Tracheitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Principles

Tracheitis, which is the inflammation of the tracheal mucosa, can manifest in acute and chronic forms. In this article, we will examine the symptoms and signs of both types of tracheitis, the causes of its occurrence, and effective treatment methods.

Symptoms of Tracheitis

1. The main symptom of tracheitis is a barking dry cough that typically worsens in the morning.

2. The cough accompanying tracheitis often includes pain in the sternum and throat, which also indicates a disease.

3. Most patients may develop laryngitis, leading to hoarseness or loss of voice.

4. With tracheitis, breathing becomes shallow and frequent.

5. Patients often complain of coughing spells that occur when laughing, making sudden movements, taking a deep breath, or with changes in humidity and temperature.

6. In adults, a slight increase in body temperature is observed in the evening and nighttime, while in children, the temperature may reach +39°C.

It is important to note that at the onset of the disease, the cough may be accompanied by a small amount of sputum; however, as recovery progresses, the amount of sputum increases, and pain during coughing diminishes.

Acute Tracheitis: Causes of Occurrence

Acute tracheitis often develops against the background of viral infections like influenza, colds, ARVI, and ARI, as well as other upper respiratory tract diseases.

An additional cause of acute tracheitis may be trauma to the respiratory tract caused by hot, cold, dry, or dusty air, as well as exposure to toxic fumes and gases. This condition is characterized by swelling of the trachea and hyperemia of the mucosa.

Coughing in acute tracheitis can be painful, and the patient often experiences difficulties in expectorating sputum.

Chronic Tracheitis

Chronic tracheitis is usually a consequence of improper or untimely treatment of acute tracheitis. This disease is most often observed in chronic smokers, as respiratory diseases in this group of patients have a severe course and poorly respond to therapy.

Chronic tracheitis is divided into hypertrophic and atrophic. In hypertrophic tracheitis, there is an expansion of the vessels, abundant secretion of mucus and pus, as well as swelling of the mucosa. In the case of atrophic tracheitis, thinning of the mucous membranes occurs.

Treatment Methods for Tracheitis

Treatment of tracheitis is generally not very difficult. By following the doctor's recommendations, patients can expect a full recovery within 1-2 weeks.

The decision on the treatment of tracheitis is made by the attending physician based on the cause of the disease.

If tracheitis is caused by a viral infection, antiviral medications must be used. In the case of a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be required.

Antipyretic medications are prescribed for adults with a temperature above +38°C, and for children, with a temperature above +39°C.

Mustard plasters can be helpful if the patient's body temperature does not exceed +37.5°C (for both adults and children).

In the presence of thick sputum, mucolytic agents are recommended.

Inhalations using herbs are also effective in the treatment of tracheitis.

You can learn about folk methods of treating tracheitis in the article TRACHEITIS - FOLK TREATMENT

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