Chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy: causes, symptoms and gentle treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy, including lactation, is in fact a real threat to the mother and her developing baby. It directly comes from the microflora of a bacterial nature, which, in fact, causes this disease.

On the one hand, the disease can provoke a number of problems, in addition to discomfort. But on the other hand, well-organized preventive measures will help to avoid exacerbation of the disease, which is no longer so scary.

What is tonsillitis?

Accumulations of lymphoid tissue, which are located in the oral cavity and nasopharyngeal region, are called tonsils. This is a kind of protective barrier in the fight against various infections. In addition, the tonsils maintain constancyblood plasma and contribute to the development of immunity.

Under the term "tonsillitis" is the process of inflammation taking place in the tonsils. It can occur in an acute or chronic stage. Regarding the latter, it is worth noting that chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy is predominantly protracted. In addition, there may be periods of exacerbation and remission.

As medical practice shows, 20% of all inhabitants of the planet Earth develop chronic tonsillitis. No one is immune from this disease - it can take a person by surprise, regardless of age, gender and social status! Even pregnant women are just as risky.

Causes of illness

In most cases, the disease begins to develop after an infectious disease:

• angina;
• scarlet fever;
• measles;
• diphtheria.

In addition, inflammation can appear on its own as a result of exposure to pathogenic microflora:

1. Bacteria - staphylococci, pneumococci, adenovirus, streptococci, chlamydia.
2. Fungi - this also occurs, though in rare cases.

As a result of such exposure, the normal process of self-cleaning of the tonsils is disrupted as a result of the destruction of lymphoid tissues.

But the most common triggers that cause chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy are:

1. Hypercoolingorganism.
2. Inadequate intake of vitamins and other beneficial trace elements from food.
3. Weakened immune system.
4. Presence of polyps or adenoids.
5. Deviated septum, which can lead to breathing and hearing problems.
6. Untreated dental caries.
7. Sinusitis.

To prevent the development of tonsillitis during pregnancy, women need to especially closely monitor their he alth, avoid hypothermia and follow a diet. In addition, it is worth regularly showing to the dentist and other specialists.

Manifestations of disease

Usually, exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis occurs in late autumn and winter. It is during this period of time that the human body is most susceptible to the attack of pathogens. But in addition to the disease of the chronic stage, its acute form also often occurs during this period. This happens due to hypothermia and lack of vitamins.

Chronic tonsillitis and pregnancy are those combinations that are not compatible with each other! Therefore, it is extremely important to recognize the first signs of the disease and begin to take appropriate measures.

Early term

If, after a successful conception, a woman already has chronic tonsillitis, then the ongoing changes characteristic of pregnancy will serve as an impetus for an exacerbation of the disease. Indeed, during this period, the female body undergoes serious hormonal changes, which requires tremendous energy from it.

Symptoms of the disease in the early stages are as follows:

1. Uncomfortable feeling in the throat. Moreover, from a slight feeling of tickling or tickling to a pronounced pain syndrome.
2. Throat stuffing, accompanied by heaviness of swallowing food, dry cough appears.
3. Pressing on the lymph nodes of the lower jaw causes pain, the intensity of which increases over time.
4. The body temperature rises, though slightly, as a rule, it stays within the acceptable range - 37, 3-38 degrees, no more.
5. Persistent fatigue, drowsiness, apathy.

It is worth noting that the above symptoms of chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy largely coincide with the characteristic signs of a beginning cold. In this regard, most women "in position" simply do not pay attention to it. They try to manage on their own, enduring diseases, what is called "on their feet", self-medicating.

However, for any pregnant woman, this approach is fundamentally wrong. Especially when it comes to the early term - after all, this period is the most responsible!

Later pregnancy

Symptoms of tonsillitis in later pregnancy tend to occur due to the weakening of the body (understandably) when the chronic form of the disease worsens. In this case, the characteristic features are as follows:

1. Swallowing causes increased pain. And during a visual examination, an increase in the tonsils is detected, traces are noticeableinflammatory process, there is swelling, plaque. There is also redness, purulent plugs.
2. Decomposition of tonsil tissue results in bad breath.
3. Temperature noticeably increased, chills felt.
4. Muscle pain is felt not only when moving, but also when a woman is at rest.
5. Headaches and fatigue are already quite strong.
6. Cervical lymph nodes are enlarged and pressure causes pain.

The mentioned incompatibility of chronic tonsillitis and pregnancy is mainly due to the fact that toxins can be carried throughout the body through the bloodstream, starting from the source of inflammation. Due to this, the general intoxication of the body of the mother and child increases.

Influence of chronic tonsillitis

The presence of such a disease in pregnant women actually has a negative effect throughout the entire period and on the intrauterine development of the fetus. At the very moment of conception and the beginning of the birth of a new life, tonsillitis has no effect so far. However, the seriousness of the current situation should not be underestimated.

The real problems appear after 2 or 3 weeks of the first trimester. During this period, the fetus begins to develop rapidly, and in connection with this, the load on the immune system of the female body increases markedly. In this case, the immune system is simply unable to resist the attack of microorganisms that parasitize the tissues of the tonsils.

As a result, they begindevelop various consequences from chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy.

Miscarriage cases

One of the sides of the negative negative impact of chronic tonsillitis is this complication. But this is also a real blow to the mental he alth of any woman. Approximately 27% (no less for sure) of all cases of premature rejection of the fetus by the woman's body is associated precisely with the presence of a focus of inflammation, passing in the chronic stage.

The risk of losing a child in early pregnancy is directly proportional to the severity of the inflammatory process and the nature of the pathogen. With the development of its pathogenic activity on the tonsils of Staphylococcus aureus, the risk of miscarriage is 75%! This microorganism poses a particular threat because it is able to quickly arrange bacterial colonies. He also has a natural immunity to the effects of traditional antibiotics of the penicillin series. In addition, this bacterium can cause blood poisoning.

