Throat burn: types and causes, manifestations, first aid, how to treat

Read in the article:

1. Why does my throat hurt after drinking alcohol?
2. How to relieve a sore throat
3. Myths about treating throat problems with alcohol
4. Swelling of the uvula
5. Treatment of alcoholism

The article was prepared by expert
Chekmarev Maxim Sergeevich

Psychotherapist, psychiatrist, psychiatrist-narcologist

When a sore throat occurs, a person often resorts to treatment with folk or improvised remedies. Many people even decide to “treat” themselves with vodka, without even realizing that it is alcohol that can cause pain. Once in the mouth, vodka can burn the mucous membrane and even damage the vocal cords. In this article we will tell you the reasons why a sore throat may hurt after drinking alcohol, how to cure it and avoid recurrence of the disease.

Causes and symptoms of throat burns

The most common causes of a laryngeal burn include:

• Drinking boiling water or too hot liquids, tea or coffee.
• Uncooked food.
• Chemical substances. A throat burn occurs if you inhale or swallow toxic fumes, various acids, iodine, or alcohol.

When an injury occurs, a person is tormented by acute and painful signs that are accompanied by certain symptoms. These include:

• Pain when trying to swallow.
• Burning in the throat.
• Profuse salivation.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Increase in temperature.
• Lymph nodes increase in size.
• If the burn is severe, a person may go into shock.

An injured person's voice changes and a cough appears. Its condition depends entirely on the causes of the mucosal burn and the extent of its spread.

Description and causes of injury

A laryngeal burn is damage to the mucous membranes that occurs as a result of exposure to high temperatures or aggressive chemicals. This injury is quite widespread in everyday life, because a burn to the pharynx can be caused by consuming hot food and drinks. Damage from alcohol or acetic acid, Lugol, iodine, caustic alkalis, and concentrated steam is often found.

Experts consider a chemical burn to the throat to be the most difficult in terms of treatment and further recovery. Even a visit to the dentist can provoke injury, for example, if arsenic or other potent drugs come into contact with the mucous membranes of the larynx.

Young children are also susceptible to this type of damage and, due to their curiosity, may well try household chemicals. According to the international classification, burn injuries to the throat are divided by specialists into 3 degrees:

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1. The first degree is characterized by redness of the larynx and swelling of the mucous membranes.
2. The second degree - manifests itself with specific blisters and the formation of gray films on a red and swollen throat.
3. Third degree - manifested by necrosis of the affected tissues. Muscle tissue, ligaments and cartilage tissue are affected.

Lesions of the larynx of the second and third degrees require competent and timely assistance to the victim. Otherwise, extremely serious consequences are possible in the form of an attack of suffocation, poisoning, scarring and even the death of the patient!

Degree of burn to the throat mucosa

In many ways, first aid measures and further treatment depend on how the burn was caused. They are divided into groups such as:

• Thermal;
• Chemical.

Thermal. These burns are caused by swallowing:

• hot liquid;
• boiling water;
• exposure to steam or hot air.

First, the palate and oral cavity are damaged, then the larynx. With the most serious and dangerous burns, the consequences can affect the esophagus and trachea.

Chemical. They are obtained due to careless handling of acids or alkalis, as a result of intentional actions. Very often this happens during a suicide attempt. Acid and alkaline burns have a much greater impact on human life and health. They can have quite serious consequences. The main symptom is a characteristic odor from the mouth.

Pre-hospital care measures

What to do if the larynx is burned? First of all, it is recommended to give the victim a drink of cold water, which will alleviate the general condition, relieve pain and swelling, but most importantly, prevent further spread of the burn into the depths of the tissue.

In this case, you need to drink water in small sips, holding it in the throat and mouth. A good effect is obtained by sucking crushed ice or rinsing the larynx with cool antiseptic solutions. In case of a chemical burn, it is necessary to neutralize the effect of the provoking factor. For these purposes, you need to examine the victim’s larynx.

With an alkaline lesion, a dry scab will be noticeable on the mucous membranes. In this situation, a weak solution of acetic or citric acid is used. If a jelly-like scab forms in the throat, then we are talking about exposure to acids, and the patient needs a soda solution to neutralize it.

