Sore Tonsils
Sore Tonsils: Causes and Treatment for Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is the infection of the tonsils caused by either bacteria or virus and its symptoms include fever and sore tonsils or sore throat. Swollen and red tonsils cause difficulty in swallowing and patients usually complain of headache and earache. Sometimes there is also some swelling in the face and neck. In the case of bacterial tonsillitis there may be some skin rash while the viral tonsillitis tends to show signs similar to flu.
There are two types of tonsillitis or sore tonsils and these are distinguished as acute tonsillitis and chronic tonsillitis. Acute tonsillitis refers to cases of bacterial and viral infection discussed above that tend to last from 3 days to a week or so. In these cases, the inflammation of the tonsils and the sore throat disappear soon after treatment is initiated. Strep throat is a form of acute tonsillitis. There is usually accompanying symptoms like swelling of the lymph nodes and fatigue and inertia.
Chronic tonsillitis on the other hand is a long-lasting infection of the tonsils. Here the symptoms last longer and as the infection is repetitive, there is additional damage to the tonsils. Crypts and pockets sometimes develop in the tonsils and become convenient settling grounds for different kinds of bacteria. Sometimes these crypts house terrible-smelling granular particles called tonsilliths, which are formed of sulfur. Bad breath and a sensation of something being struck in the throat are usually the result of these stones in the tonsils. The stones are also known to cause disturbed sleep and may lead to snoring. Sore tonsils in chronic cases can even cause a voice change and make a person sound different. Particularly severe cases of tonsillitis can lead to constipation, vomiting, thickness of the tongue and general difficulty in eating and swallowing.
The treatment for tonsillitis is usually focused around pain management. Lozenges are used to deal with the sensation of soreness around the throat. Topical anesthetics are available in the form of solutions and sprays and they help with pain control. Paracetamol and other analgesics are used to reduce the swelling or inflammation and this makes it easier to swallow. There are some people who are advocates of salt water gargling as this is known to attack the infecting parasite and provide relief from the painful symptoms.
When the sore throat is known to be the result of a bacterial infection, doctors prescribe a course of antibiotics such as penicillin or fight it. The antibiotics will have to be taken for the prescribed length of time even if the symptoms start to abate in a couple of days.
Viral tonsillitis can usually be tackled in a week although there are cases where it lasts for two weeks at a stretch.
In cases where patients have chronic tonsillitis, tonsillectomy, which is the surgical removal of tonsils, is the recommended treatment. A patient is considered to have chronic sore tonsils if there are more than five instances of tonsil infections in 12 months.
It is considered a good idea to avoid dairy products in the case of patients who have the problem of tonsilliths. In general plenty of fluids and rest are the best way to combat infections of the throat. They help the body stay hydrated and give the body the energy needed to fight the infection.
Given the function of the tonsils is to filter germs entering the body through the nose and the throat, it is not surprising that it becomes a center for battling infection. The frequency of infections in the area and the very commonality of it sometimes make people ignore early stages of sore tonsillitis. It is important to note that as in all infections, early detection and immediate response can go a long way in limiting the duration and extent of a tonsils infection.