Adenitis refers to an inflammatory disease of the glands. Since there are many glands in the human body, it is a generic term for different diseases. The reasons for it can be various.
What is adenitis?
By the term adenitis, physicians understand an inflammation of the glands. Accordingly, the term stands for a collective term that includes different gland inflammations. By the term adenitis, physicians understand an inflammation of the glands. The term therefore does not stand for an independent disease, but for a collective term that includes different gland inflammations. Glands have various tasks in the body and produce, among other things, important secretions or hormones that the organism needs for proper functioning. Due to the diverse tasks of the different glands, the clinical pictures of adenitis can also differ greatly. However, inflamed glands always indicate the presence of a disease. The causes can be just as varied as the accompanying symptoms. Since it may also be a more severe disease, gland inflammation should always be clarified by a medical examination.
Causes
The causes of adenitis may be caused by bacteria or viruses, or may be due to a buildup of secretions in the glandular area. Some autoimmune or genetic conditions result in inflamed glands. For example, if the pancreas is inflamed, it is usually due to a lack of secretion transport, which can grow into potentially life-threatening pancreatitis. Viral triggers for adenitis include the childhood disease mumps, which particularly affects the parotid glands. One of the largest glands in the human body is the liver. If it is inflamed, experts speak of hepatitis. Since the liver in particular plays a major role in detoxifying the organism, this disease can also be potentially life-threatening if left untreated. Symptoms of adenitis include swelling, fatigue, abdominal pain, general signs of intoxication, or abscesses.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Depending on its cause, adenitis can cause a variety of symptoms and complaints. In liver disease, there is usually fatigue and typical symptoms of poisoning, such as fever, sweating and nausea. If a gland in the stomach area is affected (pancreatitis), adenitis manifests itself as abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea. Constipation may also occur if the condition is not treated. Salivary gland inflammation is noticeable by swelling of the face and pain. Bacterial infections cause abscesses to form, which can become inflamed and are usually also associated with severe pain. Adenitis of the thyroid gland can cause a variety of symptoms, for example hormonal disturbances, skin irritations and serious gastrointestinal complaints. Organ dysfunction can also occur in a severe course. Externally, adenitis may be manifested by pallor and sunken eye sockets. Other signs depend on which gland is affected – possible symptoms include hair loss, acne and brittle fingernails. Adenitis can be clearly diagnosed on the basis of the above symptoms and complaints. The localization of the gland disorder must be determined on the basis of a detailed discussion with the affected person and other examination methods. If the disease is detected at an early stage, no further complaints normally occur.
Diagnosis and course
If adenitis is suspected, the attending physician will conduct a comprehensive discussion with the patient and also take the patient’s medical history into account. Often, a precise description of the symptoms is already sufficient to determine the affected gland. In addition, a blood test is performed. An ultrasound examination, particularly in the abdominal region, can also provide information as to whether the liver or pancreas is affected. The course of adenitis depends largely on which gland is inflamed and to what extent. Inflammation of the salivary glands is usually painful, but in many cases subsides within a few days. Pancreatitis, on the other hand, leads to decomposition of the pancreas by its own digestive secretions if left untreated, and can be fatal.If hepatitis remains undiagnosed and progresses, cirrhosis of the liver, which is also fatal, occurs.
When should you see a doctor?
If adenitis is suspected, a visit to the family doctor should be made in any case. Warning signs that speak for a medical clarification are typical general symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings or headaches. Recurring fever, nausea and apathy also indicate a serious underlying disease that must be clarified. If these or similar complaints occur repeatedly and cannot be attributed to another cause, a doctor should be consulted. This is especially true if the complaints increase rapidly or if the various symptoms accumulate. Anyone who experiences an increasing feeling of weakness should also talk to a doctor. In addition to adenitis, other glandular diseases may be the cause, which must also be diagnosed and treated if necessary. If there are accompanying skin changes, swellings or abscesses, an immediate visit to the doctor is recommended. Anyone who notices tissue changes or a bloated face on themselves after waking up should go to the emergency room with the complaints. If the symptoms are severe, an emergency physician should be alerted.
