People with tonsillitis should rest, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and avoid cigarette smoke. You can gargle with saltwater and use throat lozenges to reduce discomfort. Ice cream, jelly and other soft, cool foods can soothe a sore throat.
Tonsillitis usually gets better on its own after a few days. To help treat the symptoms: get plenty of rest.
Tonsillitis usually gets better with several days of self-care and rest at home. If it is not improving, it is getting worse, or the symptoms are so severe that the individual is not able to eat or drink as necessary, it is a good idea to see a doctor.
Tonsillitis isn't contagious but the infections that cause it are (for example, colds and flu). To stop these infections from spreading: stay off work or keep your child at home until you or your child feel better.
Do not smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke. Smoking can make tonsillitis worse. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
Sleeping on an incline can help you breathe easier and help clear mucus, which drip down the back of your throat and cause irritation. Rather than propping yourself up by using pillows, raise the head of your bed.
In rare cases, tonsillitis can also be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever. If this is the case, you'll probably feel very ill. You'll have a sore throat and the lymph glands in your throat may be swollen. You may also have a fever and feel very tired.
Repeated inflammation, such that it interferes with the patient's quality of life – e.g., fever, sore throat, feeling sick and have to miss work or school often. There is a complication as a result of the inflammation – e.g., abscess around the tonsils or in the throat.
Symptoms typically get worse over 2-3 days and then gradually go, usually within a week.
Excess mucus in the throat can lead to itching, irritation, and soreness. Postnasal drip typically increases when a person is lying down. As a result, a sore throat may worsen at night or first thing in the morning.
If you are experiencing recurrent tonsillitis it doesn't necessarily mean that you have a “weak” immune system, explains Nicholas Rowan, MD, associate professor of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.
Foods To Be Avoided
Alcohol and carbonated beverages must be avoided, as these beverages can cause intense pain, irritation, and burning sensation in the throat. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are acidic in nature, which may be too harsh on the throat and irritate the tonsils.
A sore throat is often a sign of contagious illness, including colds, strep throat, and influenza. 4 In these cases, you should stay home from work. However, if you often experience a sore throat due to allergies, acid reflux, or dry air, or if you overused your voice the prior day, there is no need to call in sick.
Glandular fever (also knowns as infectious mononucleosisis, or “mono”) is an infection caused by the Epstein Barr virus, a kind of herpes. It usually causes an illness much like tonsillitis, although the symptoms may be more severe and last for a longer period of time.
If the sore throat gets worse, especially on one side, call your doctor. This could be a sign of a peritonsillar abscess. This happens when bacteria spread from the tonsil to the space around it and fill it with pus. Other signs of an abscess include fever, headache, earache, drooling, or a muffled voice.
Eating cold, soft foods, such as frozen yogurt or ice cream, can numb the throat, offering temporary pain relief.
You can soothe a sore throat as follows:
It's very important to stay hydrated, even though it hurts. Drink water, tea (herbal or decaf), broth, soup, and non-caffeinated sports drinks e.g. Gatorade. Hot tea with lemon and honey can help.
Tonsillitis usually improves on its own after around a week. It's most often caused by a virus, so antibiotics won't help. Even if it's a bacterial infection, it will often settle without antibiotics. You can ease your symptoms with self-help measures and over-the-counter medicines.
Strep throat is more severe than tonsillitis, and it's caused by a specific strain of bacteria called Streptococcus. If untreated, it can damage the kidneys or turn into rheumatic fever, a disease that damages heart valves. Strep throat symptoms include: A fever greater than 101 degrees.
Tonsillitis can lead to a number of complications, including: Chronic tonsillitis – infection of the tonsils which does not clear up. The person may go on feeling unwell and tired. Secondary infections – the infection can spread to the person's nose, sinuses or ears.
Alcohol and caffeinated drinks like coffee are diuretics, which means that alcohol makes you pee more and can make your body more dehydrated. This is something you want to avoid when sick, so skip these drinks when you have a sore throat.
Pain relievers won't fix the underlying cause of a sore throat. Sore throats are typical symptoms of an infection, and drugs like acetaminophen, naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen can't treat infections.
The following tips may help your throat feel better: Drink cold liquids or suck on fruit-flavored frozen bars. Drink fluids, and mostly warm (not hot), bland fluids. Gargle with warm salt water.
Tonsillitis is most often caused by common viruses, but bacterial infections also can be the cause. 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.