Repeat as often as you like. Young children should not gargle with salty water. Find a pharmacy. Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:. Surgery to remove your tonsils It's very rare that someone needs to have their tonsils taken out.
Very young children and people who have complications may need to stay in the hospital overnight. It can take a week or two before your child completely recovers from the surgery.
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.
Tonsillitis Also called: Tonsil Inflammation. Learn More Related Issues Specifics. See, Play and Learn No links available. Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles. Resources Reference Desk Find an Expert. What are tonsils? What is tonsillitis? What causes tonsillitis? Who is at risk for tonsillitis? Adults can get tonsillitis, but it is not very common. Is tonsillitis contagious?
What are the symptoms of tonsillitis? The symptoms of tonsillitis include A sore throat , which may be severe Red, swollen tonsils Trouble swallowing A white or yellow coating on the tonsils Swollen glands in the neck Fever Bad breath When does my child need to see a health care provider for tonsillitis? A sore throat is often the first sign of a cold and may get better after a day or two; other cold symptoms such as a runny nose and congestion may follow the sore throat.
The primary symptom of tonsillitis is a moderate to severe sore throat lasting longer than 2 days and involves inflammation of the tonsils. Other symptoms of tonsillitis may include:. Symptoms of tonsillitis usually resolve after three to four days but may last up to two weeks, even with treatment.
The bacteria that causes strep throat and associated bacterial tonsillitis can result in the serious complications of rheumatic fever which can lead to damage to the heart and kidney disease. For this reason, it is important to seek medical advice and treatment if strep throat is suspected.
In some cases, tonsillitis can lead to a collection of pus next to one off the tonsils, called a peritonsillar abscess. A peritonsillar abscess can cause pain, difficulty swallowing, and swelling in the throat that can make breathing difficult. Get medical attention without delay at the first sign of breathing difficulties.
Diagnosis is based on symptoms and examination of the throat. In addition to directly inspecting your throat and tonsils, your GP may take a throat swab if strep throat is suspected. The throat swab is sent to a laboratory for culture and identification of the bacteria causing the symptoms. Treatment of viral tonsillitis primarily involves rest, recovery and symptom relief.
It is also important to drink plenty of fluids and have regular meals soft foods and smoothies are best. If bacterial infection is confirmed by throat culture, antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent complications, particularly rheumatic fever and kidney disease.
Recurrent tonsillitis is often defined as:. Research from suggests that chronic and recurrent tonsillitis may be caused by biofilms in the folds of the tonsils. Biofilms are communities of microorganisms with increased antibiotic resistance that can cause repeated infections. A study examined the tonsils of children who had recurrent tonsillitis.
The study found that genetics may cause a poor immune response to group A streptococcus bacteria, which causes strep throat and tonsillitis. Learn more about the genetics behind recurrent tonsillitis. In rare cases, tonsillitis can cause the throat to swell so much that it causes trouble breathing. If this happens, seek immediate medical attention. If you have tonsillitis, you may be contagious 24 to 48 hours before you develop any symptoms.
If you take antibiotics for bacterial tonsillitis, you should stop being contagious after 24 hours. You can develop tonsillitis if someone with the infection coughs or sneezes near you and you breathe in the droplets.
If you touch a contaminated object, like a doorknob, and then touch your nose or mouth, you may also develop tonsillitis. Being in contact with many people increases the risk of being exposed to tonsillitis.
This is why school-age children often get the illness. It typically takes 2 to 4 days to develop symptoms after being exposed to someone with tonsillitis. Find out how to reduce your risk of getting or spreading tonsillitis. Tonsils are your first line of defense against illness. They produce white blood cells that help your body fight infection. The tonsils combat bacteria and viruses that enter your body through your mouth and nose.
However, tonsils are also vulnerable to infection from these invaders. Tonsillitis can be caused by a virus, such as the common cold , or by a bacterial infection, such as strep throat. Viruses are the most common cause of tonsillitis. The viruses that cause the common cold are often the source of tonsillitis, but other viruses can also cause it.
These include:. Since the Epstein-Barr virus can cause both mononucleosis and tonsillitis, sometimes people with mono will develop tonsillitis as a secondary infection. If you have viral tonsillitis, your symptoms may include coughing or a stuffy nose. Around 15 to 30 percent of tonsillitis cases result from bacteria. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics to treat bacterial tonsillitis, though they may not be necessary. Besides antibiotics, treatment is the same for most cases of viral and bacterial tonsillitis.
Diagnosis is based on a physical examination of your throat.
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