Lymphadenitis is a consequence of an inflammatory process developing in the body. This disease manifests itself in the form of damage to the lymph nodes. Lymphadenitis occurs due to the ingress of various pathogenic microorganisms into the lymph nodes with lymph or blood, as well as tissue decay products and toxic substances.
Lymphadenitis can act as an independent disease or be a signal of the presence of pathological processes at any particular level. Doctors consider lymphadenitis in the form of manifestations of the barrier function of the entire lymphatic system, as well as as a limiter to the spread of any infection.
Types of lymphadenitis
Lymphadenitis is divided into three main varieties. They differ among themselves depending on the location of the inflammatory process. Such varieties include the following:
- Cervical lymphadenitis. This type of disease is associated with various tumor and inflammatory processes in the body. Through the neck area partially or completely passes the lymph absolutely from all parts of the body. Angina, paratonsillitis, acute streptococcal pharyngitis, diseases of the oral cavity and teeth, various respiratory viral infections are often accompanied by chronic and acute lymphadenitis. In the diagnosis of this type of disease, an important role is played by the localization of inflammation of the lymph nodes. Those nodes that are located behind the neck can vary in size with toxoplasmosis and rubella, and the parotid nodes can increase with infection of the conjunctival membrane.
- Submandibular type of lymphadenitis. This type of disease is most common, mainly observed in adolescence and childhood. Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils is often accompanied by the development of submandibular lymphadenitis. The submandibular lymph nodes begin to increase in size with exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis, as well as with dental inflammation in the oral cavity. As a rule, this lymphadenitis disappears if the underlying disease is cured.
- Inguinal lymphadenitis. The main cause of the development of this type of disease is considered to be inflammatory diseases of the internal and external genital organs, which are of an infectious nature of origin. Purulent processes that occur in the lower trunk and limbs can also provoke an increase in inguinal lymph nodes in the body. These processes include boils, purulent wounds, trophic ulcers and panaritiums.
If one of the types of the disease has been diagnosed, it is possible to carry out the treatment of lymphadenitis with folk remedies. However, before embarking on alternative treatment methods, it is imperative to consult with a specialist.
Symptoms of the disease
The clinical signs and symptoms of lymphadenitis are the same. First of all, at the initial stage of the development of the disease, the temperature rises, the lymph nodes increase and tighten, and severe pain is felt. During palpation, you can find that the lymph nodes are not soldered together and with the skin covering them.
During the progression of the inflammatory process, a rather painful and condensed infiltrate begins to form. Over time, the skin over this area acquires a red color, becomes hot, motionless.
If an unfavorable course of inflammation is observed, then it can turn into purulent. In such cases, body temperature begins to increase to 39 degrees. Quite often, the general condition of the patient is also disturbed. Sweating, malaise, loss of appetite and headaches are manifested. If lymphadenitis turned into purulent, then after a while the lymph nodes begin to decrease in size.
Over the course of several days, the lymph node melts, and the purulent contents break out. When the abscess is completely cleared, soreness with lymphadenitis begins to pass, resulting in recovery. If you do not start treatment of lymphadenitis with folk remedies or medications in time, the inflammatory process can provoke various kinds of complications.
It happens that after an acute process, chronic lymphadenitis often begins to develop, when lymph nodes of various sizes with limited mobility increase. Typically, such lymph nodes are painless, but very dense. A large size can hold for a long time, but then the lymph nodes begin to decrease.
It is worth noting that the general condition of the patient with a chronic disease is not violated, and the body temperature remains within normal limits.
Causes of the disease
As a rule, the main provoking factors for the development of purulent lymphadenitis are chronic, subacute and acute inflammatory processes in the human body. First of all, phlegmon, boils and ulcers should be attributed here. Quite rarely, with direct infection of the lymph node or with injury, primary lymphadenitis is observed.
The main role in the etiology of the disease belongs to staphylococci. Less commonly, pathogens such as streptococci, toxoplasmas, mycobacteria and protozoa can become the cause. A generalized increase in the size of the nodes is observed during toxoplasmosis, AIDS, mononucleosis, tuberculosis.
