Acute Tonsilitis: You may have expirienced it but didn't know?

Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat — one tonsil on each side. Signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include swollen tonsils, sore throat, difficulty swallowing and tender lymph nodes on the sides of the neck.

Causes

Tonsillitis is most often caused by common viruses, but bacterial infections also can be the cause.

The most common bacterium causing tonsillitis is Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus), the bacterium that causes strep throat. Other strains of strep and other bacteria also may cause tonsillitis.

Why do tonsils get infected?

The tonsils are the immune system's first line of defense against bacteria and viruses that enter your mouth. This function may make the tonsils particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. However, the tonsil's immune system function declines after puberty — a factor that may account for the rare cases of tonsillitis in adults.

 Symptoms

Possible symptoms of tonsillitis include:

• a very sore throat
• difficulty or pain while swallowing
• a scratchy-sounding voice
• bad breath
• fever
• chills
• earache
• stomachache
• headache
• a stiff neck
• jaw and neck tenderness from swollen lymph nodes
• tonsils that appear red and swollen
• tonsils that have white or yellow spots

In very young children, you may also notice increased irritability, poor appetite, or excessive drooling.

When to see a doctor

It's important to get an accurate diagnosis if your child has symptoms that may indicate tonsillitis.

Call your doctor if your child is experiencing:

• A sore throat with fever
• A sore throat that doesn't go away within 24 to 48 hours
• Painful or difficult swallowing
• Extreme weakness, fatigue or fussiness

Get immediate care if your child has any of these signs:

• Difficulty breathing
• Extreme difficulty swallowing
• Excessive drooling

Treatment

A mild case of tonsillitis doesn’t necessarily require treatment, especially if a virus, such as a cold, causes it.

Treatments for more severe cases of tonsillitis may include antibiotics or a tonsillectomy. If a person experiences dehydration due to tonsillitis, they may also need intravenous fluids. Pain medicines to relieve the sore throat can also help while the throat is healing.

Tonsillectomy

Surgery to remove the tonsils is called a tonsillectomy. Your physician will generally only recommend a tonsillectomy if you experience chronic or recurrent tonsillitis, or if tonsillitis has caused complications or symptoms don’t improve.

If you’ve had tonsillitis or strep throat at least 5 to 7 times in the past year, a tonsillectomy may help you to stop these recurrences. The surgery can also relieve the breathing or swallowing problems that can result from tonsillitis.

A tonsillectomy may reduce the number of throat infections in children during the first year after surgery, according to a 2017 study. However, a 2018 study

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 found that adults who underwent the procedure as children faced an increased risk of respiratory and infectious diseases long-term.

Having a tonsillectomy may reduce your overall risk of developing strep throat, but you can still get strep throat and other throat infections after removal. It’s also possible for your tonsils to grow back after surgery, but this is rare.

Tonsillitis antibiotics

If a bacterial infection caused your tonsillitis, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection.

Antibiotics may help resolve your symptoms slightly faster. However, they increase the risk of antibiotic resistance and may have other side effects, like an upset stomach. Antibiotics are more necessary for people at risk of complications from tonsillitis.

If your doctor prescribes you antibiotics, it’s likely to be penicillin for tonsillitis due to group A streptococcus. Other antibiotics are available if you’re allergic to penicillin.

It’s important that you complete the full course of antibiotics. Even if your symptoms appear to be completely resolved, the infection can get worse if you don’t take all of the medicine as prescribed. Your doctor may want you to schedule a follow-up visit to make sure that the medication was effective.

Prevention

The germs that cause viral and bacterial tonsillitis are contagious. Therefore, the best prevention is to practice good hygiene. Teach your child to:

• Wash his or her hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after using the toilet and before eating
• Avoid sharing food, drinking glasses, water bottles or utensils
• Replace his or her toothbrush after being diagnosed with tonsillitis

To help your child prevent the spread of a bacterial or viral infection to others:

• Keep your child at home when he or she is ill
• Ask your doctor when it's all right for your child to return to school
• Teach your child to cough or sneeze into a tissue or, when necessary, into his or her elbow
• Teach your child to wash his or her hands after sneezing or coughing

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