Tonsillitis is a common inflammation of the two masses of oval shaped tissues or pads present at the back of your throat. Tonsillitis is mainly caused by bacteria and certain viruses including:
• Streptococcus bacteria
• Adenovirus
• Influenza
• Epstein-Barr virus
• Para Influenza virus
• Enteroviruses
• Herpes Simplex Virus
Tonsillitis Symptoms
The common symptoms associated with tonsillitis include:
• Throat pain
• High fever
• Headache
• Ear pain
• Cough
• Difficulty in swallowing
Diagnosis and Treatment
When you consult a doctor for diagnosis of tonsillitis, your doctor will generally look for enlarged glands. Your doctor will also look into the back of your throat to examine whether the tonsil is red, swollen and inflamed. Mostly the tonsils will be covered with white massy spots.
Young teenagers and children are at the high risk of developing tonsillitis because their immune system is in developing stage. As you grow older the role of tonsils diminishes and you are less likely to develop tonsillitis.
In very rare cases the tonsils are removed and according to research getting your tonsils removed will increase the risk of certain throat infections. The number of throat infections in people who have their tonsils removed is similar to the people who haven’t removed their tonsils.
There is an increased risk of bleeding after the surgical removal of tonsils. That is the reason surgery is not generally considered as an option for tonsillitis because it eventually gets cured with age. Don’t give your children aspirin under the age of sixteen. You can offer them healthy nutritious food which they can eat without much difficulty and plenty of liquids.
