The tonsils are lymphatic tissue situated at the back of your throat. An acute infection of the tonsils is called acute tonsillitis. An acute infection progresses rapidly and lasts for a short time. Acute tonsillitis is a common condition and usually occurs due to bacterial or viral causes. It is commonly seen in children rather than in adults.
Causes
Viruses such as adenovirus or the Epstein-Barr virus cause an acute tonsil infection, according to the website healthopedia.com. The bacteria Streptococcus or Hemophilus influenza also causes acute tonsillitis. The bacteria Streptococcus group A is the most common bacterial cause. Whether viral or bacteria, the germs are spread through kissing, hand contact, or through cough or sneezing.
Symptoms
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS), if you have acute tonsillitis, you will have a severe sore throat. You will complain of throat pain and difficulty in swallowing both food and water. There will be an associated high temperature. Enlarged tonsils may block your airway and cause snoring, difficulty in breathing and mouth breathing.
Signs
When your doctor examines your throat, he will see red and enlarged tonsils. The tonsils may have white or yellow spots due to pus on the surface or in the pits, according to experts at the University of Illinois Medical Center. She may feel your neck glands, which will be swollen and painful on touch. Your doctor may do a throat swab. The throat culture will show bacterial growth if the cause of infection is bacteria.
Treatment
Acute tonsillitis is treated with medicines and rest. Medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are given to reduce the fever and relieve the pain. Gargling with salt water is soothing for your throat. Drink warm fluids such as soup and tea in order to prevent dehydration. Viral infections will respond to the above measures. If the cause of infection is bacterial, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. Oral penicillin is the drug of choice and is given for 10 days, according to Mayo Clinic. The symptoms of tonsillitis usually improve within three to four days of treatment. However, it is important to complete the antibiotic course as prescribed by your doctor to cure the infection completely.
Expert Insight
Your doctor may advise you to be hospitalized if you have a severe infection or if your tonsils are blocking your airway, according to AAOHNS. Recurrent attacks of acute tonsillitis are an indication for surgical removal of tonsils. If your child gets more than seven episodes of tonsillitis in one year, five attacks per year over two years and three infections over three years, surgery is advocated, according to Mayo Clinic.
