Your family doctor or general practitioner can evaluate tonsillitis, perform quick tests or throat cultures, and prescribe antibiotic treatment if needed. If surgery to remove the tonsils tonsillectomy is indicated, your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist ear, nose, and throat, or ENT, doctor. Diagnosis of tonsillitis is based on a medical history and a physical examination of the throat.
An accurate medical history is needed to find out whether tonsillitis is recurrent, which may affect treatment choices. If your symptoms suggest strep throat, your doctor may want to confirm this diagnosis by doing a throat culture.
Strep throat is more likely if 3 or 4 of the following signs or symptoms are present:. If a strep infection is suspected, your doctor may do a throat culture or a rapid strep test or both. Both of these tests can be done in a doctor's office. You may want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each test to see which test is appropriate.
The results of these tests will determine whether antibiotic treatment is needed. These results combined with an accurate medical history will be considered in deciding whether surgery to remove the tonsils tonsillectomy is recommended. If the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause mononucleosis , is suspected as a cause for the tonsillitis, a test for mononucleosis may be done.
Tonsillitis is most often caused by a virus, which resolves on its own. But tonsillitis can be caused by strep bacteria, which requires treatment with antibiotics. Watch for signs of dehydration , such as a dry mouth and tongue.
Also, watch for signs of complications, such as ear pain, from tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria. Antibiotics are not effective treatment for viral tonsillitis. The virus that causes mononucleosis mono can lead to tonsillitis that is as severe as tonsillitis caused by bacteria and can take several weeks or more before it goes away. Home treatments such as drinking warm tea, and taking over-the-counter pain medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help relieve discomfort.
Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of its link to Reye syndrome , a serious but rare problem.
Many non-prescription remedies such as antiseptic mouthwashes, decongestants , and antihistamines contain extra ingredients that don't relieve discomfort. These remedies are not recommended for children, because they have not been proved to have any benefits in the treatment of acute tonsillitis.
Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instruction on the label. Antibiotics are prescribed for tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria.
A strep infection will usually go away on its own, but antibiotic treatment is needed because untreated strep throat can cause serious complications. For more information, see the topic Strep Throat. If antibiotics are prescribed, be sure you take them exactly as directed by your doctor. Antibiotics should be taken for the entire duration of the prescription, even if the symptoms disappear completely before the prescription is gone. If antibiotics used to treat tonsillitis are not taken as directed, bacteria can become resistant to them antibiotic resistance.
In these cases, antibiotic treatment of future infections may not work. Surgical removal of the tonsils tonsillectomy is still a common procedure, particularly for children. But it is not done nearly as often as it was in the past. Tonsillectomy may be considered to treat tonsillitis when a child has serious complications, recurrent infections, or chronic infections that do not respond to treatment and interfere with daily functioning.
But the risks and benefits of surgery need to be weighed carefully. Tonsillectomy should only be done after you and your doctor carefully consider your or your child's overall health. A wide variety of viruses and bacteria can cause tonsillitis, so the best prevention is to follow basic health and hygiene precautions.
These steps are especially helpful for children:. The goal of home treatment of tonsillitis caused by a virus is to manage symptoms as the body fights off the infection. Home treatment eases the discomfort of sore throat and symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing. Things that may help you or your child feel better include:.
Ask your doctor if you can take over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help relieve sore throat pain. Read and follow all instructions on the label. If you give medicine to your baby, follow your doctor's advice about what amount to give.
Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of its link to Reye syndrome, a serious but rare problem. 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. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. The two main reasons for this are:. In these circumstances, a day course of penicillin is usually recommended. If you or your child is known to be allergic to penicillin, an alternative antibiotic, such as erythromycin, can be used.
Hospital treatment may be required for particularly severe or persistent cases of bacterial tonsillitis that don't respond to oral antibiotics. In these cases, intravenous antibiotics given directly into a vein may be needed. Antibiotics sometimes cause mild side effects, such as an upset stomach, diarrhoea or a rash. For children with mild sore throats, watchful waiting is recommended rather than a tonsillectomy. A tonsillectomy is only considered for a recurrent sore throat if certain criteria are met.
You must have:. Tonsillectomies are carried out under general anaesthetic , which means you'll be asleep during the procedure. Your mouth will be held open to allow the surgeon to see your tonsils and no cuts will be made in your skin.
Each of these techniques is relatively similar in terms of safety, results and recovery, so the type of surgery used will depend on the expertise and training of the surgeon.
After surgery, it's likely you'll experience some pain at the site of the operation. This can last for up to a week.
