Tonsillitis
Symptoms of tonsillitis
Source: NHS
In this topic (5)
The main symptom of tonsillitisisa Strep throat .
Your tonsils will be red and swollen, and your throat may be very painful, making swallowing difficult.
In some cases, the tonsils are coated or have white, pus-filled spots on them.
Other common symptoms of tonsillitisinclude:
- high temperature (fever) over 38C (100.4F)
- coughing
- headache
- earache
- feeling sick
- feeling tired
- swollen, painfullymph glands in your neck
- loss of voice or changes to your voice
The symptoms of tonsillitis usually get better after three to four days.
Ifyou have tonsillitis that's caused bya viral infection, such as the common cold or flu ,your symptoms may be milder.
If your tonsillitis is caused by a bacterial infection, such as a streptococcal infection , your symptoms will usually be more severe and you may also have bad breath .
It's difficult to tell just by looking at a person's throat whether they have tonsillitis as aresult of a virus or a bacterial infection. Tests are needed to confirm this.
Antibiotics may be recommended if test results show that your tonsillitis is caused by a bacterial infection.
Articles for Tonsillitis
'For us, the benefits of tonsillectomy far outweighed the risks'
Tessa Hughes, from Brixton in London, had a tonsillectomy when she was 15, after having chronic tonsillitis.
Causes of tonsillitis
Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by viral infections. It can also be caused by bacterial infections, particularly group A streptococcus bacteria.
Introduction
Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils. It's usually caused by a viral infection or, less commonly, a bacterial infection.
Symptoms of tonsillitis
The main symptom of tonsillitis is a sore throat. Your tonsils will be red and swollen, and your throat may be very painful, making swallowing difficult.
Treating tonsillitis
There's no specific treatment for tonsillitis and most cases get better within a week without treatment.