Herpes sore throat, what to do and how to treat at home?

Herpes sore throat arises as a result of the action of enterovirus infection. Angina, a viral genesis - tonsillitis, will be called herpetic, although it has nothing to do with the herpes virus.Its name was obtained due to the similarity of the rashes with herpetic lesions of the mucous and generalizing the definition of pain symptoms in case of throat disease.

The course of herpes sore throat always has an acute form, and the development and outcome of the disease will depend on certain determining factors: the intensity of immunity, virulence of the virus and the surrounding epidemiological situation.

What is it in simple words?

Herpes sore throat is a viral disease, manifested by a sharp rise in temperature, a typical severe febrile condition, inflammation of the pharynx, the appearance in it and in the oral cavity of well-marked and very painful vesicles. The disease in most cases develops in children, after recovery in humans, persistent immunity develops, so cases of repeated infection are extremely rare.

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There are currently no specific treatments for this disease, and therefore the therapy is to relieve and relieve symptoms during the acute period of the disease. The prognosis in most cases is favorable: almost all patients recover without any complications, but there are exceptions. So, herpes sore throat in children of the first year of life, as well as in patients with immunodeficiency states, can be deadly.

Causes of the development of ailment

All causes of herpes sore throat are caused by activation of Coxsackie enterovirus (ECHO) of groups A and B. The provoking factors are:

season - in the summer and early autumn the virus is activated;
flu;
herpes virus (very rarely);
decreased immunity;
intestinal infections;
allergic reactions;
supercooling;
wet feet;
Overeating ice cream;
plentiful drink of ice water;
frequent stress.

Herpes sore throat in children under one year is rarely seen, but if this happens, it is impossible to avoid complications. Most often, this diagnosis is made at the age of 4 to 14 years. During this period, an active acquaintance with the surrounding world begins, and visiting the kindergarten and the school is a great stress for the fragile organism.

This is just the most common cause of this disease. His age-related feature is the fact that the older the child, the harder the sore throat.

Symptoms

Herpes sore throat begins with a sudden sudden increase in temperature to 38-39 ° C and worsening of the patient's condition. He has weakness, irritability, malaise, in the first hours of illness the throat begins to blush, a feeling of perspiration appears in him, but there is still no pain.

Gradually, the typical symptoms of herpes sore throat begin to develop in a child or adult (cf. a photo):

High temperature - up to 40 ° С;
Severe sore throat, worsening when eating;
Runny nose and cough;
Enlargement of lymph nodes under the lower jaw and near the ears.

This symptom complex is observed in almost all patients. In rare cases, herpes sore throat in adults can flow without rashes, only with inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and pharynx. On the contrary, in children the symptoms of herpes sore throat are added to the standard symptoms, which testify to the viral damage of various organs:

Pain in the muscles;
Heartache;
Digestive disorders, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
Pain in the lumbar region - as a sign of pyelonephritis;
Conjunctivitis only in one eye;
Convulsions, trasticism of the masticatory muscles, Kernig syndrome, obscurations of consciousness - signs of meningitis or encephalitis;
Eruptions on the skin - with herpes sore throat appear more often on the hands and feet, less often - on the trunk.

In adults, such symptoms of herpes sore throat occur rarely. They are more typical for children, and the younger the child, the more likely they are to develop. If any of them manifest themselves too much (for example, the child constantly has a pain in the heart, convulsions happen), The patient needs to be shown to the doctor for advice and taking measures to prevent serious consequences of the disease.

Stages of development

Stages of development of symptomatic herpagins:

The first two days are characterized by common symptoms of a viral infection (hyperthermia, sore throat, general malaise, runny nose, nasal congestion).
On the 2-3 day after the onset of symptoms on the oral mucosa, soft palate, tonsils, back of the pharynx, vesicles of bright red color appear. In a day they become transparent - white with serous exudate, bordered by a red corolla (1 - 2 mm in size), similarity to a herpetic rash. The temperature is somewhat reduced, but it keeps. Myalgia develops, stitching in the throat, diarrhea.
The third day of the disease is accompanied by a pyretic fever (39 - 41 ° C). The condition worsens, painful symptoms grow.
On the 4th day, after a few hours (from 2 to 3 hours to 24 hours), the papules pass to the stage of vesicles, which are opened (the temperature decreases slightly). There are very painful sores. The more complex the disease, the more they are. On average, the amount is 5 - 12 vesicles, with complications - up to 20. Sometimes vesicles merge, forming large foci.
On the 5th - 6th day of the process, the sores dry up with the formation of crusts, the condition of the diseased becomes much better, the signs of intoxication of the organism are weakened. If bacterial microflora is involved in the process, the vesicles ulcerate and erosion occurs.
With a favorable course on the 7-8th day of the illness, signs of pharyngitis (inflammation of the mucous throat) decrease, crusts are washed off, the mucous regenerates and no traces of the previous lesion are observed.

After 10 days from the onset of the disease, the lymph nodes are painful. Inflammation of them disappears by the second week (14 - 16 day of the disease).

Herpes sore throat: photos from children and adults

The most characteristic clinical manifestations are:

Hyperemia (reddening) of the pharynx, tonsils and the back wall of the throat;
Characteristic rashes in the form of small red dots in the first days of illness and transparent vesicles - on 3-5 day of illness.

The photo below shows the throat with herpes sore throat in man:

Diagnostics

With the development of a typical form of the disease, the doctor can refine the diagnosis without using tests and diagnostics. During the examination, rashes in the mouth are detected. In the blood test, the amount of white blood cells is slightly increased, which indicates an inflammatory process in the body.

