Tonsilitis

 

Tonsillitis is defined as the inflammation of tonsils that causes swelling and unease in the throat. Tonsils or more specifically palatine tonsils are two in number. Each tonsil is an ovoid mass of lymphoid tissue situated on the lateral wall of oral cavity between the anterior and posterior pillars.

The different types of tonsillitis include: 

1. Acute

2. Chronic/recurrent

 

 

Common signs include:

1. Fever

2. Malaise

3. Headache

4. Sore throat

5. Difficulty in swallowing, speech, and sleep apnea (when tonsils are large and obstructive)

6. Fetid breath

7. Earache (referred otalgia)

 

 

Commonly infect:

1. School-going children and adults

2. Rarely affects infants and people above 50 years of age.

3. Caused by hemolytic streptococcus

4. Other causative organisms may be staphylococci, pneumococci, or H. influenzae

 

 

General lifestyle modifications may include:

1. Plenty of oral fluids

2. Attention to general health and diet

3. Medication includes,

a) Analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or paracetamol

b) Antibiotics such as amoxycillin/amoxicillin clavulanic acid, azithromycin.

4. Surgical treatment includes tonsillectomy

 

 

1. Acute infections of upper respiratory tract

2. Surgery complications may include anemia and bleeding or coagulation disorders

3. Peritonsillar abscess 

4. Parapharyngeal abscess

5. Intratonsillar abscess

6. Calculus of tonsil (tonsilloliths)

7. Tonsillar cysts

8. Focus of infection in rheumatic fever, acute glomerulonephritis