Types of lymphadenitis and their treatment

Lymphatic System - a system of protection of the body against external influences (in which the immune cells that protect the body from infection), as well as degradation products formed in the body (all superfluous through the lymphatic system excreted). Therefore, the state of the system largely depends on the health of man.

Lymph nodes and their functions

Lymph nodes are small (less than 2 cm in length) slightly elongated education covered connective tissue capsule. Lymph nodes are usually arranged in clusters along the lymphatic vessels near major blood vessels. On the surface there is lymph node embedded in the form of a funnel, which is the gateway for entering into a lymph node arteries (they carry lymph node nutrients and oxygen), nerves innervating lifouzel and bringing of the lymphatic vessels. From the same exit gate vein that fills up carbon dioxide and efferent lymph vessels with substances that need to be removed from the body. Efferent lymph vessels less than yielding, but they have a larger clearance. The lymph node is filled with loose connective tissue and immune cells at different stages of maturation.

Immune cells provide cell (absorb bacteria and viruses) and humoral (in response to the introduction of infection to form specific proteins - antibodies, which are glued together with infectious agents and remove them from the body) immunity (protective function). The lymph nodes also deposited fine particles that enter the respiratory tract, then absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted into the lymph (barrier function).

Lymphadenitis, its causes and types

Lymphadenitis called inflammation in the lymph nodes, which rarely occurs in itself, usually with inflammation passes adjacent tissues.

Reason lymphadenitis - infection (staphylococcus, streptococcus, and so on) that spreads through the blood and lymph vessels. All of these bacteria cause inflammation equally flowing, so infections caused by them are called nonspecific.

There are infectious agents that cause the symptoms of the disease, which is characteristic only for them, it is, for example, tubercle bacillus, Treponema pallidum, and others. Infections caused by these pathogens are called specific.

Lymphadenitis may also be acute or chronic.

How is acute lymphadenitis

Acute lymphadenitis begins suddenly, often characterized by the appearance of the common disorders of the body (fever, malaise, headache, and so on), and enlarged lymph nodes. Acute lymphadenitis may be limited to a lymph node tissue inflammation (catarrhal form), suppuration of lymph nodes (purulent form) and the appearance of swollen lymph nodes in sukrovichnogo content (haemorrhagic form).

Bluetongue form of lymphadenitis usually occurs as a reaction to an inflammation of the surrounding lymph node tissue. The total state hardly changes, the lymph nodes increased, become painful, but they are easy to palpate because they are not soldered to the surrounding tissues. Once inflammation in these tissues ends lymphadenitis passes.

When purulent and hemorrhagic forms of lymphadenitis appears fever, malaise, headache Headache   combined with severe pain in the lymph nodes. Lymph node palpated with difficulty due to swelling of the surrounding tissue. Such limfouzem often becomes a source of infection for neighboring and distant tissues and organs.

Lymphadenitis If untreated, it can become chronic.

Chronic lymphadenitis

Lymphadenitis may take the form of a chronic process, and from the beginning, it is usually because of lowered immunity.

Chronic inflammation can occur quickly, without any common manifestations. But in the long course in human performance decreases, there is a weakness, and malaise. Chronic process initially leads to an increase in the lymph nodes and then to their sharp decrease (atrophy), when the lymph node tissue is replaced with scar tissue and lymph node loses its function.

How to treat lymphadenitis

Since lymphadenitis rarely alone, first revealed the underlying disease, it caused (eg, chronic tonsillitis). Treatment lymphadenitis carried out simultaneously with the treatment of the primary tumor inflammation.

For the treatment of acute purulent and hemorrhagic lymphadenitis used antibiotics, the patient gets their mouth or by injection. If pus has not yet been formed, then the skin in the area of ​​the lymph node is applied dry heat, prescribe physiotherapy, promotes the resorption of infiltration (eg, UHF).

If the inflammation begins to grow, and in the lymph node appears fluctuation (fluctuation, which indicates the presence of liquid inside), then the procedure will be canceled warming (warming in the presence of pus is very dangerous - the infection can spread through the advanced blood and lymphatic vessels). Most often in such cases, lymph node incision with a scalpel, remove the pus and make drainage (constant output content).

Chronic lymphadenitis is treated in acute as well as sharp, but the patient is required to be appointed medications that strengthen the immune system.

If swollen lymph nodes, this suggests that the body where a (possibly hidden) flows inflammation.

Galina Romanenko