To laboratory methods of research resorted to the presence of signs that correspond to other pathologies. The following methods are used:

Immunoenzyme analysis (ELISA method). As a result of the immunity reaction, the patient is found to have an increase in 4 times the amount of antibodies.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR method). Examine the smear and flushing taken from the nasopharynx. The method allows to determine the type of pathogen.

To clarify the diagnosis, consultations with such specialists as:

Nephrologist. The presence of changes in urine requires clarification of the diagnosis and exclusion of other diseases, for example, pyelonephritis.
Cardiologist. With painful sensations in the heart, examinations are necessary for a cardiologist to exclude pathologies of the heart.
Neurologist. Consultation is conducted to exclude brain lesions.

For the final diagnosis, either isolation of the causative agent from the contents of the vesicles or the detection of antibodies against the Coxsackie virus in the body is necessary.

Herpes sore throat: home treatment

At the present time, we have not yet come up with a medicine that would quickly and permanently eliminate the disease. Then how to treat herpes sore throat in children? If it is manifested, the general treatment is to reduce the symptoms and eliminate the cause.

Symptomatic therapy is quite complex and includes the following recommendations:

Very important moments in the treatment of herpes sore throat is the appointment of rinses of the mouth, since at the time of erosion there is a high risk of joining bacterial infections, which can complicate and delay the healing process. Most often used broths of chamomile, sage, calendula. All cooked broths should not be hot, so as not to aggravate even more pain syndrome. In infants, the oral cavity is treated with a syringe without a needle. Also, the decoction of the oak bark as an excellent antiseptic has proved to be well established.
With the development of edema in the oropharynx, antihistamines are prescribed, which include Suprastin, Diazolin, Loratadin, and others.
The appointment of antipyretic drugs with an increase in body temperature in the form of Paracetamol, Panadol, Ibufen. In doing so, it must be remembered that in children the temperature should be lowered when the mark on the thermometer is exceeded at 38 ° C, and in adults above 38.5 ° C.
It is good to relieve the pain in the throat and accelerate the process of epithelization, and also as an additional protection from secondary infection with bacterial flora is helped by such sprays as Geksoral, Ingalipt.
Acyclovir in herpes angina can be used, but only as a form of release, as an ointment on the elements of rashes located in the mouth.
Prohibited the appointment of warming, warming compresses, as these procedures only worsen the flow of processes in the oropharynx.
As agents that can help the immune system cope with the disease, immunomodulating drugs most often act, for example, Immunal.
Antiviral drugs that also have immunostimulating effects are good for children up to 3 years of age as a means of additional protection.
Antibiotics for herpes sore throat have to be prescribed in case of development of complications such as the attachment of all kinds of bacterial infections. Most often, with a layering on this pathology of secondary infection, a group of macrolides is used.

Of the main points that are recommended to observe at home, the following should be highlighted:

The appointment of large volumes of fluid for intensive removal from the body of toxins formed by the virus of herpes sore throat. In the case of a serious condition of the patient, it is necessary to prescribe detoxification therapy in the form of solutions of Hemodeza, Reopoliglyukin intravenously drip in the proper volumes. But we should always remember that in case of suspicion of serous meningitis, it is necessary to limit the amount of fluid consumed, as this can cause cerebral edema and lead to death. In this situation, on the contrary, it is necessary to recommend the use of diuretic drugs.
The appointment and mandatory compliance with bed rest is desirable for patients before full recovery, in view of the risk of severe complications of the virus.
The food should be high in calories, varied, fortified. It is recommended to rub it to a puree or mushy condition, so that it is not so painful to use.
Acyclovir in case of herpes simplex in the form of a tablet form is also not a necessary preparation, since it affects the herpes virus, and not the Coxsackie virus.

Which doctor will help? If you suspect a development of the disease, you should immediately seek advice from such doctors as an infectious disease specialist, a therapist.

Food

A child may refuse to eat in the first days of the disease. Do not push food into it through force. This is a normal reaction of the body to intoxication, as well as discomfort in the throat. 70% of our immunity is in the intestines.

An empty intestine with a viral infection helps immunity to cope with the disease faster, and therefore do not feed the baby if he does not want: the children are very intuitive, and one should listen to their desires. When the baby is on the mend, he will catch up. Offer the patient a non-rigid food that will not hurt the throat (mashed potatoes, cereals, soups, bananas). Food should not be hot. At the same time, there are no contraindications to taking cold food. A good option for any angina - a favorite candy from burnt sugar.

It has the glucose necessary for the rapid restoration of wasted forces, sucking leads to an additional formation saliva, which is a natural antiseptic, burnt sugar softens the throat, and the lollipop raises the mood.

Complications

The greatest danger of herpagina is for the nervous system. A dangerous consequence of this is serous meningitis, which for young children carries a mortal threat.

Other complications include:

febrile convulsions;
liver damage;
necrosis of muscle tissue;
nephritis;
rheumatism;
myocarditis.

How to prevent the disease?

There are no special preventive measures. Any person can infect a virus, but the severity of the course of the illness largely depends on the strength of its immunity.

In some cases, herpes sore throat has almost no symptoms, except for mild inflammation of the tonsils and low temperature. That is why attention should be paid to strengthening natural protection. Very often immunity undermines the treatment with drugs of other diseases. As a result, the body largely loses the ability to withstand pathogens that are just waiting for the right event. In such a situation, you should limit visits to public places and take care of your own health.

Violation of the rules of personal hygiene in the treatment of herpes sores often causes the spread of the disease and to surrounding people. To prevent this, the patient must be provided with a separate dishware, towels, etc. In addition, the patient's room is required to be ventilated and disinfected at least 1-2 times a day.