Everything from dry air to a cold to allergies or even tonsillitis can cause the incredibly common symptom of a sore throat. The question is: how can you tell when you may need to turn on your humidifier or when you should come in and see us?
Disregarding a sore throat triggered by tonsillitis can cause serious problems. If you think your sore throat could be caused by something more than allergies, it’s a smart plan to make an appointment to get it checked out. There can be several reasons why you may have tonsillitis.
Symptoms of Tonsillitis
A sore throat is a rather consistent symptom of tonsillitis but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have it. There can be numerous common things that can cause a sore throat so it can be really confusing for most individuals. Tonsillitis happens when the tonsils themselves become inflamed and infected.
The symptoms of tonsillitis include:
- Headache or stomach ache
- Yellow or white patches on the tonsils
- A sore throat
- Trouble or pain swallowing and bad breath
- A stiff neck or pain in the neck
- Swollen lymph nodes, particularly in the neck
- Tonsils that are red and swollen (your doctor will be able to see this)
- Fever
Because tonsillitis isn’t uncommon in children, it’s important to closely watch how these symptoms might manifest in children. Kids often have difficulty articulating the nature of their symptoms and discomfort. Refusal to eat and general fussiness are typical ways that tonsillitis shows up in children. Because of the pain of swallowing, children might drool more.
The Causes of Tonsillitis
Sore throat or tonsillitis? Your answer to this question may sound like this: for right now, just a sore throat. That’s because some things that lead to a sore throat can potentially result in tonsillitis.
The story starts with the ordinary function of your tonsils. Your tonsils are your body’s first line of defense for bacteria and viruses that enter your body through your mouth. Your tonsils are regularly exposed to germs due to this filtering action. A tonsil infection can be the outcome.
Common bacterial causes of tonsillitis are Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacteria that is responsible for strep throat. There are also several viruses that can cause tonsillitis. Practicing good hygiene is the best way to prevent tonsillitis. The development of tonsillitis will be limited when the spread of germs is decreased by frequently washing your hands, for example.
When Should You See Your Doctor For Tonsillitis?
Deciding when to call us, or when it would be better to wait it out, can be challenging because sometimes tonsillitis starts out with different symptoms. White spots in the throat or swollen tonsils are usually undetectable by somebody looking into a bathroom mirror.
However, if you have a substantial number of symptoms, or if those symptoms linger, you should absolutely schedule an appointment.
A general rule of thumb would be to visit us if have any of the following:
- More than 2 days pass and your sore throat doesn’t clear up.
- It’s painful to swallow.
- You have a fever with your sore throat.
And, obviously, you should get immediate emergency care if you are experiencing trouble breathing.
You should also schedule an appointment if your child has been very fussy, has been feeling week, or won’t eat.
Tonsillitis Treatment
In the past it was normal to take out tonsils. However, this surgery is usually considered a last resort and will only be performed in cases of repeated infections or when other treatments have proven ineffective.
Because both bacteria and viruses can cause tonsillitis, it will be essential to figure out the correct path of treatment. It’s not unusual for antibiotics to be prescribed.
Antibiotics don’t address viruses effectively so if they are causing your tonsillitis, bed rest, fluids, and symptomatic therapies will be the best course of action. If these treatments prove to be ineffective, we may look at surgically removing your tonsils.
Tonsillitis will need a medical diagnosis in order to start successful treatment. So it’s important to determine the accurate cause if your sore throat persists. Call us today to get to the bottom of your sore throat.