Treatment and therapy
If adenitis was detected during the medical examination, the attending physician will initiate appropriate therapy. If it is a bacterial infection, it is usually treated with antibiotics, which brings a rapid healing of the inflammation. Particularly mild forms of adenitis can also heal on their own without requiring any medical treatment at all; clarification by the doctor is nevertheless advisable. If pancreatitis is severe, the organ must be temporarily spared; food is then taken in via a nasal tube. Depending on the extent of the damage to the pancreas, surgery may be necessary. This involves removing the damaged tissue. Hepatitis is treated depending on the individual trigger. If the cause is viral, symptomatic therapy is usually recommended. If there is a risk that the disease could take a chronic course, strong drugs are also used. In advanced stages, i.e. when the liver is severely damaged, liver transplantation may also be necessary as a life-saving measure. If the adenitis is due to an autoimmune disease, it is advisable to administer immunosuppressants. These lower the activity of the immune system and thus prevent the reaction of the organism or the affected glands. In this case, however, it is important to avoid infections elsewhere, which may increase due to weakened defenses.
Outlook and prognosis
Adenitis can cause a variety of symptoms and complications. The further course depends largely on the cause of the inflammation. In most cases, severe pain occurs during inflammation of the salivary glands. In the worst case, death can occur if the salivary gland is decomposed by the digestive secretions. It can also lead to fatal cirrhosis of the liver. For this reason, diagnosis and treatment of adenitis must be performed early and comprehensively to avoid secondary damage and complications. In most cases, the treatment of adenitis is carried out with the help of antibiotics. In this case, various side effects may occur. If it is only a mild form of the disease, it usually heals on its own and there are no further symptoms. In severe forms, surgery may be necessary to remove the damaged tissue. If the damage to the liver is complicated, transplantation of the organ is necessary for the patient to survive. Depending on the severity of the adenitis, the patient’s life expectancy may be reduced by the disease.
Prevention
It is not possible to prevent adenitis in a blanket manner, as these are different diseases that affect completely different glands and body regions. However, as always, a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and sufficient exercise is recommended, as this can already prevent the development of many diseases.Inflammation of the liver and pancreas can best be prevented by a low-fat diet and especially by moderate consumption of alcohol. In many cases, these diseases are due to abusive consumption of the stimulant. If symptoms such as swelling in the face, abdominal pain or constant fatigue occur, a doctor should be consulted to prevent the disease from progressing.
Follow-up care
Adenitis is the inflammation of a specific gland in the human body. Often, an existing adenitis has an underlying disease, which should be treated by an appropriate physician on a mandatory basis. Appropriate follow-up is very important and significant in case of existing adenitis. It is important that the person concerned eliminates the cause of existing adenitis. Even in such a case, appropriate follow-up examinations are very important so that a recurrence of adenitis can be detected and treated at an early stage. If the person with the disease does not undergo follow-up examinations, there is a high risk of recurrence of the disease. Those who attend follow-up examinations immediately after surviving the disease avoid unnecessary complications. If the appropriate follow-up examinations are not carried out, complications are very likely to occur, which in particularly serious cases could even be life-threatening. Appropriate follow-up is therefore very important and significant in cases of existing adenitis, so that serious complications can be avoided.
What you can do yourself
If adenitis has been diagnosed, the first step is to initiate drug treatment. The antibiotic therapy can be supported by the affected person by a number of measures. First and foremost, physical rest is important. Cool compresses can help with symptoms such as fatigue or abdominal pain. Diseases of the ears or internal organs require medical treatment. In particularly mild forms of adenitis, medical treatment is not necessarily required. Often the symptoms go away on their own as soon as the trigger has been removed. Severe pancreatitis, on the other hand, requires individually tailored therapy. The doctor will initially suggest that the patient change his or her diet or ensure that food is taken in via a nasal tube. Depending on how severely the pancreas is damaged, surgical intervention may also be appropriate. Following this, the patient should initially take it easy. Especially in the first days after surgery, the body is very weakened. Initially, the patient should not engage in sports and should support recovery with a healthy and balanced diet. Since there is an increased risk of recurrence, regular visits to the doctor are indicated. In the event of unusual complaints, the appropriate medical professional should be consulted immediately.