If your tonsillitis is caused by a virus, your body will fight off the infection on its own. Your doctor may suggest ways you can ease the pain, such as drinking warm or very cold fluids or gargling with warm salt water. Your doctor will determine the best course of treatment to suit your needs.
A mild case of tonsillitis doesn't necessarily require treatment, especially if a virus, such as a cold, causes it. Treatments for more severe cases of tonsillitis may include antibiotics or a tonsillectomy. If a person becomes dehydrated due to tonsillitis, they may need intravenous fluids.
Home remedies
- Get lots of rest.
- Drink warm or very cold fluids to help with throat pain.
- Eat smooth foods, such as flavored gelatins, ice cream, and applesauce.
- Use a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier in your room.
- Gargle with warm salt water.
- Suck on lozenges with benzocaine or other medications to numb your throat.
Viral infection of the tonsils usually goes away without treatment within 2 weeks. Sore throat with, swollen glands, a sudden fever above 101°F (38.3°C), and without symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection may point to a bacterial infection like strep that needs to be treated with antibiotics.
If tonsillitis is left untreated, a complication can develop called a peritonsillar abscess. This is an area around the tonsils that's filled with bacteria, and it can cause these symptoms: Severe throat pain. Muffled voice.
Most of the time tonsillitis caused by either viral or bacterial infections will eventually resolve on its own, but if a bacterial infection is to blame, antibiotics help clear up symptoms faster and prevent complications, Rowan says.
Penicillin taken by mouth for 10 days is the most common antibiotic treatment prescribed for tonsillitis caused by group A streptococcus. If your child is allergic to penicillin, your doctor will prescribe an alternative antibiotic.
Anyone with tonsillitis who is drooling, unable to drink or swallow or has any difficulty breathing should go to the emergency room for evaluation.
Difficulty breathing: It is possible for the tonsils to become so swollen that they block off the back of the throat and the airway.
White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and/or tonsils (tonsillar exudates) Red spots on the roof of the mouth (upper palette) Swollen or tender lymph nodes on the neck.
The following home remedies can help treat tonsillitis or alleviate its symptoms.
- Drinking plenty of warm liquids.
- Eating cold foods.
- Avoiding hard foods.
- Gargling with salt water.
- Increasing indoor humidity.
- Avoiding straining the voice.
- Getting plenty of rest.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers.
If you have swollen tonsils that last for more than one or two days, see your doctor. You should also seek medical treatment if your tonsils are so swollen that you have trouble breathing or sleeping, or if they're accompanied by a high fever or severe discomfort.
You should see your doctor when you or your child experiences the common symptoms of infected or enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Your physician will ask about problems of the ear, nose, and throat and examine the head and neck. He or she may use a small mirror or a flexible lighted instrument to see these areas.
Gargling. Gargling vigorously with salt water can ease throat discomfort and may help dislodge tonsil stones. Salt water may also help to change your mouth chemistry. It can also help get rid of the odor tonsil stones can cause.
Typically, you'd get your tonsils taken out only if tonsillitis: Keeps coming back. Causes other problems, such as sleep apnea, a common disorder in which you briefly stop breathing many times a night.
Yes, you can spread tonsillitis through kissing. Tonsillitis can develop due to a virus or bacteria. Viruses and bacteria can spread through droplets from kissing, coughing, and sneezing. If you have tonsillitis, you should avoid kissing to prevent the spread of the virus or bacteria to another person.
If you have tonsillitis that's caused by a viral infection, such as the common cold or flu, your symptoms may be milder. If your tonsillitis is caused by a bacterial infection, such as a streptococcal infection, your symptoms will usually be more severe and you may also have bad breath.
Hypersalivation can be caused by everything from difficulty swallowing to problems with muscle control to an infection like tonsillitis or strep throat. Certain medications cause excess saliva production as a side effect, and chronic diseases like Parkinson's disease can also cause an increase in salivary activity.
