Otorhinolaryngology: diseases — симптомы, диагностика и лечение

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the maxillary (maxillary) sinus, the most common type of sinusitis. Almost every runny nose is accompanied by mild inflammation of the sinuses, and in most cases it goes away on its own within 7–10 days. The problem begins when swelling blocks the anastomosis - a narrow channel connecting the sinus to the nasal cavity. The mucus stops flowing, bacteria multiply in the closed cavity, and bursting pain and purulent discharge appear. The good news is that a puncture is rarely required today, but the bad news is that neglected sinusitis easily becomes chronic.

Sore throat, or acute tonsillitis, is an inflammation of the tonsils. The main practical question for a sore throat is not “what to gargle with,” but “what kind of sore throat is it?” The vast majority of cases are caused by viruses and go away on their own, and antibiotics are useless. But in about every fifth adult, and more often in children, the cause is group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus - and it is this that can cause complications in the heart, joints and kidneys. It is possible to distinguish them, and for this there is a simple test that takes a few minutes.

Chronic tonsillitis is a constantly smoldering inflammation of the palatine tonsils, in which they turn from a protective organ into a source of infection. Typical complaints are periodic sore throat, white “plugs” with an unpleasant odor, constantly enlarged lymph nodes and fatigue. The main question that concerns patients is whether to remove or preserve tonsils. The answer depends not on the presence of plugs or the size of the tonsils, but on whether there are signs of a toxic-allergic effect on the body.

Adenoids are a growth of the pharyngeal tonsil, located in the nasopharynx, where it cannot be seen during a normal examination of the mouth. This is an exclusively children’s problem: the pharyngeal tonsil is active until about 7 years of age, and by adolescence it decreases on its own. The main danger of adenoids is not the growth itself, but its consequences: the child stops breathing through the nose, snores, breathing stops during sleep, hearing, bite and development suffer. That is why the decision is made not by the “degree in the picture”, but by what the adenoids do to the child.

Otitis is an inflammation of the ear, one of the most common reasons for visiting an ENT doctor and the most common cause of night crying in a child. This word hides various diseases: otitis externa affects the ear canal, medial otitis affects the cavity behind the eardrum. They are treated differently, and that is why using “ear drops” before a doctor’s examination is a bad idea: if the eardrum is damaged, some of the drops can damage your hearing. You can figure out what kind of otitis media it is by looking into your ear.