be caused by a viral infection. Only then is laryngitis transmitted by airborne droplets between people.

Development inflammatory response on the mucous membranes of the larynx occurs with laryngitis.

Probable causes of the disease

With laryngitis, the larynx becomes inflamed, irritation appears in the vocal cords, and a person often loses his voice. The most common cause of the disease is infection throat cavity. Inflammation can become undesirable consequence diseases such as tonsillitis, bronchitis or pneumonia. Laryngitis often develops in smokers. Also this disease happens to vocalists, especially if they need to constantly give concerts in the cold season on outdoors.

Consequences of allergies

Laryngitis can be caused by an allergic reaction to flora or fauna. Allergies easily infect the respiratory tract, because allergen particles penetrate the nasopharyngeal region very quickly. Most frequent allergies- on cat hair, some food products, interior painting materials, poplar fluff, floral fragrances.

Allergy symptoms are common. It is difficult for a person to breathe, his eyes are watery, runny nose, cough. Further, the patient suffers from suffocation, expectoration of blood, difficulty breathing and swallowing. It is quite possible to confuse an allergy with a more serious illness, so the patient must definitely consult a doctor - only a specialist can correctly diagnose by taking tests.

The result of stress

In addition, laryngitis appears as a result of stress, excessive stress, emotional upheaval. This is due to weakening immune system under stressful conditions. When the immune system collapses, it is not difficult for diseases to enter the body. This happens too emotional people and small children.

genetic predisposition

The child's propensity to disease directly depends on the health of the parents. Only healthy parents give birth to healthy children. If, for example, a mother smoked or drank alcohol before giving birth, this will definitely affect the child - perhaps not immediately, but there is big risk that he will suffer from chronic diseases and easy to succumb to viral infections.

It has been scientifically proven that if fatty foods are abused, a child will be born prone to viruses and colds.

The child of a woman who gave birth late - after thirty-five years can also get sick. Also during pregnancy, it is desirable to keep the body from infectious diseases that are transmitted from patients.

Is laryngitis contagious and how much?

This disease is contagious if you are in the company of a sick person. Laryngitis is transmitted by airborne droplets. so for an adult. It is necessary to avoid the company of people already infected with this disease. If the immune system is weak, it is not able to fight back the disease, therefore, the symptoms appear very quickly. If symptoms are detected, treatment should be started immediately.

A patient who is forced to be in society (for example, a store, work) should cover his mouth with his hand when he sneezes or coughs. A person sneezes - bacteria spreads around and can be easily transmitted to other people. It is best for the patient and the people around him to limit contact with strangers as much as possible, to lie down at home during the period of illness until the symptoms of laryngitis, which has been transmitted, disappear.

How does the disease manifest itself?

With laryngitis, symptoms are pronounced: excruciating sore throat, inability to swallow without pain. They are accompanied by pain in the ear, inflammation of the tonsils, severe runny nose. These symptoms indicate that it is urgent to consult a doctor so that he prescribes a course of treatment. Treatment is with antibiotics. Also, be sure to stay at home, drink plenty of warm drinks and try to talk less.

Hypothermia is one of the main external factors provoking the development of laryngitis. In second place is viral infection which can also lead to laryngitis. In this case, the disease becomes contagious and is transmitted by airborne droplets.

The disease is characterized by inflammation of the larynx, irritation in the ligaments, loss of voice. One of the most common reasons causing development laryngitis - prolonged exposure to the cold and exposure to a viral pathogenic infection.

Laryngitis can develop secondary to other diseases, such as pneumonia or tonsillitis. Very often, this disease is diagnosed in heavy smokers. Vocalists suffer from the costs of the profession, in particular, if a long performance takes place on the street during the cool season. Also, the factors provoking laryngitis include:

• consequences of allergic reactions;
• transferred stressful situations;
• genetic predisposition to the disease.

How to recognize the disease?

1. The person begins to feel sharp pain in the throat area.
2. Body temperature can rise to 39 degrees.
3. When examining blood, it is noted increased amount leukocytes.
4. Feeling chilly.
5. Hoarseness in voice, and its temporary loss.
6. Sore throat.
7. Cough and breathlessness.

This disease can develop acute illness as well as chronic. Acute laryngitis occurs against the background of hypothermia, a strong overstrain of the vocal cords. There is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, which lasts about two weeks. The epiglottis and, of course, the vocal cords also become inflamed. If acute laryngitis is not cured to the end, then it acquires a chronic form of the course, and an inflammatory process in the nasopharynx is added to the complex of symptoms.

Is laryngitis contagious?

AT medical practice two types of laryngitis are defined - non-contagious and infectious. Therefore, in order to have an idea of ​​how it is possible to get infected with laryngitis through airborne way, it is necessary to consider in more detail the possible subspecies of the disease.

Attention! Bacterial laryngitis can be infected from a person who has already recovered for another three days after the disappearance of all symptoms.

Having considered all types of laryngitis, now we can answer unequivocally that only two types are dangerous to others - bacterial and infectious, which are transmitted by airborne droplets. If a person is sick with one of these types, then it is recommended to avoid contact with him for two weeks or contact using a medical bandage.

Diagnostics

To diagnose laryngitis does not require long laboratory research, it is enough for a specialist of a narrow profile to examine sore throat. Then, in a conversation with the patient, the entire anamnesis and disturbing symptoms are recognized. To accurately confirm the diagnosis and identify the type of disease, the patient is sent for a general blood test, laryngoscopy. Based on the diagnosis, the doctor determines further therapy.