What Causes Tonsillitis?

Tonsils (two glands like masses) are located symmetrically at the back of the throat. They sample the bacteria, virii, and other microscopic organisms entering the airway, get infected themselves, and help us develop antibodies to fight those germs.

Tonsils are part of our immune system. When the tonsils are overwhelmed by bacteria and virii, they develop swelling and become inflamed -a condition known as tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is an infection of one or both tonsils.

Who is Likely to Develop Tonsillitis?

Young (preschool and school-age) children are more likely to develop Tonsillitis. Children often encounter infections when they share virii and bacteria while they are in close proximity of each other -such as at their school, a day-care center, or on a play-ground.

How to Prevent Tonsillitis?

Good personal hygine greatly helps prevent such infections. Frequent and proper hand washing, for example, greatly reduces one's chances of developing tonsillitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following hand-washing techniques for the children:

• Use plenty of soap and running water,
• Rub your hands vigorously while you wash,
• Wash the backs of your hands, wrists, between the fingers and underneath the fingernails,
• Wash for as long as it takes to sing the happy birthday song,
• Rinse well,
• Dry hands with a throw-away paper towel, and
• Turn off the water-tap using a clean paper towel.

It is also important to avoid coming in contact with an infected child's respiratory secretions. It is also important that the sick children cover their mouth while coughing and sneezing, and do not share their utensils with others.

Signs and Symptoms of Tonsillitis:

Swelling and enlargement of one or both tonsils always occurs in tonsillitis. Other Tonsillitis symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Sore throat,
• Difficulty in swallowing,
• Reddening of tonsils,
• Swelling of lymph nodes (glands) in the neck, and
• White spots or a pale colored coating on the tonsils.

Diagnosis of Tonsillitis:

Diagnosis of tonsillitis may involve: review of a child's medical history, x-rays, blood tests, and throat cultures.

Tonsillitis Treatment:

An antibiotic medicine (such as penicillin) is usually prescribed for tonsillitis resulting from a streptococcal bacterial infection. There is no treatment, however, for tonsillitis caused by a viral infection.

Tosillitis treatment, therefore, primarily involves a complete course of antibiotics, and home care. If the child suffers from recurring episodes of tonsillitis or if the child is non-responsive to antibiotics treatment, removal of the tonsils may be recommended.

Surgical removal of tonsils may be indicated if the swelling/enlargement of tonsils causes the patient to experience difficulty in breathing, or worsening of his/her obstructive sleep apnea. Tonsillectomy (surgical removal of tonsils) may be recommended if the child suffers multiple episodes of chronic, acute tonsillitis within a year, if the tonsillitis does not resolve with antibiotic treatment, and in case of significant airway obstruction (causing sleep apnea, brathing difficulties caused by low lying swollen tonsils, snoring, etc.) due to enlarged/swollen tonsils. Carbon dioxide laser assisted tonsillectomy/harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy, as well as traditional tonsillectomy resection surgery is usually performed while the patient is resting comfortably under local anesthesia.

Tonsillitis Prognosis:

If treated with appropriate antibiotics, the symptoms of bacterial tonsillitis should disappear in just a few days. Tonsillectomy -when required -is usually performed on an outpatient basis, and complete recovery usually occurs within approximately two weeks thereafter.

Don't forget to check out Lung Disease News section of this website for the latest Tonsillitis / Tonsillectomy News, and our Lung Disease Articles Library for the latest Tonsillitis Treatment, Tonsillectomy related Articles.

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