As for regional lymphadenitis, it develops due to genital herpes, syphilis or tularemia. An increase in the size of lymph nodes can also be triggered by the infiltration of metastatic malignant cells in the presence of cancer.
Diagnosis of the disease
As mentioned earlier, it is possible to treat lymphadenitis with folk remedies. However, before this, it is imperative to consult with your doctor after a full examination. Superficial lymphadenitis, as a rule, is diagnosed simply, especially if the main focus of infection was detected. The specialist in this case bases his opinion on the clinical signs and symptoms, as well as on anamnestic data. If the clinical diagnosis is unclear, then it is necessary to further examine the patient. For patients with purulent lymphadenitis, the examination should be comprehensive, which will include:
- microbiological and serological research;
- clinical blood test;
- Ultrasound
- puncture biopsy according to indications;
- X-ray examination;
- CT scan.
In recent years, in diagnostic methods, experts have made progress through X-ray red lymphography, scanning, as well as remote infrared thermography. Treatment of inflammation of the lymph node should be prescribed by a specialist. As a rule, after diagnosis, the doctor prescribes various procedures and medications for therapy. You can also treat lymphadenitis with alternative methods. It is also agreed with a specialist.
Methods for treating lymphadenitis
The treatment of this disease is based on the elimination of infectious and inflammatory processes. Treatment for lymph node inflammation will depend on the stage of the disease. As a rule, inflamed lymph nodes after a sore throat or flu do not require drug therapy, since basically these symptoms disappear on their own.
Taking antibiotics
Other methods of treating lymphadenitis involve taking antibiotics, especially if suppuration is observed in the affected areas. Antibiotics and sulfa drugs are used depending on the sensitivity of the patient's flora. It is determined during diagnosis.
The duration of treatment will also depend on the presence of local and general symptoms, the duration of the normalization of laboratory tests. In the comments, both doctors and patients advise any therapeutic treatment that involves taking antibiotics to supplement with the use of fortifying drugs and vitamin complexes that increase immunity, improve the general condition of the patient.
Physiotherapy
In addition to medical and folk methods of treating lymphadenitis, specialists often prescribe physiotherapy, which should include ultrasound and electrophoresis. Physiotherapy at the same time has a stimulating effect on the humoral and nervous processes in the body, while increasing tissue reactivity. This procedure is resolving absorbable. Physiotherapeutic treatment methods cause an increase in local phagocytosis.
Surgical intervention
If there is no effect from the treatment of lymphadenitis at home with folk remedies and medications, then a surgical intervention can be prescribed, as a result of which purulent contents are removed from the body by opening the foci of accumulation. Suppurative lymph nodes are removed with their subsequent referral to a special study, where the development of cancer and oncology is excluded.
Folk remedies
Lymphadenitis can also be treated with alternative medicine methods. However, before this, it is imperative to consult with your doctor. Before treating lymphadenitis with folk remedies, you should pay attention to the fact that it is necessary to use such funds in a comprehensive manner, choosing one natural remedy that will be taken orally, one collection of herbs, two remedies that will be applied topically as a compress or ointment.
- Herbal collection, which is used to treat recurrent and chronic lymphadenitis. To prepare it, you need to mix an equal amount of yarrow, dioecious nettle, oregano, hop cones. To the resulting composition add 3 parts of horsetail. Pour one tablespoon of herbs with 300 ml of plain water, and then send to a water bath. Strain the herbs for 15 minutes. After this time, let the broth brew for 10-15 minutes. Then it is filtered. A ready-made remedy of 100 ml is used 30 minutes before eating 3 times a day.
- Juice from dandelions. In the treatment of cervical lymphadenitis with folk remedies, dandelion juice is very effective. To do this, grind the fresh grass of this plant, and then squeeze the juice from it. The resulting liquid must be soaked with a piece of gauze, after which it is applied for 2 hours to the inflamed area. This procedure must be carried out twice a day. The course of therapy is 3 days. If positive dynamics will not be observed, then it is necessary to consult a specialist.
