Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the two oval-shaped pads of tissue called tonsils at the back of the throat. Our tonsils work as a defense mechanism against illness. They produce white blood cells to fight bacteria and viruses that enter our mouth and help prevent our body from getting an infection. However, tonsils are also vulnerable to infection. Tonsillitis can occur at any age but is common among children from preschool age through their mid-teens. Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by infection with a common virus, but bacterial infections also may cause tonsillitis. The most common bacterium causing tonsillitis is Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus), the bacterium that causes strep throat. Other strains of strep and other bacteria also may cause tonsillitis.
Common signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include red, swollen tonsils, sore throat, difficulty or pain while swallowing, bad breath, fever, headache, white or yellow spots on the tonsils, and swollen lymph nodes on the sides of the neck. Inflammation or swelling of the tonsils can cause complications such as disrupted breathing during sleep (obstructive sleep apnea), an infection that spreads deep into surrounding tissue (tonsillar cellulitis), and an infection that results in a collection of pus behind a tonsil (peritonsillar abscess). If tonsillitis caused by group A streptococcus or another strain of streptococcal bacteria isn't treated or if antibiotic treatment is incomplete, your child has an increased risk of rare disorders such as rheumatic fever, complications of scarlet fever, inflammation of the kidney, and Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis.
Prevention is always better than cure. To decrease your risk of getting tonsillitis, make sure that you and your child practice good hygiene. Teach your children the proper way of hand washing especially after using the toilet, before eating, and after sneezing or coughing. A mild case of tonsillitis doesn’t necessarily require treatment but for more severe cases, you may need antibiotics or a tonsillectomy if you experience chronic or recurrent tonsillitis. If a person experiences dehydration due to tonsillitis, they may also need intravenous fluids. To ease the throat pain from tonsillitis, you may try some home remedies like drinking plenty of fluids, and getting enough rest, and you may also gargle with warm salt water. Tonsillitis is not contagious, but the pathogen that causes it can pass to other people. Take your prescribed medicines as instructed by your doctor to avoid complications.
-DMO II Rowence F. Zorilla, RND
References:
1. Tonsillitis
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tonsillitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20378479
