Frequent tonsillitis affects the child's heart

 Frequent tonsillitis affects the child's heart

If children have tonsils, it can cause heart problems. However, most of our parents are not so aware and cautious about this. Therefore, they come to the hospital only after the problem becomes complicated.

When a child's tonsils swell, how does it affect the heart? Before finding the answer to this, it is important to understand about tonsils.

Tonsil is an organ located inside the throat, it is not a disease in itself. But when it becomes infected i.e. swollen, the condition is called 'tonsillitis'. Which is colloquially called 'having tonsils'.

The organ called tonsil is located in the throat just behind the mouth. It is oval. Its main function is to prevent external infectious organisms (bacteria or viruses) from entering the lungs.

Antibodies found in tonsils (immunity needed to fight disease) help prevent throat and lung infections. However, sometimes due to an external infection, the organ itself becomes swollen. Although this problem can happen to anyone, it is mostly seen in children.

Tonsil swelling is caused by foreign bacteria coming into contact with the tonsils. The main cause of tonsillitis is the bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus). These viruses are more active in cold weather.

Who is more at risk?

It is seen more in children in areas with lack of sanitation, dense settlements, lack of nutrition and lack of access to health services. Also, when the tonsils are swollen, streptococcus germs can easily spread quickly in schools, offices, and crowded places. Children with low immunity are at risk.

Symptoms

Symptoms such as swelling and redness of the tonsils, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing food, fever, headache and joint pain may be seen. These symptoms can be cured if treated as soon as they appear. But if the treatment is not done in time and tonsillitis persists for a long time, rheumatic fever can also occur.

What is rheumatic fever?

Tonsillitis is a problem when children have frequent sore throats. Within three weeks of that, fever along with swelling of limbs and joint pain are the initial symptoms of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is called 'rheumatic fever' in medical language. Children between the ages of five and 15 are often affected by this disease.

Once rheumatic fever attacks, it does not leave the infected person. After that, it continues to attack again and again. The more often the throat becomes infected, the more likely it is that rheumatic fever will return. An increase in such risk means that the heart is at risk.

Rheumatic heart disease

In case of rheumatic fever, the valve of the heart is damaged and there is shortness of breath, pain in the heart, swelling of the heart, constriction of the valve, body weakness, pain in the joints, reddening of the skin and lumps can be seen on the body. 80 percent of children with rheumatic fever may develop rheumatic heart disease. Affecting the heart due to rheumatic fever is rheumatic heart disease.

How can tonsil become a heart risk factor?

Streptococcus germs initially infect the throat. As a result, symptoms such as sore throat and hoarseness increase one after the other.

Antigens (healthy deadly substances) that match the bacteria that have entered the body are also present in our heart. In this case, when bacteria enter the body. Then the body makes antibodies to fight it. Apart from killing the external bacteria, the antibody also starts recognizing the antigens in the heart as enemies. Because of this, it affects the heart slowly.

Symptoms after heart attack

-Disturbed heart rhythm

-Difficulty breathing

- Knee joint pain

-Pains in heel and shoulder joint one after the other

- Chest pain

- Swelling of limbs

- Loss of appetite

identity

It can be identified based on the symptoms of tonsils. A blood test is used to determine if there is an infection.

Similarly, if rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are suspected, heart electrocardiogram (ECG) and chest X-ray are done.

Treatment

It is treated based on symptoms. A throat infection should be treated with antibiotics for seven to 10 days. If children are treated properly for sore throat, enlarged tonsils and ripening, this disease can be stopped at the first stage.

Similarly, if the tonsils have already caused rheumatic fever, the doctor will give antibiotics (penicillin injection once a week). Regular or long-acting penicillin injections may also be necessary to prevent repeated attacks on the heart valves.

If tonsillitis and rheumatic fever are properly treated, the risk of rheumatic heart disease and heart disease can be 100% avoided.

Treatment of rheumatic heart disease

The damage caused by rheumatic heart disease to the heart valves is permanent. If rheumatic heart disease has already occurred, it can be treated by giving medicine for some time. Some rheumatic heart diseases may require surgery as they cannot be cured even with medication. Patients with severe rheumatic heart disease require surgery to replace or repair the valves if the valves are damaged.

Similarly, according to the severity of the disease, drugs can be given to treat heart failure or abnormal symptoms seen in the heart rhythm. In addition, blood thinners may be needed to reduce the risk of blood clots.

How to avoid tonsillitis?

- It is necessary to pay attention to oral hygiene to avoid tonsillitis.

Apart from this, tonsillitis can also be avoided by paying attention to the following points.

- Hands and feet should be kept clean to avoid throat infection through food.

-Children should be taught not to share food, water glasses or bottles with anyone.

-Children should be taught how to protect themselves from bacterial or viral infections.

- You should eat a lot of light food.

- It is advisable to use a mask when going out to avoid the dusty and smoky environment.

- Do not eat very cold, hot and greasy food.

- If you have any problem related to tonsils, you should immediately consult a doctor.