After providing first aid and alleviating acute symptoms, you need to give the victim a gastric lavage, give him a glass of milk and a little sunflower oil, and then be sure to contact a specialist who will prescribe further treatment!

A burn of the mucous membrane of the throat of the first degree and sometimes the second is treated at home; in more severe cases, the victim is hospitalized. Successful treatment and recovery requires compliance with the following medical recommendations:

1. Silence. The patient should talk as little as possible and avoid raising his voice.
2. Rinse with chamomile decoction and antiseptic solutions.
3. Abstinence from spicy, sour, hard salty foods.
4. Following a diet with a predominance of liquid and puree foods. The patient's menu should include broth, sour cream, cheese, eggs.

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For burn lesions of the throat, treatment involves mandatory drug therapy. A qualified specialist will advise you individually on how to treat a lesion in a particular case. Patients are usually prescribed analgesic and antibacterial drugs, and glucocorticosteroids are used to reduce swelling.

The mucous membranes of the larynx in the affected area are regularly treated with antiseptic and oil products - such procedures give a very good therapeutic effect! The surface of the larynx can also be lubricated with Vaseline, beaten chicken egg, using a sterile cotton swab.

Among the most common traditional medicines used to combat this disease are the use of peach, olive, sea buckthorn and rosehip oils. These products can be used for oil inhalations and external treatment of burned areas. Home treatment for thermal burns may include oil inhalations, sucking ice cubes, applying cold neck compresses, rinsing with sage and chamomile infusions.

Proper recovery also requires certain diet therapy. Products such as egg whites, vegetable and butter, cool drinks, and cream contribute to the speedy rehabilitation of the patient. For medicinal purposes, the oil is consumed in its pure form, 4 times a day.

Signs of a burn at different stages

Doctors also classify all chemical and thermal burns of the throat according to severity. This helps to provide first aid correctly and prescribe appropriate treatment. These include:

1st degree:

• the surface layer of the epithelium is damaged;
• a person experiences swelling and redness in the oral cavity and mucous membrane;
• you may feel a sensation of pain and burning in the throat;
• The patient's condition is not deteriorating, but is in a stable condition.

2nd degree:

• a person develops specific blisters that contain gray films;
• 2 weeks after receiving a burn, plaque begins to separate;
• the wounds begin to heal and heal, forming scars at the burn sites;
• the person feels slight weakness for 2 weeks after the injury;
• It is allowed to increase body temperature to 38 degrees.

3rd degree:

• it is characterized by signs of intoxication;
• burned areas die off;
• scabs appear;
• ulcers form;
• the functions of the pharynx, larynx, and esophagus are impaired.

Swelling of the uvula

Drinking alcohol can lead to such a dangerous pathology as swelling of the uvula. If timely measures are not taken, a person may simply die.

Inflammation of this part of the mouth is called uvulitis. The first signs of pathology development:

• redness of the tongue;
• pain when swallowing;
• gagging;
• labored breathing;
• temperature increase;
• speech problem;
• feeling of a lump in the throat;
• painful dry cough.

If timely measures are not taken, the swelling will continue to the stage of blocking the nasopharyngeal lumens. This situation leads to asphyxia (suffocation) with a fatal outcome.

In this situation, it is important to first stop the development of the inflammatory process. To do this, give the patient an allergy medicine and call an ambulance.

First aid

A favorable outcome in treatment will depend on the speed of assistance, the nature and degree of mucosal burn. Initially, it is established what could have caused the injury. To do this, a visual examination of the room is carried out, the presence of a specific odor of the substance that caused the burn is taken into account.

If this does not give any result, then you need to examine the wound and the patient’s mucous membrane, carefully examine the vomit and the type of scab.

If the burn was caused by interaction with alkali, then the vomit will contain pieces of mucous tissue. When injured by iodine, they turn blue or brown. After a burn, a scab appears, the color of which can tell a lot:

• with acid burns it is yellow, that is, the injury occurred due to nitric or hydrochloric acid;
• for black - sulfuric acid, for white - hydrogen peroxide.

Once the agent that caused the burn has been accurately determined, measures can begin to eliminate the effect of this chemical. There are rules that should be remembered and followed immediately after a throat injury.

