Lymphadenitis - What Is It? Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Lymphadenitis: symptoms and treatment

Lymphadenitis - what is it?

Lymphadenitis (from "lymph" and the Greek. Aden - gland) is an inflammatory disease of the lymph nodes, often purulent. It occurs when staphylococci and streptococci enter the body. The inflammation is localized, as a rule, in the groin area and in the armpit.

With lymphadenitis, the lymph nodes become inflamed. They are located throughout the human body. They contain cells that are responsible for the state of human immunity. In fact, the lymph nodes are a kind of filters that neutralize harmful substances that enter the body.

The most common cause of lymph node inflammation is infection. Viruses or microbes spread throughout the body with the blood stream, they penetrate, including into the lymph nodes. This leads to their inflammation. Therefore, lymphadenitis is an inflammatory reaction of the node in response to its infection.

Lymphadenitis and lymphadenopathy are completely different concepts, although many people believe that they mean the same thing. Lymphadenitis is a disease, and lymphadenopathy is a reaction of the immune system to a certain disorder in the body (HIV, syphilis, etc.). To determine the nature of this violation, you must consult a doctor.

Content:

• Causes and types of lymphadenitis
• Lymphadenitis symptoms
• Forms of lymphadenitis
• Lymphadenitis treatment
• Forecast

Causes and types of lymphadenitis

The causative agents of this disease are various pyogenic microorganisms that penetrate the lymph nodes from the foci of acute or chronic inflammation, for example, phlegmon, panaritium. Microorganisms move with the flow of lymph or blood, as well as through direct contact.

Lymphadenitis is caused by staphylococci, much less often by streptococci or other pyogenic microbes. Also, the cause of lymphadenitis can be toxins of microorganisms, products of tissue decay from primary foci of decay. It can be a purulent wound or a furuncle, erysipelas or osteomyelitis, thrombophlebitis or trophic ulcer. The list goes on and on.

The ways of spreading such infections are different. Often the infection enters through the tonsils, if they are affected, the cervical or submandibular lymph nodes immediately suffer. Very often, the infection spreads through the lymph or blood from the affected lymph nodes, lungs, or other organs.

If an infectious agent enters the lymph node, then it swells. An enlargement of the node in size is the first sign of an inflammatory reaction. This happens due to the fact that cells begin to accumulate in it, which seek to destroy the pathogenic flora. Inflammation can affect both one lymph node and the nodes located next to it.

Depending on the place of concentration of inflammation, the following types of lymphadenitis are distinguished:

• Submandibular.
• Cervical.
• Axillary.
• Inguinal.
• Parotid.
• Mesenteric.

It is these types of lymphadenitis that are found more often than others.

Why can lymphadenitis of various localization develop?

Cervical lymphadenitis is diagnosed more often than others. It can be caused by viral and bacterial infections that affect the organs of the respiratory system, for example, tonsillitis, flu, tonsillitis, pneumonia, acute respiratory viral infections, etc. In addition, inflammatory processes in the oral cavity can provoke cervical lymphadenitis: caries, gingivitis, periodontal disease.

Submandibular lymphadenitis becomes a consequence of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. It can be caries, tonsillitis, gum disease.

Inguinal lymphadenitis with damage to several lymph nodes at once is often the result of sexually transmitted diseases. In childhood, this inflammation does not happen often. Any trauma to this area can lead to inguinal lymphadenitis (provided that an infection gets into the wound). However, only people with weak immune systems develop intense inflammation.

Diseases of the tonsils, caries, infections of the respiratory tract, face, neck can lead to axillary lymphadenitis. Bacteria enter this area through the bloodstream.

Parotid lymphadenitis can be the result of self-opening of the eel, or ear puncture. Such localization of inflammation is considered dangerous, as it can provoke meningitis.

Mesenteric lymphadenitis can develop due to diseases of the tonsils and respiratory organs. Most often, this type of inflammation is diagnosed in children.

Lymphadenitis symptoms

With lymphadenitis, regardless of its type, the lymph nodes are always inflamed. This is a common symptom characteristic of any type of lymphadenitis.

