Tonsils are the two lymph nodes located on each side of the back of your throat. They function as a defense mechanism and help prevent your body from getting an infection. When tonsils become infected, the condition is called tonsillitis.
Tonsillitis can occur at any age and is a common childhood illness. It’s most often diagnosed in children from preschool age through their mid-teens. Symptoms include a sore throat, swollen tonsils, and fever.
This condition is contagious and can be caused by a variety of common viruses and bacteria, such as Streptococcal bacteria, which causes strep throat. Tonsillitis caused by strep throat can lead to serious complications if left untreated.
Tonsillitis is easy to diagnose. Symptoms usually go away within 7 to 10 days. Here’s what you need to know — from types to treatments.
There are 3 types of tonsillitis: acute, chronic, and recurrent.
Possible symptoms of tonsillitis include:
- a very sore throat
- difficulty or pain while swallowing
- a scratchy-sounding voice
- bad breath
- fever
- chills
- earaches
- stomachaches
- headaches
- a stiff neck
- jaw and neck tenderness from swollen lymph nodes
- tonsils that appear red and swollen
- tonsils that have white or yellow spots
In very young children, you may also notice increased irritability, poor appetite, or excessive drooling.
Tonsillitis is incredibly common in children. In fact, almost every child will probably get tonsillitis at least once.
If symptoms last around 10 days or less, it’s considered acute tonsillitis. If symptoms last longer, or if tonsillitis comes back multiple times during the year, it may be chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.
Acute tonsillitis will likely improve with home treatments, but in some cases may require other treatments, like antibiotics.
Chronic tonsillitis symptoms continue longer than acute. You may experience long-lasting:
- sore throat
- bad breath (halitosis)
- tender lymph nodes in the neck
Chronic tonsillitis may also cause tonsil stones, where materials like dead cells, saliva, and food build up in the crevices of your tonsils. Eventually, the debris can harden into small stones. These may come loose on their own, or they may need to be removed by a doctor.
Your doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy to surgically remove your tonsils if you have chronic tonsillitis.
As with chronic tonsillitis, a standard treatment for recurrent tonsillitis is a tonsillectomy. Recurrent tonsillitis is often defined as:
- a sore throat or tonsillitis at least 5 to 7 times in 1 year
- occurrences at least 5 times in each of the previous 2 years
- occurrences a least 3 times in each of the previous 3 years
You should see a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:
- fever that’s higher than 103°F (39.5°C)
- muscle weakness
- neck stiffness
- a sore throat that doesn’t go away after 2 days
In rare cases, tonsillitis can cause the throat to swell so much that it causes trouble breathing. If this happens, seek immediate medical attention.
While some tonsillitis episodes go away on their own, some may require other treatments.
Tonsils are your first line of defense against illness. They produce white blood cells that help your body fight infection.
The tonsils combat bacteria and viruses that enter your body through your mouth and nose. However, tonsils are also vulnerable to infection from these invaders.
Tonsillitis can be caused by a virus, such as the common cold, or by a bacterial infection, such as strep throat.
Viral tonsillitis
Viruses are the most common cause of tonsillitis. The viruses that cause the common cold are often the source of tonsillitis, but other viruses can also cause it. These include:
- rhinovirus
- Epstein-Barr virus
- hepatitis A
- HIV
Since the Epstein-Barr virus can cause both mononucleosis and tonsillitis, sometimes people with mono will develop tonsillitis as a secondary infection.
If you have viral tonsillitis, your symptoms may include coughing or a stuffy nose. Antibiotics won’t work on viruses, but you can treat standard symptoms by staying hydrated, taking over-the-counter pain medications, and resting to help your body heal.
A mild case of tonsillitis doesn’t necessarily require treatment, especially if a virus, such as a cold, causes it.
Treatments for more severe cases of tonsillitis may include antibiotics or a tonsillectomy.
If a person becomes dehydrated due to tonsillitis, they may need intravenous fluids. Pain medicines to relieve the sore throat can also help while the throat is healing.
There are several treatments you can try at home to ease throat pain from tonsillitis:
- drink plenty of fluids
- get lots of rest
- gargle with warm salt water several times a day
- use throat lozenges
- eat popsicles or other frozen foods
- use a humidifier to moisten the air in your home
- avoid smoke
- take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce pain and inflammation
Tonsillitis and strep throat can be caused by the same bacteria in some cases, but they’re not the same thing.
A number of different bacteria or viruses can cause tonsillitis, including group A streptococcus bacteria. This same bacteria is the only cause of strep throat.
Both conditions are contagious, so you should try to stay away from other people if you think you have either one.
In addition to tonsillitis symptoms, people with strep throat may develop:
- aches in other parts of the body
- nausea
- vomiting
- small red spots at the back of the mouth
- white pus around the tonsils
- a rash
Your doctor can use the same tests to diagnose both conditions. Treatments for bacterial tonsillitis and strep throat are also similar.
To decrease your risk of getting tonsillitis, stay away from people who have active infections. If you have tonsillitis, try to keep away from others until you’re no longer contagious.
Ensure you and your child practice good hygiene habits. Wash your hands often, especially after coming into contact with someone who has a sore throat, or is coughing or sneezing.
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