Health Library
October 10, 2025
Question on this topic? Get an instant answer from August.
I-Epiglottitis yisifo esibuhlungu esibangela ukukhula kwe-epiglottis, isigaba esincane sesicubu esimboza umgudu wakho lapho uginya. Lesi simo singenza kuphefumule kakhulu futhi kudingeke ukunakekelwa ngokushesha kwezokwelapha.
Cabanga nge-epiglottis yakho njengesivalo esivikela ukudla nezinye izinto ezingangeni emaphashini akho. Uma iqubuka futhi ikhula, ingavimba indlela yomoya wakho ngokuphelele noma ngokwengxenye, okwenza kube yisimo esiphuthumayo esidinga ukwelashwa ngokushesha.
I-Epiglottitis kwenzeka lapho i-epiglottis iqubuka futhi ikhula kakhulu. I-epiglottis iyisigaba sesikhumba esifana neqabunga esisemhlakeni olukhulu lolwemi, ngaphezulu nje kombhobho wakho.
Lesi simo sasibonakala kakhulu kubantwana, kodwa ukugonywa kwe-Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) kunciphise kakhulu amacala ebuntwaneni. Namuhla, i-epiglottitis ithinta abantu abadala kakhulu kunabantwana, nakuba isengaba khona kunoma iyiphi iminyaka.
Ukuqubuka kwenzeka ngokushesha futhi kungathuthuka ngokushesha phakathi kwamahora ambalwa. Ngoba i-epiglottis ihlala ngqo emnyango wendlela yomoya wakho, ngisho nokuncane kokukhula kungabangela izinkinga ezingathi sína zokuphefumula.
Izimpawu ze-epiglottitis zithuthuka ngokushesha futhi zingaba zimbi ngaphakathi kwamahora ambalwa. Ukuqaphela lezi zimpawu ngokushesha kungasindisa impilo, njengoba lesi simo singonakalisa ngokushesha ikhono lakho lokuphefumula.
Izimpawu ezivamile zihlanganisa:
Kubantwana, ungaphawula futhi ukukhathazeka, ukungakhululeki, nokukhetha ukuvula umlomo wabo ukuze baphefumule kangcono. Abantu abadala bangaba nezimpawu ezingathi sína ekuqaleni, kodwa lesi simo singathuthuka ngokushesha.
Uphawu olukhulu yisimo se-tripod, lapho umuntu ehlala uqonde, ekhononda phambili, futhi elula ihlombe lakhe ukuze enze kube lula ukuphefumula. Lesi simo sisiza ekuvuleni indlela yomoya ngangokunokwenzeka.
I-Epiglottitis ibangelwa ikakhulu yizifo zobhaktheriya, nakuba ama-virus nezinye izinto zingase zibangele lesi simo. Ukuqonda izimbangela kusiza ekuchazeni ukuthi kungani ukwelashwa ngokushesha ngama-antibiotic kubaluleke kangaka.
Izimbangela zobhaktheriya ezivamile zihlanganisa:
Izimbangela ezingavamile zingabandakanya izifo zama-virus ezifana nalezo ezingabangela izikhathi zokubanda noma isifo sikagwayi, izifo ze-fungal kubantu abanesistimu yokuvimbela ebuthakathaka, noma ukulimala komzimba ehlombe ngezinto ezishisayo kakhulu noma ukulimala okuqondile.
Ngezinye izikhathi, ukushisa kwezinto ezikhiqizwa yikhemikhali ngokuphefumula umusi, umusi, noma ezinye izinto ezicasulayo kungabangela ukuqubuka okufanayo. Ukusetshenziswa kwezidakamizwa, ikakhulukazi ukubhema i-crack cocaine, kuye kwaxhunyaniswa ne-epiglottitis kwezinye izimo.
I-Epiglottitis ihlale iyisimo esiphuthumayo esidinga ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha esibhedlela ngokushesha. Uma ucindezela i-epiglottitis kuwe noma komunye umuntu, shayela u-911 noma uhambe egumbini eliphatha izimo eziphuthumayo ngokushesha.
Funani ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha okusheshayo uma uqaphela:
Ungalindi ukubona ukuthi izimpawu ziyathuthuka zodwa. Indlela yomoya ingavimbeka ngokuphelele ngaphakathi kwamahora ambalwa, okungaba yingozi ngaphandle kokungenelela kwezokwelapha okusheshayo.