If the injury occurred as a result of boiling water or hot liquid, then the injured person should be given a glass of cold water to drink. To relieve pain, you need to give novocaine or lidocaine.

When injury occurs from various acids, it is necessary to give a lime mixture.

For alkaline burns - diluted citric acid.

The person must be provided with antiseptics and given a flow of fresh air.

If the burn is quite serious, it is necessary not to waste time, but to take the victim to the hospital, where doctors can quickly provide qualified medical care.

How to relieve a sore throat

If your throat becomes sore after drinking alcohol, it is important to quickly respond to the symptoms and prevent further development of the disease. First of all, you need to call an ambulance. Until the doctors arrive, you need to provide first aid to the person:

1. Stop drinking alcohol.
2. Give an antihistamine for swelling.
3. Take plenty of liquid and lie down.
4. In case of a burn to the mucous membrane, it is necessary to gargle with chamomile infusion, a spoonful of soda or a pinch of salt, and a calendula solution.
5. Try to avoid physical or psycho-emotional stress.

Treatment methods

All further measures aimed at a speedy recovery will depend on how badly the throat is damaged. If doctors have diagnosed severity levels 2 or 3, then the patient must be treated in a hospital where qualified care will be provided. With severity level 1, restoration of the mucous membrane can occur at home; the main thing is to observe the following measures:

• Mandatory pain relief. You can take tablets or special solutions.
• Use valerian and bromine as sedatives.
• Treatment with antibiotics to minimize the spread of infection or infection.
• In order for the wound to heal faster and all functions to be restored, you need to infuse oil-based preparations with a special syringe.
• To reduce the level of intoxication, it is necessary to administer a solution of glucose, hemodez, rheopolyglucin.
• Gargle with antiseptic agents to prevent the development of further throat infections.

For the most severe and complex injuries, surgery may be prescribed. Most often, surgical intervention is needed in cases where scars or ulcers begin to form. Usually they begin to greatly interfere with the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, operations are performed on the trachea, larynx, and esophagus.

Treatment

Treatment of superficial injuries of the 1st degree is carried out on an outpatient basis. But your doctor should tell you how to treat a burnt throat at home. After all, only a specialist can accurately assess the location, depth and nature of the damage. Most often, for mild damage to the mucous membrane, it is recommended:

• gargle with medicinal herbal decoctions and infusions (you can use chamomile, oak bark, sage, calendula, thyme and infusions of these plants);
• apply cool compresses to the neck area;
• lubricate the throat mucosa with sea buckthorn and rosehip oils.

Treatment of a chemical burn of the throat and thermal injury of 2-3 degrees is no different, it is carried out only in a hospital, and includes the following:

• local anesthetic solutions (Lidocaine, Novocaine) - relieve pain;
• antiseptic rinsing solutions (Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Furacilin, Tantum Verde) - have a disinfectant effect;
• local regenerating compositions for lubricating or irrigating the throat (Aevit, Aekol, Karotolin) - accelerate tissue healing;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Dexalgin, Ketanov, Ketorol) – relieve inflammation and swelling;
• narcotic analgesics (Promedol) - relieve severe pain in severe injury;
• antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil) - reduce swelling and hyperemia;
• glucocorticosteroids (Dexamethasone, Prednisolone) – suppress inflammatory processes, reduce pain and swelling, and are used to relieve burn shock;
• antibacterial drugs (Amoxiclav, Ceftriaxone, Azithromycin) - prevent or treat existing infectious complications;
• sedatives (Relanium, Afobazol) - normalize the state of the nervous system after injury;
• detoxification agents (solutions of Glucose, Ringer, Hemodez) - administered intravenously to eliminate symptoms of intoxication and normalize electrolyte balance in case of deep injuries, treatment of burn disease.

During treatment of the larynx and throat, it is important to eliminate stress on the vocal cords and minimize the impact of irritating factors on damaged tissues:

• do not talk a lot, speak in a whisper if necessary;
• eat only pureed food at room temperature;
• do not smoke, give up alcohol, spicy and salty foods, hot dishes and drinks.

If the burn is severe and healing proceeds with the formation of large scars that cause functional impairment of the organ, surgical intervention may be required.