Developmental disorder

What could be more serious than a miscarriage due to the activity of chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy? The consequences for the child can be no less deplorable - at any time this negatively affects the physical and mental development of the baby.

It usually manifests itself in different ways:

• heart defects;
• anomalies of the lower and upper limbs;
• backwardness in the formation of intellectual abilities;
• decrease in the pace of psycho-emotional development.

All this is mainly due to the microflora of bacterial origin, which, through maternal blood, spreads throughout the woman's body and enters the internal tissues of the fetus. However, there is another way for the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms to the child - the process of breastfeeding. Together with milk, the baby receives a portion of the infection!

In this case, bacterial infection of the digestive system occurs. It is very difficult to predict exactly how pathogenic microorganisms will behave in the future, including the effect on the fetus. Chronic tonsillitis and pregnancy, as we know, are contradictory concepts, and therefore the possibility of developing an inflammatory process of the gastrointestinal tract cannot be ruled out.

Premature delivery

Pregnancy itself is a real test of any woman's strength! Initially, it is necessary to approach the planning of the child, more than responsibly, because the stage requires good moral and physical preparation. And if the body is weakened by chronic tonsillitis, then one should not be surprised at various complications. In addition, in the process of intrauterine development of a child, the immune system may experience overload.

The result of all this can be premature delivery. Thus, the body of a pregnant woman tries to compensate for the high level of stress that he has to experience. In other words, this is a forced (albeit largely unpleasant) measure that the immune system takes in order to rid itself of an unbearable burden. Usually preterm birthhappen at 7 or 8 months.

Congenital pathologies of an autoimmune nature

It's safe to say that the impact of chronic tonsillitis on pregnancy can be global. In most cases, those women who suffer from manifestations of a chronic disease give birth to children with a characteristic deviation. In particular, we are talking about pathologies of the immune system. Their presence is just due to the penetration of a pathogenic infection into the fetus at the stage of its formation.

And while the baby is still inside the mother, the immune system is not fully developed. And the impact of pathogenic microorganisms only violates the entire order of its formation. Ultimately, the child is born with already congenital disorders in the immune system, which is no longer able to perform its direct duties.

These children are prone to frequent colds, viral and infectious diseases from an early age. And in relation to their he althy peers, you can notice a lag in growth. In addition, due to the disruption of the immune system, there may be other manifestations, which in any case are negative, which only negatively affects the he alth of children.

How else does chronic tonsillitis affect pregnancy? The most common pathology is the development of an allergy to various irritants:

• food;
• dust;
• pet hair etc.

And ifall this does not affect he althy children in any way, then for babies with a violation of the functionality of the immune system it turns into a real test. In some cases, this can be not only uncomfortable, but dangerous.

Treatment of tonsillitis

If the average person can get an appropriate full course of treatment, including the use of necessary antibiotics, then the situation is somewhat more complicated for expectant mothers. After all, pregnant women have a lot of restrictions due to their special status. In addition, there are much more problems that tonsillitis can cause.

Many doctors around the world insist on treating tonsillitis before pregnancy. After all, you should not once again expose yourself and your unborn child to unjustified risks. However, it is far from always possible to do this before conception, and then you need to contact your doctor, who will make a purely individual therapy.

At the same time, the treatment of chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy may include both the use of traditional methods and traditional medicine. This will be discussed further.

Traditional Therapy

The use of antibiotics on pregnant women is an unaffordable and dangerous luxury! In this regard, doctors resort to the help of less toxic medications. After examining the patient, the doctor usually prescribes relatively harmless medicines: Tantum Verde in the form of a spray and Lysobact (lozenges). These drugs have a local effect, preventing reproductionharmful microorganisms in the nasopharynx and oral cavity.

Also, doctors can prescribe the drug - "Tonsipret". This is a combination of extracts based on three medicinal plants:

1. American Lakonose - can not only relieve inflammation, pain, but also strengthen the immune system.
2. Guaiac tree - allows you to remove the inflammatory process of the oral mucosa.
3. Capsicum - has an antiseptic effect.

Due to modern production technologies, all components of this medicine do not lose their useful properties. If chronic tonsillitis during pregnancy has turned into an acute form, then it is necessary to dissolve the tablets every 2 or 3 hours.

With the help of a solution of chlorophyllipt, you can also effectively remove purulent plaque from the tonsils. To do this, moisten a cotton swab in it and gently treat the surface. If traditional drug therapy does not bring the expected results, doctors prescribe antibiotics. However, this is only done when the pathogen poses a much greater threat than the drugs themselves.

Propolis

Among folk remedies, there is also a good alternative - not the last place is the use of propolis. It can be used as an extract or in small pieces. Aqueous and alcoholic solutions based on it also bring noticeable benefits.

This remedy is practically harmless for women "in position". However, inIn some cases, an allergic reaction may occur. Redness, itching, burning appear on the skin or mucous membrane. For this reason, it is necessary to use propolis only after consulting a specialist.

Therapeutic inhalations

According to numerous reviews of chronic tonsillitis and pregnancy against its background, this is another effective way to combat the disease. As a rule, inhalations using potatoes are common. However, they can also be made on the basis of various decoctions:

• eucalyptus;
• pine buds;
• sage;
• thyme.

In addition, hot steam baths for the head help. At the same time, it must be remembered that everything should be in moderation and the abuse of hot baths and inhalations does not bode well! Often, due to overheating of the body, he alth worsens. Yes, and the harm from this is no less, or even vice versa - more.

In addition, the head steam bath should never be carried out if the woman has an increased sensitivity of the skin. Among other contraindications, it is worth noting excessive redness of the face, dilation of blood vessels.