Gwema ukuzama ukubuka ehlombe nge-flashlight noma i-tongue depressor, njengoba lokhu kungabangela i-epiglottis ebukhulu ukuvimba indlela yomoya ngokuphelele. Vumela ochwepheshe bezokwelapha baphathe ukuhlolwa ngezinto ezifanele.
Nakuba i-epiglottitis ingathinta noma ubani, izinto ezithile zingandisa ingozi yakho yokuthuthukisa lesi simo esibuhlungu. Ukwazi lezi zingozi kusiza ekuqapheleni izimpawu.
Izingozi eziyinhloko zihlanganisa:
Iminyaka idlala indima, ngabantu abadala abaneminyaka engama-20 kuya kwengu-40 ubudala abathinteka kakhulu namuhla. Noma kunjalo, lesi simo singaba khona kunoma iyiphi iminyaka, futhi abantu abadala bangaba sengozini ephakeme ngenxa yesistimu yokuvimbela ebuthakathaka.
Imisebenzi ethile noma ukudalulwa kungandisa ingozi, njengokubhema, ukusetshenziswa okukhulu kotshwala, noma ukudalulwa kumusi wabanye abantu. Abantu abasebenza ezindaweni ezinomusi wekhemikhali noma izinto ezicasulayo bangase babe nengozi ephakeme.
I-Epiglottitis ingabangela izinkinga ezingathi sína, ezingaba yingozi uma ingalashwa ngokushesha. Ingxaki eyingozi kakhulu ukuphahlazeka kwendlela yomoya, okungaba yingozi ngaphakathi kwamaminithi ambalwa.
Izingozi ezinkulu kakhulu zihlanganisa:
Kwezinye izimo ezingavamile, isifo singasabalala ezicubwini eziseduze, sibangele ama-abscesses ehlombe noma esifubeni. Lokhu kungabangela ubunzima obengeziwe bokuphefumula futhi kungadingeka ukususwa kokuhlinzwa.
Izindaba ezinhle ukuthi ngokuqaphela okusheshayo nokwelashwa okufanele, abantu abaningi bayaphila ngokuphelele nge-epiglottitis. Ikhona ukufuna ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha ngaphambi kokuthi izinkinga ezingathi sína zithuthuke.
Ukuhlola i-epiglottitis kudinga ukuhlolwa ngokucophelela kwezokwelapha, njengoba ukuhlola ehlombe ngokungalungile kungaba yingozi. Odokotela begumbi eliphatha izimo eziphuthumayo basebenzisa amasu athile nezinto zokusebenza ukuze bahlole lesi simo ngokuphepha.
Inkqubo yokuhlola ngokuvamile ihlanganisa ukuthatha umlando oningiliziwe wezimpawu nokuqala kwazo. Odokotela bayobuza ngokuthuthumela, ubuhlungu ehlombe, ubunzima bokuginya, nezinkinga zokuphefumula ngenkathi begcina ukhulukazi futhi ukhululekile.
Ukuze babone i-epiglottis ngokuphepha, odokotela bangase basebenzise isikhombisi esiguquguqukayo esibizwa nge-laryngoscope esingena ngaphansi kwempumulo yakho. Lokhu kubavumela ukuba babone i-epiglottis ebukhulu ngaphandle kokubangela ukuphahlazeka kwemisipha yomoya noma ukuphahlazeka okuphelele.
Kwezinye izimo, i-X-ray yomhlane wentamo ingabonisa i-epiglottis ebukhulu, ebonakala njengalokho odokotela abakubiza ngokuthi “uphawu lweminwe.” Noma kunjalo, lokhu kwenziwa kuphela uma isiguli siqine futhi singaleka phansi ngokuphepha.
Izivivinyo zegazi zingase zenziwe ukuze zithole obhaktheriya athile ababangela isifo futhi zibuke izimpawu zokutheleleka okubanzi. Lezi zihloko zisiza ekuqondiseni ukukhethwa kwama-antibiotic nokubuka isimo sakho ngokujwayelekile.
Ukwelashwa kwe-epiglottitis kugxile emishinini emibili ebalulekile: ukuqinisekisa indlela yomoya wakho ukuze uqinisekise ukuthi ungaphefumula ngokuphepha futhi ulwe nesifo ngama-antibiotic. Lokhu kuhlale kwenzeka esibhedlela ngokubuka okuqondile.
Into yokuqala ebalulekile ukuphathwa kwendlela yomoya. Uma ukuphefumula kunonakaliseke kakhulu, odokotela bangase badinge ukufaka umgudu wokuphefumula ngomlomo wakho noma benze i-tracheostomy, okuyinto edala ukungena okwesikhashana ehlombe lakho lokuphefumula.
