Swollen tonsils are one of the main symptoms of tonsillitis, a condition that occurs when the tonsils are inflamed. Besides this, other symptoms that might indicate tonsillitis are sore throat, fever, bad breath and problems when swallowing also if the lymph nodes in the neck become enlarged. The person might also experience stiff neck, stomachache or headache.
The main culprits for this inflammation are various infections caused by either viruses or bacteria, so it is important to determine the real cause because the treatment depends on it. The virus that causes a common cold can also cause tonsillitis, whereas the bacterium that most frequently causes it includes Streptococcus pyogenes. Tonsillitis can be acute or chronic, with chronic usually occuring very rarely.
Treatment of swollen tonsils
It is important to treat this condition in time because tonsils are more than significant part of the immune system. They fight against bacteria and viruses that enter the mouth, which is why they tend to be particularly susceptible to infections and inflammations, and if they do not perform their function properly, the virus or bacteria in question will get to the lungs much more easily.
Regarding the treatment, there is a number of home remedies that might be tried, and some of them include, drinking lots of fluids, gargling with salt water, plenty of rest and sleep, sucking on lozenges, as well as using remedies that will reduce the pain and fever. Antibiotics are very often prescribed by doctors, but only when tonsillitis is caused by an infection that is bacterial in nature. When using antibiotics, it is very important to use them exactly as prescribed and not to miss dosages, and even when the symptoms do not seem to be present anymore, it is necessary to continue with the treatment until the doctor confirms that the treatment is over. Surgery is also an option, but only when the person in question has six episodes or more in one year, four episodes or more in two years, or three episodes or more in the course of three years. The surgery consists of removing the tonsils and it is called tonsillectomy. It does not take more than a few days to recover completely, and the person can go home the very next day after the surgery.
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