tonsillitis, how to prevent, cure tonsillitis treatments, causes of tonsillitis, tonsillitis prevention tips, advice, tonsillitis remedies, tonsillitis symptoms, tonsillitis signs, tonsillitis medicine, tonsillitis drugs, recovering from tonsillitis, acute tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis tonsillitis
tonsillitis, how to prevent, cure tonsillitis treatments, causes of tonsillitis, tonsillitis prevention tips, advice, tonsillitis remedies, tonsillitis symptoms, tonsillitis signs, tonsillitis medicine, scarlet fever drugs, recovering from tonsillitis, acute tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis Baby Health tonsillitis, how to prevent, cure tonsillitis treatments, causes of tonsillitis, tonsillitis prevention tips, advice, tonsillitis remedies, tonsillitis symptoms, tonsillitis signs, tonsillitis medicine, scarlet fever drugs, recovering from tonsillitis, acute tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis Kids Health Men Health Women Health Senior Health Health Resource Common Diseases Health Care Illness Prevention
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tonsillitis


This site provides you with the information about tonsillitis, how to prevent, cure tonsillitis treatments, causes of tonsillitis, tonsillitis prevention tips, advice, tonsillitis remedies, tonsillitis symptoms, tonsillitis signs, tonsillitis medicine, tonsillitis drugs, recovering from tonsillitis, acute tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis, and more.




Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils and will often, but not necessarily, cause a sore throat and fever.

Symptoms

Symptoms of tonsillitis include a severe sore throat (which may be experienced as referred pain to the ears), painful/difficult swallowing, crouch coughing, headache, fever and chills. Tonsillitis is characterized by signs of red, swollen tonsils which may have a purulent exudative coating of white patches (i.e. pus). There may be enlarged and tender neck cervical lymph nodes.

Causes

Tonsillitis may be caused by Group A streptococcal bacteria, resulting in strep throat. Viral tonsillitis may be caused by numerous viruses such as the Epstein-Barr virus[1] (the cause of infectious mononucleosis) or the Adenovirus.

Sometimes, tonsillitis is caused by a superinfection of spirochaeta and treponema, in this case called Vincent's angina or Plaut-Vincent angina.

Although tonsillitis is associated with infection, it is currently unknown whether the swelling and other symptoms are caused by the infectious agents themselves, or by the host immune response to these agents. Tonsillitis may be a result of aberrant immune responses to the normal bacterial flora of the nasopharynx.

Treatment

Treatments of tonsillitis consist of pain management medications and lozenges. If the tonsillitis is caused by bacteria, then antibiotics are prescribed, with penicillin being most commonly used. Erythromycin is used for patients allergic to penicillin.

In many cases of tonsillitis, the pain caused by the inflamed tonsils warrants the prescription of topical anesthetics for temporary relief. Viscous lidocaine solutions are often prescribed for this purpose.

Ibuprofen or other analgesics can help to decrease the edema and inflammation, which will ease the pain and allow the patient to swallow liquids sooner.

When tonsillitis is caused by a virus, the length of illness depends on which virus is involved. Usually, a complete recovery is made within one week; however, some rare infections may last for up to two weeks.

Chronic cases may indicate tonsillectomy (surgical removal of tonsils) as a choice for treatment

Additionally, gargling with a solution of warm water and salt may reduce pain and swelling.

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