Tonsillitis

Tonsils are part of the lymphatic system, which aids in infection prevention. Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils, which are two oval-shaped tissue pads at the back of the throat, one on each side. Swollen tonsils, a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and tender lymph nodes on the sides of the neck are all signs and symptoms of tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is most commonly caused by a common virus, but it can also be caused by bacterial infections.

Because the best therapy for tonsillitis is determined by the underlying cause, it’s critical to have a quick and correct diagnosis. Tonsillectomy, which was once a standard technique for treating tonsillitis, is now only done when the infection is severe, does not respond to conventional therapies, or produces major consequences.

ENT specialists at Medica are not just medical professionals who can treat your sinus pain, swimmer’s ear in your child, or sleep apnea in your father. They are also skilled surgeons who can undertake incredibly delicate surgeries to restore middle ear hearing, unblock blocked airways, remove tumors of the head, neck, and throat, and reconstruct these vital tissues.

How Common is Tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is a very common condition. Tonsillitis affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives.

Who is Affected by Tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis affects people of all ages, however it is most frequent in youngsters. Tonsillitis in children under the age of three is uncommon.

Symptoms of Tonsillitis

Causes of Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is caused by a virus or bacteria. Tonsillitis is divided into two types:

Tonsillitis is caused by a virus, such as a cold or flu, in the majority of cases (up to 70%). (influenza).

Other types of tonsillitis, such as bacterial tonsillitis (strep throat), are caused by Streptococcus group A bacteria. Strep throat is the colloquial name for bacterial tonsillitis.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will do the following tests to determine if you have tonsillitis:

• Look for redness, swelling, or white spots on the tonsils in your throat
• Other symptoms such as a fever, cough, runny nose, rash, or stomachache
• Look for signs of infection in your ears and nose
• Feel the lymph nodes on the sides of your neck to discover if they are swollen and sensitive

After confirming a diagnosis of tonsillitis, your doctor must identify whether the infection is caused by a virus or bacteria (strep throat).

What is Strep Throat?

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes soreness and scratchiness in the throat. Only a small percentage of sore throats are caused by strep throat. Strep throat can lead to problems such as kidney irritation or rheumatic fever if left untreated. Rheumatic fever can cause painful and inflamed joints, a specific type of rash, and damage to the heart valves.

Children are the most prevalent victims of strep throat, although it can afflict anyone of any age. If you or your kid develops strep throat symptoms, consult your doctor right once for testing and treatment.

How is Strep Throat Diagnosed?

To establish if you have strep throat, your doctor may request a throat culture, often known as a strep test. A throat culture is a basic test that examines your throat for the presence of particular germs.

Treatment

The tonsils may need to be surgically removed if they get too big or infected frequently. Fortunately, this does not appear to have an impact on the immune system’s ability to defend itself. Tonsillectomy is a technique that has been used for thousands of years and is even mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic scriptures.

The treatment you receive is determined by the cause of the infection. While the symptoms of viral and bacterial tonsillitis are often the same, the treatments are not.

For Strep Throat: Antibiotic medicine is used to treat strep throat (bacterial tonsillitis). Antibiotics are only available with a doctor’s prescription. Antibiotics are normally taken orally (by mouth) for 10 days.

Even if you are feeling better after a few days, it is critical that you follow your doctor’s recommendations and complete the entire course of antibiotics. To avoid the infection returning, worsening, or spreading to another part of your body, you must finish the antibiotics.

For Viral Tonsillitis: Antibiotics used to treat strep throat (bacterial tonsillitis) won’t help with tonsillitis caused by a virus. Your doctor will advise you to take the following steps to ease the symptoms of viral tonsillitis:

• To get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
• Pain medications
• Lozenges for the throat