Tonsillitis

Service Name: Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis generally occurs while the tonsils get inflamed and infected. Tonsils are the two tiny lumps of soft tissue on both sides of the neck. As part of the immune system, tonsils gather some germs that can make an individual sick. While it gets infected, they get sore and swollen, which can hurt. 

Types of Tonsillitis

There are two types of tonsillitis in general. There are:

• Bacterial Tonsillitis: It is also known as strep throat. Around 30 percent of tonsillitis cases occur from group A Streptococcus bacteria.  
• Viral Tonsillitis: Almost 70 percent of issues happen due to the virus. The flu (influenza) or a cold are the most common causes.

Possible Causes of Tonsillitis

The bacteria and viruses that form tonsillitis are highly contagious by nature. They spread from human to human. The following can be the ways to pass it:

• Sharing food, drink, or utensils.
• Coming in close contact with a sick person.
• Touching contaminated surface.
• Using your hands to touch your mouth and nose without first cleaning them.
• Inhaling smaller particles that become airborne while an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Risk Factors

The Risk factors for tonsillitis include invasion by pathogenic viruses and bacteria. Below situations can be considered as the prominent risk factors:

• Living in close proximity to children
• Urban environment with exposure to viruses and bacteria
• Immunocompromised patients
• Airborne pollutants
• Suffering from diabetes
• Cardiac disease
• Obesity

Sign & Symptoms of Tonsillitis

It doesn’t take much time to spot the symptoms. They usually happen to come to effect suddenly. Some of the common symptoms of tonsillitis are:

• Scratchy or sore throat
• Difficulty or pain in swallowing
• Swollen, red throat, and tonsils
• White patches or a gray, yellow, or white coating on the tonsils 
• Fever above 100.4 degrees
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Vomiting or stomachache

Complication associated with tonsillitis

Bacterial tonsillitis can primarily result in severe complications. However, it is scarce to spot any. It mainly occurs in children. Viral tonsillitis, on the other hand, doesn’t lead to any complications. 

Some of the complications include:

• Peritonsillar abscess or Quincy, which is generally a build-up of pus amidst the throat wall and the tonsil.
• Obstructive sleep apnea, where the breathing and sleep cycle of an individual gets affected while the throat walls relax during the sleep.
• Rheumatic fever causes inflammation throughout the body.
• Glomerulonephritis, where the filtering process of kidneys swells and cause vomiting.

Treatment Options at 7DMC

Tonsillitis can be treated using a variety of DIY treatments. However, it does not ensure that it will work every time. It’s at this point when 7DMC steps in to assist you. We have professionals to help you get rid of the pain. And get back to your normal state.   

If, after the diagnosis, your tonsillitis doesn’t seem to be severe enough, we go with medications. We provide OTC medications, antibiotics like penicillin to numb the symptoms. To begin with, one must undergo the following diagnosis before starting the treatment:

• Examine the throat for swelling, white spots, or redness on the tonsils.
• Spot other symptoms like stomachache, fever, rash, cough, or runny nose.
• Signs of infection inside of the nose and ears.
• Check the sides of the neck to observe if the lymph nodes are tender and swollen.

For cases where there is a dire need for the removal of tonsillitis, we go with surgery. It is only in case of secondary problems when our doctors perform a tonsillectomy. 

Hence, if your tonsillitis is affecting you or your child, schedule an appointment as soon as possible to protect your tonsils from chronic and viral infections.