Emergency airway infection
Explore these:
Explore overview, symptoms, causes, treatment, diagnosis, prevention, and FAQ articles for this condition.
-
What is Epiglottitis
Epiglottitis is an acute inflammatory condition of the epiglottis and the nearby supraglottic tissues at the entrance to the larynx. The epiglottis is a small, elastic flap of cartilage covered by mucosa that helps direct food and liquid toward the esophagus…
-
Symptoms of Epiglottitis
What are the symptoms of epiglottitis? The condition most often causes sudden severe throat pain, painful swallowing, fever, muffled voice, drooling, and difficulty breathing, with symptoms that can escalate quickly as swelling narrows the upper airway. These symptoms arise because the…
-
Causes of Epiglottitis
Epiglottitis is caused by acute inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis, the small flap of tissue at the base of the tongue that helps direct food and liquid away from the airway. In most cases, the condition develops because an infection,…
-
Treatment for Epiglottitis
What treatments are used for epiglottitis? The condition is treated as a medical emergency because swelling of the epiglottis can narrow or block the upper airway. Management centers on protecting the airway, reducing inflammatory swelling, and treating the underlying infection or…
-
FAQ about Epiglottitis
Epiglottitis is a medical emergency that can become dangerous very quickly because it affects the epiglottis, the flap of tissue at the back of the throat that helps keep food and liquid out of the airway. When this tissue becomes inflamed,…
-
Diagnosis of Epiglottitis
Epiglottitis is diagnosed by combining clinical assessment with targeted tests that identify inflammation of the epiglottis, the flap of tissue at the base of the tongue that helps keep food and liquid out of the airway. Because swelling in this area…
-
Prevention of Epiglottitis
Epiglottitis can sometimes be prevented, but in many cases the more accurate goal is risk reduction rather than complete elimination of risk. The condition develops when the epiglottis and surrounding supraglottic tissues become inflamed and swollen enough to threaten the airway.…