Ukwelashwa ngama-antibiotic ngokuvamile kuhlanganisa imithi ye-intravenous engalwa ngempumelelo obhaktheriya abavamile ababangela i-epiglottitis. I-antibiotic ethile ekhethiwe ihlala ixhomeke ezimisweni zokumelana zobhaktheriya zendawo nezici zakho zempilo.
Ukunakekelwa okusekayo kuhlanganisa:
Abantu abaningi baqala ukuzizwa kangcono ngaphakathi kwamahora angu-24 kuya kwangu-48 ngemuva kokuqala ukwelashwa okufanele. Noma kunjalo, ukuhlala esibhedlela ngokuvamile kuhlala izinsuku ezimbalwa ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi isifo silawulwa ngokuphelele futhi ukuphefumula kuhlale kuqine.
Ukunakekelwa ekhaya kwe-epiglottitis kuqala kuphela ngemuva kokuba uthole ukwelashwa esibhedlela futhi udokotela wakho eqinisekisa ukuthi kuphephile ukuthi uhambe ekhaya. Ukubuyela esimweni esijwayelekile kuqhubeka izinsuku ezimbalwa kuya emaviki ambalwa ngemuva kokukhishwa.
Ngesikhathi sokubuyela esimweni esijwayelekile ekhaya, kubalulekile ukuqedela ikhosi yakho ephelele yama-antibiotic omdlandla, ngisho noma uzizwa kangcono kakhulu. Ukuyeka ama-antibiotic ngokushesha kungavumela isifo sibuyele noma siholele ekulweni kwama-antibiotic.
Ukuze usekele ukubuyela kwakho esimweni esijwayelekile:
Qaphela noma yikuphi ukubuyela kwezimpawu ezifana nobunzima bokuginya, izinkinga zokuphefumula, noma ukuthuthumela okuphezulu. Xhumana nodokotela wakho ngokushesha uma noma yiziphi izimpawu zibuyela, njengoba zingase zibonise ukuthi isifo sibuyile.
Abantu abaningi bangabuyela emisebenzini evamile ngaphakathi kweviki noma ezimbili, kodwa landela izincomo zakho zedokotela ngokuqondile mayelana nokuthi kuphephile nini ukubuyela emsebenzini, ukuzivocavoca, noma ezinye imisebenzi evamile.
Uma uhlushwa izimpawu ze-epiglottitis, lokhu akuyona isimo sokuya kudokotela ovamile. Kunalokho, udinga ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha okusheshayo egumbini eliphatha izimo eziphuthumayo esibhedlela.
Noma kunjalo, uma ulandela ngemuva kokwelashwa noma unezinkinga mayelana nengozi ye-epiglottitis, nanka indlela yokulungiselela ukuxhumana kwezokwelapha:
Ngaphambi kokubonisana kwakho, bhala zonke izimpawu zakho, kufaka phakathi ukuthi zaqala nini nokuthi ziguquke kanjani. Qaphela noma yiziphi izifo zakamuva, ukugonywa, noma ukudalulwa okungase kube yingxenye.
Lungiselela uhlu lwemithi yonke oyithathayo, kufaka phakathi imithi yokuthengwa ngaphandle komthetho kanye nezinye izinto. Buye uqoqe ulwazi mayelana nomlando wakho wokugonywa, ikakhulukazi ama-vaccines e-Hib ne-pneumococcal.
Cabanga ngemibuzo ofuna ukuyibuza, njengengozi yakho, amasu okuvimbela, noma yiziphi izimpawu ezizodinga ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha okusheshayo esikhathini esizayo.
Ukuvimbela i-epiglottitis kugxile ekugonyweni nasezindleleni ezinhle zokuhlambalaza. Ukuncipha okukhulu kwamacala e-epiglottitis ebuntwaneni kubonisa ukuthi amasu okuvimbela asebenza kanjani.
Ithuluzi ebaluleke kakhulu lokuvimbela ukulandela ukugonywa. I-Hib vaccine iye yanciphise kakhulu i-Haemophilus influenzae type b njengimbangela ye-epiglottitis kubantwana nabantu abadala.
Ezinye izigonyo ezinconyiwe zihlanganisa:
Izindlela ezinhle zokuhlambalaza zingasiza ekuvimbeleni ukusabalala kobhaktheriya nama-virus abangela i-epiglottitis. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukugeza izandla zakho njalo, ukugwema ukusondelana nabantu abagulayo, nokungahlanganyeli izinto zokudla noma izimpuphu.
