Tonsillitis is a painful inflammation of the tonsils. The cause of the inflammation determines the course of treatment. The very young and the very old are the most vulnerable populations. 

Detection and Diagnosis

 

Preventing the tonsillitis from becoming severe depends on the early detection of the condition. The best way to handle the possibility of tonsillitis is to keep detailed notes on the development of the illness, especially in children. The doctor will likely ask when the symptoms began and what they are, how severe they are, and if symptoms are relieved by ingesting warm fluids or taking non-prescription medications. 

Detection of tonsillitis is a process that begins when the family member notices some of the symptoms listed below. The sooner the patient receives proper medical care, the sooner the condition can be managed. Because tonsillitis shares many of the same symptoms as other common cold and flu symptoms, it can easily be mistaken for something else. 

As a rule of thumb, if you or a family member comes down with the following symptoms, it is probably a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor to rule out tonsillitis. 

Keep a look-out for these symptoms when they accompany other more common cold and flu symptoms:

• headache
• swollen neck
• cough
• peritonsillar abscess
• sore throat
• tonsils white
• difficulty swallowing
• chills or fever

To be properly vigilant, investigate the throat area during each encounter with a cold or flu, especially if the affected person is either very young or very old. Take notes on how the symptoms have progressed since they were first noticed, and be prepared for the most commonly-asked questions that can be expected from the doctor's office. 

If in doubt, call in advance and ask for the standard list of questions in order to prepare answers regarding the suspected tonsillitis prior to the visit. This way, more time can be spent on determining the best course of treatment. 

At the Doctor's Office

 

Once an appointment is made with the doctor, the patient will receive a physical exam. The doctor will swab the tissue at the back of the throat and may order other tests.

Two Types of Tonsillitis

Most of the infections are caused by a virus, and this results in what is known as viral tonsillitis. However, if the condition is caused by a bacterial infection, it must be treated differently. Because the treatment will be different, depending on what is causing the throat infection, it is important to get to the doctor as soon as tonsillitis is suspected. 

Treatment

Antibiotics are only prescribed for bacterial tonsillitis, never if it is caused by a virus. The reason for this is that the antibiotics will only be effective against bacteria. 

Tonsillectomy is an option, but is usually only used if the problem is recurrent. The definition of frequency is how many times it occurs per calendar year. The surgical treatment is not used quite as frequently as it was in the past.