Such a small organ as the uvula in a numbercases can cause big health problems. As a rule, its inflammation does not threaten the critical state, but sometimes the swelling becomes so intense that it causes significant difficulty in breathing.
Before you begin to understand the causes of problems with the tongue, you should describe its anatomical structure.
Anatomical structure
The uvula itself, the photo of which is presented inThis article is nothing but a continuation of the soft palate. It is located in the throat cavity, at the root of the tongue. The basis of it consists of smooth muscle cells, and the surface is covered with mucous membrane.
Blood vessels pass through the area of the soft palate, which explains the occurrence of injuries and inflammatory processes. Often you may experience intense swelling and redness.
The soft palate passes into the palatine arches, betweenwhich are the glands. This explains the fact that in the presence of tonsillitis or tonsillitis, that is, if the body is infected with viruses or bacteria, the inflammatory process spreads to the soft palate.
The situation, which in acute inflammation of the tonsils creates the impression that a small tongue has swollen, is explained by their anatomical proximity.
Small tongue function
The uvula has a number of rather important functions.The soft palate, along with a small tongue, participates in rational separation and direction of airflow and food, prevents foreign bodies and food pieces from entering the respiratory organs, forms a cough and vomiting reflex, warms the inhaled air and participates in the correct formation of sounds when pronouncing words. Inflammation of the uvula tissues can lead to a violation of each of the above functions. In medicine, it has received the name "uvulit."
How does uvulit flow?
If the sky is not infected, then the person does not feel it, but with the development of certain pathological conditions, the sky and the tongue swell and redden.
Most often uvulit proceeds in an acute form.The patient may even wake up at night from the feeling that the uvula has become swollen and long. This causes a sense of the presence of a foreign body in the mouth and a desire to cough. A cough in this condition does not bring relief. It usually provokes soreness and swelling of the soft palate.
The main causes of the disease
The main causes of inflammation of the uvula, include:
- infectious processes in the oral cavity that are caused by viruses or bacteria;
- purulent inflammatory processes in the jaw area;
- tonsillitis or tonsillitis, which occurs in a chronic form;
- suppuration of fiber located near the tonsils;
- the presence of injuries and burns of the soft palate;
- allergic reaction of the body;
- tumors of the soft palate, pharynx or pharynx.
- the presence of sinusitis or rhinitis;
- paratonsillar abscess;
- diseases of the teeth and jaws, accompanied by suppuration;
- mechanical damage to the tongue;
- exposure to low or high temperature;
- allergic reaction;
- the presence of angioedema;
- the presence of a tumor in the throat;
- long-term use of anti-hypertension;
- taking ACE inhibitors.
There are also reasons that are not diseases, but are capable of provoking uvulitis.
Symptoms of uvulita
Signs of a disease such as uvulit maymake yourself known during the meal, after a long cough or sneeze. More prone to uvulitu people, a small tongue which has an elongated shape. Also, the disease develops in the presence of adenoids. If you look in the throat with inflammation, you can see a bright red uvula that began to hang down to the root of the tongue. Along with it the soft sky swells and hurts.
Symptoms of uvulita with the viral nature of the disease
With the penetration of bacteria and viruses are observed:
- Pain in the throat.
- Presence of tick and cough.
- Nasal congestion.
- Increased body temperature.
- Migraine.
- Pain in the joints and muscles.
- Flying in the throat.
Therapy uvulita
The inflammatory process in the tongue, as a rule, acquires a sudden course. Whether the patient will need the help of a specialist depends on the symptoms that the disease caused.
If the inflammatory process and swelling is notaffect the function of breathing and manifest a feeling of coma in the throat, a nasal voice, painful sensations when swallowing food, then, as a rule, the disease resolves itself, without the intervention of a doctor.
Occurrence of uvulita makes breathing difficult, causes shortness of breath, saliva flow and provokes vomiting.
Since the cause of the small tongue swelling inthroat may be an allergy of an instant appearance, then the above symptoms should be treated with care, and in their rapid development, consult a doctor immediately.
Relief of edema allergic nature is possible thanks to the three main groups of drugs:
- antihistamines;
- diuretic diuretics;
- glucocorticosteroids.
For example, if the process of the soft palate has increasedin size due to the presence of allergies, the use of “Claritin” can be recommended to the patient from antihistamines, and “Furosemide” is prescribed as a diuretic. In case of marked difficulty in breathing, the use of "hydrocortisone" is indicated. Isolated cases of swelling of the soft palate require radical help, namely, such a manipulation as a tracheostomy.
The most important condition is to determine the cause of the disease. The therapeutic course depends on it.
What to do if the uvula hurts?Usually this condition is provoked by injuries. In this case, special procedures are not required. As a rule, doctors are limited to ordinary observation, they recommend to follow the rules of hygiene and care for the oral cavity. We recommend using chamomile rinses. In this case, the swelling subsides after a few days.
In the case of penetration of viruses or bacteriasuch means as "Amoxiclav", "Azithromycin", "Levomycetin", "Arbidol" are prescribed. The throat is irrigated with sprays that have bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects (Ingalipt, Givalex, Gorlospas).
Angioedema in treatment is more difficult. It manifests itself suddenly and also disappears quickly.
If ulvitis provoked pus accumulation, thenordinary sprays will not help. In this case, surgical intervention is indicated. Following the conduct of such an operation requires a long rehabilitation period.
Papillomas and viruses do not pose a particular danger to the life of the patient, but when they appear, an operation is also shown, since the new growths are prone to growth. This is for the patient a great discomfort.
It should be noted that the cause of the swelling of the uvulamay become the use of alcoholic beverages. This is due to dehydration of the mucous membrane of the organ. Treatment of this condition requires abundant fluid intake. Alcohol and carbonated drinks should be excluded.
The problem with the tongue, the feeling of its increase inThe size is also caused by the presence of benign tumors in the throat. In appearance, such a neoplasm looks like a growth that forms on the mucous membrane of the process of the soft palate and more often is a polyp or papilloma.
Polyps and papillomas do not usually threaten the health andhuman life, but doctors recommend their removal, because if the growth is increasing in size, then the patient begins to torment cough and foreign body sensation in the throat.
If the growth and papilloma are subjected to systematic injury or other irritating factors, there are risks of their transition to a malignant neoplasm.
The high level of difficulty is different treatmentpalatal uvula whose edema is triggered by angioedema. In this case, hypnosis, reflexotherapy, physiotherapy procedures are used as preventive measures.
With peritonsillar abscess and the presence of ulcers in the jaw resort to surgery. In this case, an autopsy and drainage.
So, with the rapid development of the diseaseimmediate medical attention is required. Most often, the process develops in a short time with allergies. Infectious edema also requires medical consultation, but does not need to be immediately referred to a laryngologist. Even a small symptom can cause a major health problem.
General recommendations
Regardless of the cause for which you have inflameduvula, there are a number of specific rules that must be followed during treatment. First of all, oral hygiene should be maintained. You should also pay attention to the diet. Do not eat spicy and salty foods. Alcohol and smoking should be excluded.
Conclusion
Based on the above, you can makeconclusion: if you have problems with such an organ as the uvula, you should immediately contact a specialist. Doctors will be able to understand the cause of the occurrence of the disease and prescribe the appropriate therapy, which can stop all manifestations of the disease. The main symptoms include puffiness, nausea, pain, feeling of pain.
