Description

Infection caused by either viruses or bacteria can cause tonsils to become red, swollen and painful causing a condition known as tonsillitis. This infection can spread from person to person quickly by touch, saliva through kissing for example or by droplet spread through the air by coughing or sneezing. The incubation period is usually around 2-4 days.

Tonsillitis can develop on its own or with other cold like infections or throat infections such as pharyngitis.

Symptoms can be varied but include some or all of the following;

• pain at the back of the throat
• pain on swallowing. In severe instances, this can include an inability to swallow your own saliva
• fever, causing hot or cold spells or feeling sweaty or clammy
• pus on the tonsils. This thick pale material comes from the cracks or crypts of the tonsils and is a sign of infection
• swelling and/or tenderness of the glands (lymph nodes) of the neck
• headaches
• fatigue, lethagry and malaise
• muscular or joint pains
• earache
• foul smelling breath (halitosis)
• furry or coated tongue.
• middle ear inflammation or infection called otits media,
• rheumatic fever (very rare in the developed world),
• inflammation and damage to the kidneys (glomerulonephritis),
• blood poisoning (septicaemia).

Rarely, in severe cases, one of the compliactions of tonsillitis may develop;

an abscess behind the tonsil containing pus. This is sometimes called a quinsy or peritonsillar abscess,

Treatment usually consists of resting and using paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce pain, swelling and fever as these infections as with most types of throat infections tend to be viral. Simple antibiotics can be used to good effect in bacterial tonsillitis. However, in patients who suffer recurrent or severe infections, the tonsils may need to be removed. Although this is still a common procedure, it is done much less frequently than in the past as there is a risk of serious bleeding during the procedure and it is thought that the tonsils may have a role in fighting infections.

Tonsillectomies can be done in various ways but essentially involves cutting out the tonsil glands at the back of the throat while at the same time controlling the blood from the blood vessels in the tonsils. A steel blade, disposable instruments, laser or a diathermy device can be used to do the cutting.

Tonsillitis is frequently a viral illness similar to the flu virus but a particularly nasty tonsillitis can develop with a condition known as glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) which tends to affect teenagers and young adults. Bacterial infections can also occur. In developed countries, tonsillitis caused by diphtheria or scarlet fever are very rare.