- Noric ointment. To prepare such a product, it is necessary to melt in a water bath about 200 g of body fat. It is also necessary to add three tablespoons of chopped dry herbs of norica, and the resulting mixture is ground in a water bath for about 4 hours. The hot mixture must be filtered, and then sent to a glass container with a lid. Ready ointment is stored in the refrigerator. This remedy is applied to the affected lymph nodes 3 times a day.
- Infusion based on field horsetail and knotweed. Such an infusion, according to doctors, is a blood purifier. To prepare it, you need to take one spoonful of dry crushed knotweed plants. Brew raw materials 300 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 20 minutes, then pass through cheesecloth. Take the ready-made infusion 3 times a day 30 minutes before eating. According to the same recipe, infusion based on horsetail is prepared. It is accepted in the same way. It is worth noting that these two types of herbs can be alternated with recurrent and chronic lymphadenitis. The course of treatment with one herb should be a week, after which start taking an infusion based on another herb. In total, the duration of therapy is 2 months.
- Mint leaves. With lymphadenitis in children, treatment with folk remedies can be carried out using mint leaves. To do this, it is necessary to mash and grind the leaves of this plant so that they give juice. The resulting composition is applied to inflamed lymph nodes, lotions can be fixed with a band-aid or bandage. Such a compress must be left for 2 hours. The procedure is carried out 2 times a day. Parents recommend combining this treatment with dandelion juice, the preparation of which was described above.
- Mistletoe. To prepare such a tool, you need to take a spoonful of crushed dry mistletoe leaves. Pour raw materials with 3 liters of water, let it brew in a water bath over low heat for 20 minutes. After this time, the infusion cools and filtered. The finished product is used for the manufacture of compresses. Every day for 2 hours you need to apply a gauze bandage soaked with this product. An oilcloth is applied on top of gauze, everything is fixed with a band-aid.
- Chicory. This tool is considered by many to be affordable and effective. It is used to treat non-specific lymphadenitis. To prepare it, it is necessary to grind the roots of chicory in such an amount that will be enough to cover the area of inflamed lymph nodes. Raw materials are poured with boiling water so that the liquid covers only chicory. The remedy is insisted 20 minutes. After this, it is necessary to crush the steamed chicory, and drain all excess liquid. The resulting mass is distributed evenly into pieces of gauze, after which it is applied as a compress to inflamed lymph nodes. A gauze napkin is covered with a film on top and fixed with a bandage or adhesive. The compress must be kept for 2 hours. Such procedures are carried out twice a day.
- Anti-inflammatory herbal collection. Take a little oregano, wormwood, peppermint, shoots and leaves of raspberry, St. John's wort, grass of meadowsweet, linden blossom, dandelion root, all this must be thoroughly chopped, dried, after which the herbs should be mixed together in equal amounts. The resulting herbal collection is used to make tinctures. To prepare it, you need to take two tablespoons of these herbs and pour them in a thermos of 0.5 l of boiling water, let it brew for 8 hours. The finished product is taken 5 times a day, 100 ml each.
- An external remedy made from walnut leaves. To prepare an effective remedy, according to many patients, it is necessary to grind the leaves, then pour them with boiling water and let it brew for 20 minutes. The resulting mass is wrapped in gauze, impregnated a little with the same infusion, after which the compress is applied to the inflamed area. Gauze is covered with parchment paper or plastic wrap. The compress is left in this form for 2 hours. Treatment should be carried out twice a day.
Lymph nodes acquire their usual form due to the treatment of lymphadenitis with folk remedies or medicines that were prescribed by a doctor.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the treatment of this disease is necessary only after a thorough examination by a specialist. Therefore, with the first symptoms, you must contact a medical institution. It is considered very effective treatment of lymphadenitis with folk remedies. Healthy lifestyles can be used as preventive norms to avoid the occurrence of this unpleasant disease.