3 Ways to Diagnose Contagious Tonsillitis

1. Check for Sore Throat With Upper Respiratory Symptoms

Tonsillitis can accompany simple colds, and is not difficult to diagnose. Sore throat symptoms may be mild or quite severe and involve pain when swallowing. Simple cold and flu viruses may often begin with an itching of the eyes, nose and throat that improves over 2 or 3 days as mucous congestion ensues.

2. Note Redness and Swelling of the Tonsils

When sore throat symptoms do not clear up after 1 or 2 days, and even worsen, full-blown tonsillitis may be developing. Tonsillitis simply means inflammation of the tonsils, regardless of the underlying cause. When sore throats appear infectious and are "going around" the school, office or community, both viruses and bacteria may be to blame. The contagious "colds" are most often rhino or other viruses; bacteria are secondary, being more a function of a hospitable ecosystem the primary virus has created in the throat. The exception is streptococcal bacteria, which has a greater potential of being contagious.

3. Look for Signs of Strep Tonsillitis

Strep throat tends to involve rather severe throat pain that makes it difficult to even drink liquids, and tends to create bright, beefy-red tonsils, often accompanied by swelling, pus or exudate and white spots on the tonsils. Strep throat also creates a foul odor; an experienced clinician may suspect a streptococcal infection by the smell alone. While viral sore throats may be accompanied by swollen glands in the throat and neck, bacterial infections, including strep, are not. If severe sore throats are going around, consider getting a throat culture to diagnose a possible streptococcal infection.