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May 9, 2023 · Tonsillitis is an infection of your tonsils, which are two masses of tissue at the back of your throat. Learn about the types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments of tonsillitis, as well as when you may need surgery to remove your tonsils.
Tonsillitis can feel like a bad cold or flu. The tonsils at the sides of your throat will be red and swollen. Symptoms in children and adults can include: a sore throat. problems swallowing. a high temperature. coughing. a headache. feeling and being sick.
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Home remedies
- Causes
- Types
- Tonsillitis vs. strep throat
- Complications
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Tonsillitis refers to inflammation of the tonsils. It typically occurs due to an infection of the tonsils. Symptoms may include a sore throat and pain when swallowing.
The tonsils sit at the back of the throat. They are collections of lymphoid tissue that form part of the immune system.
Although tonsillitis can be uncomfortable and unpleasant, the condition is rarely a major health concern. Most people will recover from tonsillitis within a few days, whether they take medication or not. Most symptoms will resolve within 7–10 days.
In this article, we explain the causes, diagnosis, and symptoms of tonsillitis. We also provide some facts about treatment, including the removal of tonsils.
The most common symptoms of tonsillitis include:
•a sore throat and pain when swallowing
•red and swollen tonsils with pus-filled spots
•fever
•headache
•difficulty swallowing
To diagnose tonsillitis, a doctor will start with a general examination and will check for swelling around the tonsils, often with white spots.
Doctors may also inspect the exterior of the throat for signs of enlarged lymph glands and a rash that sometimes occurs.
The doctor might take a swab of the infected area for closer inspection. Using this technique, they can determine whether the cause of the infection is viral or bacterial.
They may also carry out a complete blood cell count. This test involves taking a tiny amount of blood to investigate levels of certain types of blood cells. This bloodwork can help a doctor supplement the information they have obtained from the swab.
Medications
People can use over-the-counter (OTC) pain relieving medications to numb the symptoms of tonsillitis. If a bacterial infection is causing tonsillitis, a doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics. However, they will not do so for a person with viral tonsillitis. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses. Penicillin is the most common antibiotic. When on a course of antibiotics, a person must follow the full course and continue taking them, even if the symptoms have resolved. Stopping a course of antibiotics part of the way through might allow the infection to spread. Rarely, if left untreated, certain types of bacteria may lead to rheumatic fever or kidney inflammation.
Removal
Previously, doctors regularly recommended surgery to treat tonsillitis. Today, a doctor will not recommend a tonsillectomy unless the condition is chronic and recurring. Although the tonsils become less active after puberty, they are still a functional organ. For this reason, a surgeon will not remove them unless necessary. A doctor might request a tonsillectomy if the tonsils are causing secondary issues, such as: •sleep apnea, which involves problems breathing at night •difficulties with breathing or swallowing •an abscess that is difficult to treat •tonsillar cellulitis, in which the infection spreads to other areas and leads to a buildup of pus behind the tonsils If a tonsillectomy is necessary, doctors can choose from a variety of methods. Medical practitioners have successfully used lasers, radio waves, ultrasonic energy, cold temperatures, or a heated needle to remove the tonsils. Surgery has increasingly become the last port of call. The negative implications of surgery may outweigh the positives of tonsil removal. While tonsillitis can be distressing and uncomfortable when it occurs, it will pass without any serious long term implications for most people. Learn more about treating tonsillitis at home here.
A few simple remedies can help a person reduce symptoms of tonsillitis at home:
•Resting enables the body to preserve energy for fighting the infection rather than using it on daily activities.
•Drinking plenty of fluids will prevent the throat from drying out and becoming more uncomfortable. When the body is responding to an infection, it needs more hydration than usual. Warm, preferably caffeine free drinks can also have a soothing effect.
•Gargling with saltwater might reduce discomfort.
•Sucking throat lozenges may help soothe the throat.
•Dry air can irritate the throat. Using air humidifiers or sitting in a steamy bathroom can alleviate this.
Tonsils are the first line of defense against potential diseases and infections. For this reason, they can easily develop an infection.
Tonsillitis is typically viral. Less commonly, bacteria can cause the infection.
Different types of tonsillitis may occur. Doctors define them by their symptoms and recovery period.
These include:
•Acute tonsillitis: Symptoms usually last around 3–4 days but may last up to 2 weeks.
•Recurrent tonsillitis: A person has several different instances of acute tonsillitis in a year.
•Chronic tonsillitis: Individuals will have an ongoing sore throat and foul-smelling breath.
Diagnosing the type of tonsillitis will help a doctor decide the best course of treatment.
People often confuse tonsillitis with strep throat. However, there are important differences.
A specific type of bacteria called group A Streptococcus causes strep throat. Symptoms are often more severe. Streptococcus can also infect other parts of the throat.
Bacterial tonsillitis can lead to complications. However, this is rare and usually occurs in young children. Viral tonsillitis does not usually lead to complications.
The infection may spread to other parts of the body and cause complications, including:
•quinsy, or peritonsillar abscess, which is a build-up of pus between a tonsil and the throat wall
•obstructive sleep apnea, in which the throat walls relax while a person is asleep and affect breathing and the sleep cycle
Rarer complications include:
•scarlet fever
Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, usually due to an infection. Learn about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and complications of tonsillitis, and how it differs from strep throat.
- Drinking plenty of warm liquids. Warm liquids, such as soup, can help sooth a sore throat. Drinking warm liquids, including soups, broths, and teas, can help soothe a sore throat.
- Eating cold foods. Eating cold, soft foods, such as frozen yogurt or ice cream, can numb the throat, offering temporary pain relief. People can also try the following
- Avoiding hard foods. For people with tonsillitis, eating hard or sharp foods can be uncomfortable and even painful. Hard foods may scratch the throat, leading to further irritation and inflammation.
- Gargling with salt water. Gargling with salt water may temporarily soothe pain or tickling in the back of the throat. People can make a saltwater mixture by adding a quarter of a teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of warm water and stirring the solution until the salt dissolves.
Aug 2, 2024 · Illustration of inflamed tonsils. The tonsils and adenoids are composed of tissues similar to the lymph nodes or glands found in the neck or other parts of the body. Together, they are part of a ring of glandular tissue (Waldeyer's ring) encircling the back of the throat.
Mar 12, 2023 · How to treat tonsillitis. Peer reviewed by Dr Krishna Vakharia, MRCGP Authored by Dr Doug McKechnie, MRCGP Originally published 12 Mar 2023. Tonsillitis is a very common condition, especially in children. Tonsillitis means inflammation - pain, swelling, and redness - of the tonsils.