Painkillers can help to relieve the pain. Children who have had a tonsillectomy should be kept off school for two weeks. This is to reduce their risk of picking up an infection from another child that will make them feel more uncomfortable. Swallowing will probably be difficult after having a tonsillectomy.
However, it's important to eat solid foods, because it will help your throat to heal more quickly. Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid acidic drinks, such as orange juice, because they'll sting. Ensuring good oral hygiene by regularly brushing your teeth and using mouthwash can help prevent infection in the mouth. The pain usually gets worse during the first week after having a tonsillectomy, before gradually improving during the second week.
Earache is common with tonsillectomies, but isn't a cause for concern. Bleeding at the site where the tonsils were removed is a fairly common complication of a tonsillectomy. This can occur during the first 24 hours following surgery or up to 10 days afterwards. It's estimated that around 1 in children and 1 in 30 adults will experience post-operative bleeding after having a tonsillectomy. Minor bleeding isn't usually a cause for concern, because in most cases it resolves by itself.
Gargling with cold water can often help stem the bleeding, because the cold helps to contract the blood vessels. Occasionally, the bleeding can be more severe, causing people to cough up blood. Seek immediate medical advice if this happens. You should be given an emergency contact number before you're discharged from hospital. Alternatively, you can call NHS 24's '' service. Home Illnesses and conditions Ears, nose and throat Tonsillitis.
Tonsillitis See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About tonsillitis 2. Symptoms of tonsillitis 3. Causes of tonsillitis 4. Treating tonsillitis. About tonsillitis Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils. Tonsillitis is a common condition in children, teenagers and young adults.
The symptoms of tonsillitis include: a sore throat and pain when swallowing earache high temperature fever over 38C The tonsils The tonsils are two small glands that sit on either side of the throat.
What causes tonsillitis? These types of infections spread easily, so it's important to try to avoid passing the infection on to others by: staying away from public places, such as work, school or nursery, until your GP says it's safe to return usually after the symptoms have passed coughing and sneezing into a tissue and disposing of the tissue washing hands before eating, after going to the toilet and, if possible, after coughing and sneezing Read more about the causes of tonsillitis.
Treating tonsillitis There's no specific treatment for tonsillitis, but you may be able to reduce the symptoms by: taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to help relieve pain drinking plenty of fluids getting plenty of rest If test results show that your tonsillitis is caused by a bacterial infection, a short course of oral antibiotics may be prescribed.
Chronic tonsillitis In most cases, tonsillitis gets better within a week. Surgery to remove the tonsils a tonsillectomy is usually only recommended if: you've had several severe episodes of tonsillitis over a long period of time repeated episodes are disrupting normal activities Read more about treating tonsillitis. Complications of tonsillitis Complications of tonsillitis are rare and usually only occur if it's caused by a bacterial infection.
Possible complications of tonsillitis include: a middle ear infection otitis media — where fluid between the eardrum and inner ear becomes infected by bacteria quinsy peritonsillar abscess — an abscess collection of pus that develops between one of the tonsils and the wall of the throat obstructive sleep apnoea OSA — where the walls of the throat relax during sleep, which causes breathing difficulties and poor sleep Other complications of tonsillitis are very rare and usually only occur if an underlying bacterial infection is left untreated.
They include: scarlet fever — a condition that causes a distinctive pink-red skin rash rheumatic fever — this causes widespread inflammation throughout the body, leading to symptoms such as joint pain, rashes and jerky body movements glomerulonephritis — an infection swelling of the filters in the kidneys that can cause vomiting and a loss of appetite.
It's important to get an accurate diagnosis if your child has symptoms that may indicate tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is most often caused by common viruses, but bacterial infections also can be the cause. The most common bacterium causing tonsillitis is Streptococcus pyogenes group A streptococcus , the bacterium that causes strep throat. Other strains of strep and other bacteria also may cause tonsillitis. The tonsils are the immune system's first line of defense against bacteria and viruses that enter your mouth.
This function may make the tonsils particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. However, the tonsil's immune system function declines after puberty — a factor that may account for the rare cases of tonsillitis in adults. Inflammation or swelling of the tonsils from frequent or ongoing chronic tonsillitis can cause complications such as:. If tonsillitis caused by group A streptococcus or another strain of streptococcal bacteria isn't treated or if antibiotic treatment is incomplete, your child has an increased risk of rare disorders such as:.
The germs that cause viral and bacterial tonsillitis are contagious. Therefore, the best prevention is to practice good hygiene. Teach your child to:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Inflamed tonsils Open pop-up dialog box Close. Inflamed tonsils Tonsils are fleshy pads located at each side of the back of the throat.
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