Cough and cold medicines may not be safe for young children or for people who have certain health problems. Before you use these medicines, check the label. Many over-the-counter remedies, including antiseptic mouthwashes, decongestants , and antihistamines , contain extra ingredients that don't relieve discomfort.
These remedies are not recommended for children, since these ingredients have not been proved to have any benefits in the treatment of acute tonsillitis. A sore throat along with sudden fever and swollen lymph nodes , and without symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection , may point to a bacterial infection. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor to be tested for strep throat , which requires treatment with antibiotics.
It is important to get plenty of rest and take all the prescribed antibiotics exactly as directed. Keep your child home from school for the first 1 to 2 days of antibiotic treatment. He or she is still contagious during this time and might pass the infection to others.
Tonsillitis is usually caused by a virus and does not require prescription medicine. For information on over-the-counter pain medicine and other self-care options, see Home Treatment. An antibiotic , usually amoxicillin or penicillin, is used to treat tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria.
Although tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria usually will go away on its own, antibiotics are used to prevent the complications , such as rheumatic fever , that can result from untreated strep throat. If antibiotics are prescribed, be sure you take them exactly as directed by your doctor until the medicine is gone.
Even if the symptoms go away completely before the prescription is gone, all pills should be taken as directed to make sure the infection is completely destroyed. Bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat tonsillitis antibiotic resistance if prescriptions aren't taken as directed or if they are prescribed when they aren't needed.
Tonsillectomy for tonsillitis is generally used for children who have serious complications or recurrent infections that do not respond to other treatment, especially when they interfere with daily life.
But tonsillectomy should only be done after you and your doctor carefully consider your child's medical history and overall health. Researchers in a recent study concluded that tonsillectomy may be no better than watchful waiting for children who have mild symptoms, which was defined as tonsillitis occurring fewer than 3 times a year.
But for some children, tonsillectomy can greatly improve their quality of life. Children who are most likely to benefit from tonsillectomy are those who have:. Tonsillectomy for strep throat may be done in cases of recurring tonsillitis that do not respond to antibiotics or if an infection threatens the child's well-being. Tonsillectomy is still the most common major surgical procedure done on children in Canada. But it is not done as often as it was in the past.
Upper respiratory infections and tonsillitis usually occur less frequently as a child gets older. Consider whether your child's tonsillitis infections are manageable until you can wait to see if he or she outgrows them. A child who has tonsillectomy will need special care and close monitoring for at least a week after the surgery.
Consider your ability to provide this care for your child before deciding on tonsillectomy. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
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Top of the page. Topic Overview What is tonsillitis? What causes tonsillitis? What are the symptoms? How is tonsillitis diagnosed? How is it treated? Health Tools Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems. Cause Tonsillitis is usually caused by a virus. How tonsillitis is spread Tonsillitis is spread by close contact with an infected person.
Symptoms The main symptom of tonsillitis is a sore throat. Some or all of the following may be present: Fever Bad breath Nasal congestion and runny nose Swollen lymph nodes Red, swollen tonsils covered completely or in patches by pus Difficulty swallowing Headache Abdominal belly pain Raw, bleeding patches on the tonsils When you have sore throat plus cold symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing, the cause is most likely a virus.
What Happens Tonsillitis, in most cases, lasts 4 to 10 days. Complications of tonsillitis Tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria that is not treated with antibiotics may result in complications , such as ear and sinus infections or pockets of infection outside the tonsils peritonsillar abscess. What Increases Your Risk Close contact with an infected person is the main risk factor for tonsillitis.
When should you call your doctor? Sore throat, along with any two of these signs of bacterial infection: Fever of Persistent mouth-breathing, snoring, or a very nasal- or muffled-sounding voice. Signs of dehydration , such as a dry mouth and tongue and urinating less than normal. Watchful waiting Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your or your child's symptoms or condition without using medical treatment.
Who to see Your family doctor or general practitioner can evaluate tonsillitis, perform quick tests or throat cultures, and prescribe antibiotic treatment if needed. Examinations and Tests Diagnosis of tonsillitis is based on a medical history and a physical examination of the throat. Treatment Overview Tonsillitis is most often caused by a virus, which resolves on its own.
Tonsillitis caused by a virus Tonsillitis caused by a virus will usually go away on its own. Tonsillitis caused by bacteria Antibiotics are prescribed for tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria. Tonsillitis can feel like a bad cold or flu. The tonsils at the back of your throat will be red and swollen. Look at other sore throat symptoms. Tonsillitis is not contagious, but most of the infections that cause it are, for example, colds and flu. A doctor can usually tell it's tonsillitis by asking about your symptoms and looking at the back of your throat.
Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of tonsillitis Bacteria, viruses and tonsillitis Complications of tonsillitis Treatment of tonsillitis Tonsillectomy Where to get help.
Symptoms of tonsillitis The symptoms of tonsillitis include: White or yellow spots of pus on the tonsils Sore throat — although some children complain of pain in their tummy, rather than a sore throat Swollen lymph glands under each side of the jaw Pain when swallowing Fever Bad breath. Bacteria, viruses and tonsillitis When tonsillitis is caused by bacteria about 15 per cent of all tonsil infections , it is usually a streptococcus bacterium.
Complications of tonsillitis Tonsillitis can lead to a number of complications, including: Chronic tonsillitis — infection of the tonsils which does not clear up. When the adenoids swell up usually when the tonsils are also large , they can block the Eustachian tube, which goes from the back of the throat to the middle ear.
If this tube stays blocked most of the time, sticky fluid forms in the middle ear which interferes with hearing. This is called a glue ear Quinsy — if the infection spreads into the tissue around the tonsils, an abscess can form in the throat, also known as a peri-tonsillar abscess. This causes severe pain and can interfere with swallowing and even breathing. Antibiotics may help, but sometimes an operation is needed to drain the abscess.
Treatment of tonsillitis Because most attacks of tonsillitis are caused by viruses, most of the treatment is aimed at helping to relieve the symptoms such as pain and fever. Tonsillectomy If attacks of tonsillitis become frequent and severe, or cause complications, your doctor might suggest an operation, known as tonsillectomy.
Medical issues to consider before tonsillectomy Before doing a tonsillectomy, your doctor will give you a complete physical check-up. Making a decision about tonsillectomy for children Tonsillectomy is mainly done in children to treat snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea or frequent tonsillitis.
You and your doctor are in the best position to decide if this operation will help your child. Tonsillectomy procedure A tonsillectomy is performed under general anaesthesia. See the fact sheets here: Before your child has tonsil surgery Caring for your child after tonsil surgery Pain management plan after tonsil surgery Safer Care Victoria has developed a number of videos where parents share their stories about caring for their child before, on the day of and after tonsil surgery.
Immediately after a tonsillectomy operation After the operation you can expect: When you wake up, you will be lying on your side — this is to prevent choking if any bleeding occurs from the tonsil pad A sore throat Pain-relieving medication, if necessary The nursing staff will regularly check your pulse, blood pressure, breathing rate and your throat for any signs of bleeding For the first four hours after the operation, you will probably not be allowed to have any food or liquids You may find it difficult to eat or drink, but you will be encouraged to do so — the more often you use your throat, the better You can expect a hospital stay of just one day or so.
Complications of tonsillectomy Possible complications of tonsillectomy include: The pain may ease within two days or so, but may flare up again up to six days after the operation. You may also have ear pain. It is also important to note that while a tonsillectomy is a guaranteed method for preventing tonsillitis, it is only an effective way to reduce your risk of developing strep throat. Remember, your tonsils are designed to prevent throat infection.
It is possible to get strep throat without tonsils. Antibiotics are only prescribed for tonsillitis when it is caused by a bacterial infection. Antibiotics will provide rapid symptom relief and, after 24 hours, prevent you from spreading the infection to others. Never take an antibiotic for viral tonsillitis. It is ineffective and increases your risk of antibiotic resistance and gastrointestinal distress. The most common antibiotic prescribed for tonsillitis is penicillin.
Let us know during your appointment if you are allergic to penicillin so we can offer you an alternative antibiotic. It is absolutely critical that you take your entire course of antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Even if your symptoms disappear completely, you run the risk of the infection getting worse if you deviate from the instructions provided to you. Moreover, you may suffer from other complications, such as post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis or rheumatic fever.
Never hesitate to reach out if you feel you need additional medical care. Unfortunately, one strain of bacteria that causes tonsillitis can also cause strep throat.
Like tonsillitis, strep throat is contagious, so you want to stay home until your symptoms are gone. You may have both tonsillitis and strep throat if you are experiencing the symptoms of tonsillitis along with:. The same tests used to diagnose tonsillitis can accurately diagnose strep throat. Therefore, you will not need two separate treatments for the two illnesses. If you suffer from chronic tonsillitis, you are at risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA.
OSA occurs when your airways swell and you cannot draw in enough oxygen when you sleep. If left untreated, this can lead to several medical conditions, such as strokes, irritability, weight gain and memory impairment. Another risk of having tonsillitis is the illness spreading to another part of your body. This is known as tonsillar cellulitis. Moreover, your infected tonsils can lead to a significant buildup of pus behind your tonsils.
This is known as a peritonsillar abscess. If you develop this condition, you will need drainage and surgery. The vast majority of these cases are caused by strep bacteria.
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