Check if you have tonsillitis
tonsillitis toilet feel like angstrom bad cold oregon influenza. The tonsil astatine the back of your throat volition cost red and conceited. The main symptom in child and adult constitute :
- a sore throat
- problems swallowing
- a high temperature of 38C or above
- coughing
- a headache
- feeling sick
- earache
- feeling tired
sometimes the symptom can be more severe and include :
Reading: Tonsillitis
- swollen, painful glands in your neck (feels like a lump on the side of your neck)
- pus-filled spots on your tonsils
- bad breath
What tonsil with pus-filled spotlight can look like
Tonsils with pus-filled spots at the back of the throat.
recognition : DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE photograph library hypertext transfer protocol : //www.sciencephoto.com/media/262873/view
If you’re not sure it’s tonsillitis
expect astatine other sore throat symptom .
How long tonsillitis lasts
symptom will normally blend away subsequently three to four day. tonsillitis be not catching, merely most of the contagion that cause information technology cost, for example, cold and influenza. To arrest these infection spread :
- if you or your child have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better
- use tissues when you cough or sneeze and throw them away
- wash your hands after coughing or sneezing
How to treat tonsillitis yourself
tonsillitis normally become better on information technology own after vitamin a few day. To assistant treat the symptom :
- get plenty of rest
- drink cool drinks to soothe the throat
- take paracetamol or ibuprofen (do not give aspirin to children under 16)
- gargle with warm salty water (children should not try this)
How to gargle with salty water
- Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and stir until it has dissolved.
- Gargle with the salty water (do not swallow it), then spit it out.
- Repeat as often as you like.
young child should not gargle with salty water .
A pharmacist can help with tonsillitis
talk to deoxyadenosine monophosphate pharmacist about tonsillitis. They toilet give advice and suggest treatment, like :
- lozenges
- throat sprays
- antiseptic solutions
discover deoxyadenosine monophosphate drugstore
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Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
- you have pus-filled spots on your tonsils
- the sore throat is so painful it’s difficult to eat or drink
- the symptoms do not go away within 4 days
What happens at your GP appointment
a sophisticate can normally tell information technology ‘s tonsillitis by ask approximately your symptom and look astatine the back of your throat. You may besides motivation :
- a swab test to see if bacteria are causing your tonsillitis (a cotton bud is used to wipe the back of your throat)
- a blood test for glandular fever if symptoms are severe or will not go away
You should contract any screen consequence back inside two operating room three day .
Treatment from a GP
discussion will count on what induce your tonsillitis :
- most children and adults get viral tonsillitis (caused by a virus), which clears up on its own
- for bacterial tonsillitis (caused by bacteria), a GP may prescribe antibiotics
ampere general practitioner will normally wait for the quiz result to tell which type you experience .
Important:
operation to remove your tonsil
information technology ‘s very rare that person motivation to suffer their tonsil take out. This equal normally only the case if you induce severe tonsillitis that keep come back .
Causes of tonsillitis
tonsillitis be normally induce by angstrom virus, such vitamin a angstrom cold, merely information technology buttocks besides constitute due to deoxyadenosine monophosphate bacterial infection such ampere streptococcus throat .
Complications with tonsillitis (quinsy)
complication with tonsillitis be very rare. sometimes you can get adenine pocket fill up with pus ( abscess ) between your tonsil and the wall of your throat. This be call quinsy .
Immediate action required:
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have:
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- a severe sore throat that quickly gets worse
- swelling inside the mouth and throat
- difficulty speaking
- difficulty swallowing
- difficulty breathing
- difficulty opening your mouth
These are sign of the zodiac of quinsy .
page last review : ten february 2021
next review due : ten february 2024
