What is tonsillitis?
Tonsillitis or tonsillitis is an inflammation of the palatine tonsils located in the throat. It is very common in children. The tonsils help eliminate bacteria and other microorganisms to prevent infections in the body.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms are high fever, chills, severe sore throat, trouble swallowing, and headache and ear pain. The tonsils are usually red and sometimes have white patches. In addition, the lymph nodes in the area may be swollen. Breathing problems may occur if the tonsils are very large.
Causes of tonsillitis or why it occurs
Tonsillitis is caused by a viral or bacterial infection. The most common cause is strep throat.
Can it be prevented?
Tonsillitis can be prevented by avoiding sharing drinking glasses or eating utensils. In addition, it is important to avoid close contact with people who are sick.
What is the treatment?
Inflamed tonsils that are painless or do not cause problems do not need to be treated. If the cause of the disease is a bacterium called streptococcus, the treatment consists of administering antibiotics. In this way, tonsillitis is cured in about a week. It is important to finish all the antibiotics prescribed by the specialist, even if the patient feels better, because if they are not taken, the infection may reappear.
People who suffer from this disease frequently are advised to have their tonsils removed.
If not treated properly, tonsillitis can lead to possible serious complications such as abscess in the area around the tonsils, kidney disease caused by streptococcus, and rheumatic fever.