Superficial isolated burns of the throat do not pose a particular threat - tissues quickly recover even without special drug treatment. However, most often the damage covers deeper structures, extending to the larynx, trachea, esophagus, and lower respiratory tract. Severe burns are accompanied by serious functional impairments, are difficult to treat, and lead to disability. If you have a thermal or chemical injury to your throat, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to accurately determine the extent and extent of damage and advise how to treat a throat burn in a particular case.

Treatment of children

For children, a throat burn has quite serious consequences, since they have a very narrow lumen of the larynx and pharynx. Therefore, as a result of even the most minor injury, swelling appears, which interferes with or even complicates the swallowing process. One of the most serious consequences is difficulty breathing.

At this moment, the child begins to grab his throat and actively gasp for air. He may lose consciousness. Therefore, parents or other adults should urgently call an ambulance, which will quickly provide qualified assistance.

For a baby, the healing process lasts much longer, since most often the burns are deep and serious, making it impossible to carry out some treatment methods. In addition, the child must visit a psychologist.

General information

Children often receive household throat burns due to inattention and insufficient parental control. Adults are more often injured at work - during an accident or due to violation of safety rules (for example, when working with aggressive chemicals without a respirator).

At the same time as the throat, the mucous membranes lining the oral cavity and the tissues of the tongue are injured. In severe situations, damage affects the larynx and trachea, bronchi and lungs, and esophagus. In this case, not only the epithelium is destroyed, but also the underlying muscle structures.

With mild burns, healing of the mucous membranes occurs quite quickly even without special treatment. However, a deep burn of the larynx and throat causes unbearable pain and requires immediate adequate treatment. In another situation, the injury can cause disability or even death of the victim.

Nutrition and lifestyle during treatment and rehabilitation

A person should begin to follow a special diet so as not to aggravate the condition of a sore throat. A special diet will depend on the severity.

Sometimes the doctor may prescribe to eat food only in liquid form, rubbing it through a special grater or mixing it in a blender. Do not eat hot, spicy, sour or hard foods.

A person with a burnt throat should definitely eat oil about 4 times a day (vegetable or butter). To alleviate the condition, you can apply cold compresses to the damaged area. In this case, you should not strain your throat and maintain absolute silence for some time.

Causes of burns and methods of preventing them

The most common cause of burns is contact of oral tissues with liquids or high-temperature steam. The oral mucosa turns red, swelling appears, and then the upper layer peels off. Electrical burns occur due to incorrect electrophoresis. The size of the lesion will correspond to the size of the electrode.

Chemical burns most often occur in children when trying to test household chemicals, but burns sometimes occur in the dental chair. This can occur upon contact with silver nitrate, solutions for cleaning the dental canal, etc. In case of a chemical burn, the severity of the condition depends on the chemical composition of the substance that has entered the mouth and the strength of its concentration. Ionizing radiation is used in radiation therapy and can also cause burns to the mouth and larynx.

It must be said that the method of preventing burns is basic caution. Drinks or food that are too hot should not reach the table. Steam inhalations for children under 14 years of age are extremely dangerous and do not have any therapeutic effect. As for chemical burns in children, household chemicals must be carefully isolated and have warning labels. Do not pour chemical solutions into other containers, especially drinking bottles.

Treatment of oral burns

The most important thing in the treatment of burns of the oral cavity will be the provision of timely and high-quality first aid:

• For first-degree burns, rinse your mouth with cool, but not ice-cold, water for 15-20 minutes. If the pain is severe, you can take a painkiller.
• For second degree burns, rinse time with cool water is extended to 30 minutes. After this, the oral cavity is numbed with local anesthetics.
• If you have a third degree burn, you should wait for qualified help. In the complex treatment of such burns, antibiotics, painkillers and therapeutic aerosols are used to restore the epithelium.

In case of a chemical burn, it is important to immediately identify the chemical reagent and neutralize its effect:

• Alkali burns are neutralized by a slightly acidic rinse (citric acid solution);
• An acid burn should be treated with soap or soda solution.

The most important thing when treating burns to the oral cavity is to contact specialists as quickly as possible and provide high-quality first aid to yourself or the victim.