Acute Pharyngitis in Children
Acute pharyngitis in children is an acute inflammation caused by lesions of the pharyngeal mucosa and submucosa, as well as lymphoid tissue. It often occurs after acute rhinitis or acute tonsillitis, or as part of an upper respiratory tract infection. It is also often a local manifestation of systemic diseases or a prodromal symptom of acute infectious diseases. When children's overall or local resistance is weakened due to factors such as cold exposure, pathogenic microorganisms can enter and cause acute pharyngitis. Malnutrition and frequent exposure to high temperatures, dust, and harmful irritants can easily lead to the development of chronic pharyngitis.
Symptoms
1. Hoarse voice: Patients with pharyngitis in children often experience hoarseness of voice, which can even affect normal speech when severe.
2. Throat pain: Children usually feel pain and a foreign body sensation in the throat, which worsens during vocalization.
3. Excessive phlegm: Inflammation of the throat leads to increased secretion in the throat, causing the child to cough and produce more phlegm.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, this condition is often caused by invasion of the throat by pathogenic wind-heat, or by excessive heat in the stomach, which rises to the throat, or by inflammation caused by excessive virtual fire. Therefore, parents can try Chinese massage for the treatment of pharyngitis.
Massage Method 1
1. The child should sit or lie down. The parent should use the thumb, index, and middle fingers to squeeze and knead the Tian Tu acupoint 30-50 times, then gently press and knead the acupoint with the thumb for 1 minute.
2. Massage the He Gu acupoint for 1 minute.
Tian Tu acupoint: When selecting the acupoint, the child can adopt a supine position. The Tian Tu acupoint is located in the neck, on the midline, between the two clavicles, and in the center of the suprasternal notch. It is used to treat hiccups, cough, vomiting, neurogenic vomiting, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and throat diseases.
He Gu acupoint: When determining this acupoint, the patient should place the wrist in a side palm position, naturally half-closed fist, and the He Gu acupoint is located on the back of the hand, at the midpoint of the second metacarpal bone, on the thumb side. Here is another simple way to find the acupoint: when the thumb and index finger form a 45-degree angle, the intersection of the extended angle of the bone is the acupoint. It is used to treat toothache, gum pain, acne, warts, trigeminal neuralgia, eye fatigue, throat pain, tinnitus, facial nerve paralysis, facial paralysis, hiccups, and more. By the way, a tip for pressing the He Gu acupoint: when applying pressure, it should be directed towards the little finger, not pressing straight up and down on the back of the hand. This can better exert the therapeutic effect of this meridian.
Massage Method 2
1. The child should sit or lie down. The parent should use the thumb and index finger to press and knead the area beside the Adam's apple, about 1 inch below, repeatedly from top to bottom for 1-3 minutes.
2. Pinch and knead the Lian Quan acupoint with the thumb for 1 minute, while instructing the child to swallow.
3. Press and hold the Shao Shang and Chi Ze acupoints for 10-15 seconds.
Lian Quan acupoint: Located in the neck, on the midline, above the Adam's apple, at the concave edge of the hyoid bone. It is used to treat sublingual swelling and pain, rapid contraction of the tongue, excessive saliva, tongue stiffness, aphasia due to stroke, dry mouth, mouth ulcers, throat obstruction, cough, asthma, polydipsia, and poor appetite.
Shao Shang acupoint: This acupoint is located at the radial side of the distal interphalangeal joint of the thumb, 0.1 inch from the corner of the nail. It is used to treat sore throat, cough, nosebleeds, fever, coma, and mania.
Chi Ze acupoint: When selecting this acupoint, the patient should adopt a sitting position, extend the palm, and slightly bend the elbow. The Chi Ze acupoint is located on the arm at the elbow, in the depression on the radial side of the biceps brachii. Pressing the area 3-4 cm above it will cause pain, indicating the "upper Chi Ze acupoint." It is used to treat throat pain, cold, asthma, arm pain, palpitations, and more.
While performing massage therapy, topical Chinese patent medicines such as Zhu Huang San and Bing Peng San can be used. For older children, bloodletting therapy can also be combined with acupuncture.
Prevention Methods
1. Maintain a regular and balanced lifestyle, with consistent sleeping and waking times. Avoid exposure to drafts during sleep.
2. Eat more pears, raw radishes, preserved plums, and other fruits and dried fruits to enhance throat maintenance.
3. Increase outdoor activities, get plenty of sunshine, improve physical fitness, and enhance disease resistance.
4. Maintain oral hygiene and develop the habit of brushing teeth and rinsing mouth in the morning, after meals, and before bed.
5. Pay attention to climate changes and adjust clothing in a timely manner to avoid cold or overheating.
6. During the outbreak of colds, try to minimize going out to prevent infection.