• Cervical. The inflammatory response is concentrated in the cervical lymph nodes. When palpating them, a person complains of painful sensations. His general health is disturbed, his body temperature may rise, and a headache occurs. If the pathology has a complicated course, then pus begins to accumulate in the lymph nodes. Cervical lymphadenitis can develop in both adults and children. However, the younger the patient, the more severe his pathology will be.
• Submandibular. This type of lymphadenitis is characterized by painful sensations that are aggravated by palpation of the lymph nodes located behind the ears or under the jaw. When the disease has just begun to develop, it does not cause any particular inconvenience to the person. The lymph nodes move freely and do not interfere with the process of chewing food or talking. Starting from the 3rd day of illness, you can notice the enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw, which protrude from under it and resemble bumps. If a person does not receive the necessary treatment, then the swelling and inflammation will spread to the oral cavity, the pain will intensify, and the body temperature will rise. The skin that is located above the lymph nodes becomes burgundy. When pus starts to flow to her, she will turn blue.
• Inguinal. In addition to the fact that lymph nodes begin to increase in the groin area, a person's body temperature rises, painful sensations appear in the lower abdomen. The pain tends to intensify with movement. The skin in the area of inflammation becomes red, the general well-being of a person is disturbed. If there is no treatment, then lymphadenitis will spread to nearby nodes or even throughout the body.
• Axillary. This type of lymphadenitis does not differ in its symptoms from inflammation of other localization. The lymph nodes, which are located in the armpits, increase in size. The purulent form of the disease is especially dangerous, since the pathogenic flora can spread throughout the body and lead to serious intoxication.

Forms of lymphadenitis

Lymphadenitis can be chronic or acute:

• In the acute form of the disease, its rapid progression is observed, the person's well-being is sharply deteriorating. Convalescence, with adequate therapy, dies down quickly.
• Chronic lymphadenitis has a long course. Sometimes the disease lasts for months or even years. Such lymphadenitis is most often associated with other chronic diseases, which are exacerbated from time to time.

Depending on the cause that provoked lymphadenitis, it can be specific and non-specific:

• A specific form of the disease is caused by various infectious agents: the bacteria of tuberculosis, syphilis, plague, etc.
• Nonspecific lymphadenitis is provoked by pyogenic flora and products of their decay.

If the inflammation is not purulent, then it is limited to the lymph node. With purulent lymphadenitis, exudate can break through into the surrounding tissues. The inflammatory response will be extremely intense.

When the disease develops very quickly, the doctor will talk about reactive lymphadenitis. This is not a separate form of the disease, but only its general characteristics.

Lymphadenitis treatment

Lymphadenitis is a reason to see a doctor. You should not delay a visit to a specialist and self-medicate. Otherwise, inflammation can be complicated by suppuration. It will be more difficult to cope with it.

Lymphadenopathy, which develops after a viral or bacterial infection, often goes away on its own. Human treatment is not required. Occasionally, patients are prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs.

Antibiotics are used when the disease becomes purulent. The doctor must select the medicine.

To speed up the healing process, you can use ointments with an anti-inflammatory effect, take vitamin and mineral complexes. Be sure to drink as much fluid as possible, to prevent hypothermia of the body.

As a rule, the medicines listed in the table are used:

Group of drugs	Characteristic
Antibiotics cephalosporins (Cefotaxime, Cefazolin)	Show bactericidal action
Macrolide antibiotics (Azithromycin, Erythromycin)	They have a bacteriostatic effect
Aminoglycosides (Netilmicin, Gentamicin)	Used to treat infectious diseases
Antihistamines (Tavegil, Suprastin)	These substances suppress the action of free histamine
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Nimesil)	Effectively relieve inflammation (pain, swelling, skin redness)

In rare cases, you have to resort to surgical intervention. The help of a surgeon is required when the purulent lymph nodes remain inflamed, despite the ongoing therapy.

To cope with submandibular lymphadenitis, you can use Burov's fluid. It is used for local therapy. Antibiotics from the penicillin group are prescribed to relieve bacterial inflammation. In case of suppuration, the patient is prescribed warming up with sollux, but the infection must be eliminated from the body. The operation is resorted to with intense inflammation of a whole group of lymph nodes. A tube is inserted into the submandibular incision, which allows the purulent contents to drain.

Patients with inguinal lymphadenitis are shown bed rest. The less a person moves, the less discomfort he will experience. In parallel, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed. The severe course of the disease requires direct sanitation of the purulent focus.

With axillary lymphadenitis, it is required to direct efforts to eliminate the underlying pathology. Then the patient is referred for physiotherapy.

Video: lymphadenitis - symptoms, causes, complications and what to do?

Forecast

The prognosis for full recovery is favorable if the cause that led to the development of lymphadenitis can be eliminated. The earlier therapy is started, the less likely it is that the patient will need the help of a surgeon.

The author of the article: Volkov Dmitry Sergeevich | c. m. n. surgeon, phlebologist

Education: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (1996). In 2003 he received a diploma from the Educational and Scientific Medical Center of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.