Uma unezingozi ezifana nesifo sikashukela noma isistimu yokuvimbela ebuthakathaka, sebenzisana nodokotela wakho ukuze ulawule lezi zimo ngempumelelo. Lokhu kungasiza ekuphucweni ingozi yakho yokutheleleka ngokujwayelekile.
I-Epiglottitis iyisimo esibuhlungu kodwa esingelashwa esiphuthumayo esithinta isigaba esincane sesicubu esivikelayo indlela yomoya wakho. Into ebaluleke kakhulu okumele uyikhumbule ukuthi izimpawu zingathuthuka ngokushesha futhi zidinga ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha okusheshayo.
Ungayideli ihlombe ebuhlungu ngokushesha, ikakhulukazi uma ihlangene nobunzima bokuginya, izinkinga zokuphefumula, noma ukuthuthumela okuphezulu. Lezi zimpawu zidinga uhambo oluya egumbini eliphatha izimo eziphuthumayo, hhayi ukulinda nokubuka.
Izindaba ezinhle ukuthi ngokunakekelwa kwezokwelapha okusheshayo, abantu abaningi bayaphila ngokuphelele nge-epiglottitis. Ama-antibiotic namasu okuphathwa kwendlela yomoya anjengamanje enze lesi simo esasiyesaba kakhulu sibe silashwa kakhulu uma sibanjwe ngokushesha.
Ukuvimbela ngokugonywa kuhlala kuyisivikelo sakho esihle kakhulu ngokumelene ne-epiglottitis. Landela izigonyo ezinconyiwe futhi ugcine izindlela ezinhle zokuhlambalaza ukuze unciphise ingozi yakho yokuthuthukisa lesi sifo esibuhlungu.
Yebo, i-epiglottitis ingaphambaniswa ne-strep throat ekuqaleni ngoba zombili zibangela ubuhlungu obukhulu ehlombe nobunzima bokuginya. Noma kunjalo, i-epiglottitis ngokuvamile ibangela ubunzima obukhulu bokuphefumula, ukukhuluka, nelizwi elihlwithiwe. Ukuthuthuka okusheshayo nobunzima bezimpawu kusiza ekuhlukaniseni i-epiglottitis ne-strep throat.
I-Epiglottitis ngokwayo ayidluliseki, kodwa obhaktheriya abayibangela bangasabalala komuntu komunye ngezinto ezincane zokuphefumula. Noma kunjalo, abantu abaningi abadaliwe kule obhaktheriya abathuthuki i-epiglottitis. Lesi simo sidinga ukuhlanganiswa okulungile kokudalulwa kobhaktheriya nezici zokuthambekela komuntu.
Yebo, abantu abadala bangase bathuthukise i-epiglottitis naphezu kokugonywa ebuntwaneni. Nakuba i-Hib vaccine inciphise kakhulu amacala abangelwa yi-Haemophilus influenzae type b, ezinye obhaktheriya ezifana ne-pneumococcus ne-streptococcus zingase zisabangela i-epiglottitis. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuvikelwa kwe-vaccine kungase kuhlale isikhathi eside, futhi akuwona wonke abantu abadala abatholwe ikhosi ephelele yokugonywa besebantwaneni.
Abantu abaningi baqala ukuzizwa kangcono ngaphakathi kwamahora angu-24 kuya kwangu-48 ngemuva kokuqala ukwelashwa ngama-antibiotic esibhedlela. Ukubuyela esimweni esijwayelekile ngokuvamile kuthatha iviki elilodwa kuya kwezimbili, nakuba abanye abantu bangase babe nobunzima obuncane ehlombe amasonto ambalwa kamuva. Ikhona ukuphelelisa ikhosi ephelele yama-antibiotic nokulandelwa udokotela wakho njengoba kunconywe.
Ukubuyela kwe-epiglottitis kuyinto engavamile kodwa kungenzeka, ikakhulukazi kubantu abanezimo ezingaphansi ezibonakalisa isistimu yabo yokuvimbela. Abantu abaningi abaphila nge-epiglottitis abayitholi futhi. Noma kunjalo, ukugcina ukuhlanzeka okuhle, ukulandela izigonyo, nokulawula noma yiziphi izimo zempilo ezingaphansi kungasiza ekuvimbeleni izigameko zesikhathi esizayo.
6Mpeople
Get clear medical guidance
on symptoms, medications, and lab reports.