Sometimes chronic tonsillitis can lead to more severe conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea and heart and lung problems. But most children who have sleep apnea and enlarged tonsils do not have a history of tonsillitis. Close contact with an infected person is the main risk factor for tonsillitis. You may then become infected after breathing in these droplets. Infection can also occur if pathogens get on your skin or on objects that come in contact with the mouth, nose, eyes, or other mucous membranes.
Nasal obstruction causes you to breathe through your mouth, which increases the risk of tonsillitis. Call your doctor if any of the following occur. Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your or your child's symptoms or condition without using medical treatment.
Watchful waiting is appropriate if tonsillitis occurs along with cold symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing. Tonsillitis with these symptoms is most often caused by a virus. Viral infection of the tonsils can be treated at home and in most cases goes away without treatment within 2 weeks.
In general, the more like a cold the condition is, the less likely it is that the condition is caused by strep bacteria. Watchful waiting is not appropriate if tonsillitis occurs with a fever of If these symptoms occur together, see a doctor.
You may have strep throat, which should be treated promptly. Your family doctor or general practitioner can evaluate tonsillitis, perform quick tests or throat cultures, and prescribe antibiotic treatment if needed.
If surgery to remove the tonsils tonsillectomy is indicated, your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist ear, nose, and throat, or ENT, doctor.
Diagnosis of tonsillitis is based on a medical history and a physical examination of the throat. An accurate medical history is needed to find out whether tonsillitis is recurrent, which may affect treatment choices.
If your symptoms suggest strep throat, your doctor may want to confirm this diagnosis by doing a throat culture. Strep throat is more likely if 3 or 4 of the following signs or symptoms are present:. If a strep infection is suspected, your doctor may do a throat culture or a rapid strep test or both. Both of these tests can be done in a doctor's office. You may want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each test to see which test is appropriate.
The results of these tests will determine whether antibiotic treatment is needed. These results combined with an accurate medical history will be considered in deciding whether surgery to remove the tonsils tonsillectomy is recommended.
If the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause mononucleosis , is suspected as a cause for the tonsillitis, a test for mononucleosis may be done. Tonsillitis is most often caused by a virus, which resolves on its own. But tonsillitis can be caused by strep bacteria, which requires treatment with antibiotics.
Watch for signs of dehydration , such as a dry mouth and tongue. Also, watch for signs of complications, such as ear pain, from tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria. Antibiotics are not effective treatment for viral tonsillitis. The virus that causes mononucleosis mono can lead to tonsillitis that is as severe as tonsillitis caused by bacteria and can take several weeks or more before it goes away.
Home treatments such as drinking warm tea, and taking over-the-counter pain medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help relieve discomfort. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of its link to Reye syndrome , a serious but rare problem.
Many non-prescription remedies such as antiseptic mouthwashes, decongestants , and antihistamines contain extra ingredients that don't relieve discomfort. These remedies are not recommended for children, because they have not been proved to have any benefits in the treatment of acute tonsillitis. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instruction on the label. Antibiotics are prescribed for tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria. A strep infection will usually go away on its own, but antibiotic treatment is needed because untreated strep throat can cause serious complications.
For more information, see the topic Strep Throat. If antibiotics are prescribed, be sure you take them exactly as directed by your doctor. Antibiotics should be taken for the entire duration of the prescription, even if the symptoms disappear completely before the prescription is gone. If antibiotics used to treat tonsillitis are not taken as directed, bacteria can become resistant to them antibiotic resistance.
In these cases, antibiotic treatment of future infections may not work. Surgical removal of the tonsils tonsillectomy is still a common procedure, particularly for children. But it is not done nearly as often as it was in the past. Tonsillectomy may be considered to treat tonsillitis when a child has serious complications, recurrent infections, or chronic infections that do not respond to treatment and interfere with daily functioning.
But the risks and benefits of surgery need to be weighed carefully. Tonsillectomy should only be done after you and your doctor carefully consider your or your child's overall health.
A wide variety of viruses and bacteria can cause tonsillitis, so the best prevention is to follow basic health and hygiene precautions. These steps are especially helpful for children:. The goal of home treatment of tonsillitis caused by a virus is to manage symptoms as the body fights off the infection.
Home treatment eases the discomfort of sore throat and symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing. Things that may help you or your child feel better include:. Ask your doctor if you can take over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help relieve sore throat pain.
Read and follow all instructions on the label. If you give medicine to your baby, follow your doctor's advice about what amount to give. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of its link to Reye syndrome, a serious but rare problem. Sneezing and coughing can pass the tonsillitis-causing virus or bacteria from one person to the next.
Call your doctor right away if your condition gets worse; for example, if you have a hard time breathing or swallowing. Also talk to your doctor if your fever comes back or if you're not feeling better in a couple of days.
Reviewed by: Steven M. Andreoli, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Tonsillitis? What Causes Tonsillitis? Tonsillitis is usually caused by a virus such as: adenovirus the flu Epstein-Barr virus mono Bacteria also can cause it, most commonly group A streptococcus strep throat.
How Is Tonsillitis Diagnosed? How Is Tonsillitis Treated? How Can I Feel Better? Medically Reviewed. The symptoms you may experience when you have tonsillitis can include the following: 1 Red, swollen tonsils A white or yellow coating or spots on the tonsils Sore throat Difficult or painful swallowing Fever Enlarged, tender glands lymph nodes in the neck A scratchy, muffled, or throaty voice Bad breath An altered sense of taste Stomachache, especially in younger children Stiff neck Headache For very young children who may not be able to describe the symptoms they are experiencing, look for these characteristics: Fever Drooling due to difficult or painful swallowing Refusal to eat Unusual fussiness.
In most cases, tonsillitis will go away on its own in about five to seven days, Clark says. Clark suggests calling your care provider if you are experiencing any of these symptoms: Fever of at least degrees F or Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. Tonsillitis: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. December 13, Cleveland Clinic.
March 21, The main symptoms in children and adults are: a sore throat problems swallowing a high temperature of 38C or above coughing a headache feeling sick earache feeling tired Sometimes the symptoms can be more severe and include: swollen, painful glands in your neck feels like a lump on the side of your neck white pus-filled spots on your tonsils bad breath What tonsils with pus-filled spots can look like Tonsils with pus-filled spots at the back of the throat.
Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and stir until it has dissolved. Gargle with the salty water do not swallow it , then spit it out. Repeat as often as you like. Young children should not gargle with salty water.
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