Tonsillitis


Does chronic tonsillitis hurt?
Chronic tonsillitis can lead to throat pain. Chronic tonsillitis typically results from repeated bouts of acute tonsillitis or persistent, unresolved inflammation, leading to chronic inflammation of the tonsils. It can cause continuous dryness, itching, pain, a sensation of a foreign body, obstruction, and burning in the throat area. In severe cases, it may lead to hoarseness and irritative cough. Upon examination, both tonsils are seen to be swollen and congested, with visible crypts on the surface, and yellowish-white abnormal secretions may be expressed from these crypts when the tonsils are compressed. In terms of treatment, if the tonsils are repeatedly inflamed and accompanied by fever, the patient may need to undergo a bilateral tonsillectomy. The surgery requires hospitalization, general anesthesia, and postoperative use of antibiotics to prevent local infection. Recovery and hospital discharge can typically occur about a week after the procedure. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a professional doctor.)


How to reduce fever caused by tonsillitis?
Inflammation of the tonsils often causes fever. If the temperature increase is not very significant, physical methods such as using ice packs or fever patches can be utilized to reduce the fever. When applying ice packs, you can wrap ice cubes with a dry towel and place them on areas such as the forehead, neck, armpits, groin, and the hollow behind the knees, where large blood vessels pass and cooling effects are good. Besides, wiping the skin with warm water or alcohol can accelerate heat dissipation. Once the body temperature exceeds 38.5℃, antipyretic drugs should be administered, with acetaminophen and ibuprofen being the most commonly used in clinical settings. Tonsillitis is mainly caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, and appropriate anti-infection treatment should be taken after identifying the pathogen. (Please follow medical advice when using medications)


How to treat acute tonsillitis
Acute tonsillitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease, mainly caused by acute bacterial infection. In terms of treatment, it is first necessary to conduct routine blood tests and indirect laryngoscopy to assess the specific extent of the inflammatory response. Generally, most patients can consider oral medication, commonly used are cephalosporin or penicillin antibiotics. It is also possible to consider combining oral traditional Chinese medicine and nebulization therapy. The general treatment period is about one week, after which most patients will gradually recover and alleviate. If oral medication is ineffective, some patients may need to consider infusion therapy. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor)


How long will chronic tonsillitis take to heal?
Chronic tonsillitis generally improves gradually over a week. It arises from repeated acute tonsillitis attacks or persistent unresolved infection, leading to symptoms such as persistent low-grade fever, swelling and pain in the throat, primarily during swallowing. Additional symptoms include dryness, itchiness, a foreign body sensation, a sense of obstruction, and cough due to irritation in the throat. Examination with an electronic laryngoscope typically reveals significant congestion and enlargement of the tonsils on both sides, with pus plugs possibly present in the tonsillar crypts. For treatment, patients should first undergo symptomatic anti-inflammatory therapy. Since tonsillitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection, often from hemolytic streptococcus, oral cephalosporin antibiotics are effective. Treatment can also include nebulized inhalation to alleviate local congestion and swelling. It is advisable to drink more water and rest adequately, which should allow for gradual recovery within about a week.


What to do with acute tonsillitis?
Acute tonsillitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease, primarily caused by acute bacterial infection leading to inflammation of the tonsils, resulting in throat pain, swollen tonsils, and in severe cases, it may affect breathing and swallowing. In terms of examination, it is firstly recommended to perform an indirect laryngoscopy to observe the extent of inflammation within the throat and to determine the presence of any throat obstruction. It is also necessary to conduct a routine blood test to help assess the severity and type of bacterial infection. Regarding treatment, oral medication is primarily considered, generally focusing on antibiotics, which can be complemented by nebulization and traditional Chinese medicine. If the inflammatory response is particularly severe and oral medication is ineffective, further infusion therapy may need to be considered, but it generally falls under common ailments. Typically, the recovery time is about a week, although there are individual differences. After treatment, regular follow-up checks are needed to observe the recovery process.


What can you eat with acute tonsillitis?
Acute tonsillitis refers to acute inflammation of the tonsil mucosa and submucosa in the throat area, which may be related to bacterial infections, viral infections, and some physical and chemical factors, such as dust and high temperature. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid spicy and irritating foods in the case of acute tonsillitis. Instead, we can eat more bland, easily digestible, high-protein foods rich in vitamins, such as foods with a bitter taste. We can also consume some throat-clearing fruits like watermelon, dragon fruit, apple, and snow pear, etc. Thus, during the anti-inflammatory treatment for acute tonsillitis, one can also adopt a light diet.


Is nebulization good for chronic tonsillitis?
Chronic tonsillitis is a relatively common otolaryngology disease, with significant individual differences in clinical symptoms, which may include sore throat and a foreign body sensation in the throat. In terms of treatment, nebulization is a commonly used method and is generally effective as it can reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms such as throat pain and foreign body sensations in the throat. If nebulization alone is ineffective, further evaluation with routine blood tests and laryngoscopy may be needed, possibly in addition to oral medication treatment. Diet should also be light, avoiding spicy and irritating foods, smoking, and drinking, with regular follow-ups.


Does chronic tonsillitis cause headaches?
Chronic tonsillitis generally does not cause headaches, as the main cause of chronic tonsillitis is repeated inflammation of the tonsils. The primary symptoms are sore throat and a sensation of a foreign body in the throat. Some people may also experience snoring and breathing through the mouth while sleeping, but overall, the main manifestations of this disease are in the throat area, so the clinical symptoms are primarily those related to the throat. Generally, it does not lead to headaches. If there is a cold, sinusitis, or rhinitis accompanying it, headaches may occur. However, the specific causes of the condition should be assessed by visiting an otolaryngology department to determine and apply the correct treatment.


How to completely cure chronic tonsillitis?
The definitive treatment for chronic tonsillitis mainly involves surgical removal. Before undertaking the surgery, doctors will conduct a strict assessment to see if there are indications for surgery. Common indications include repeated episodes of chronic tonsillitis, acute outbreaks, or the formation of a peritonsillar abscess, under which circumstances surgery is strongly recommended. Repeated episodes are defined as more than four occurrences per year, at which point surgery should be considered. Furthermore, if the tonsils are so large that they interfere with swallowing, speech, or breathing, such as causing snoring or unclear speech, surgery should also be considered. Moreover, chronic tonsillitis can lead to other diseases since the tonsils are an immune organ, and prolonged chronic inflammation might trigger certain immune-related diseases, such as chronic nephritis, skin diseases, and psoriasis. In such cases, the relevant departments will advise patients to first visit an otolaryngology (ENT) department to have the tonsils removed, which is beneficial for further treatment of the related diseases. Additionally, if the tonsils exhibit signs of benign growths with chronic inflammation leading to lymphatic tissue hyperplasia and cyst formation, surgical removal is recommended to achieve a definitive cure.


How many days of fever for chronic tonsillitis?
Chronic tonsillitis generally does not cause fever, but if chronic tonsillitis has an acute attack, it may cause fever. This situation is mainly due to an acute bacterial infection, with common symptoms including sudden sore throat, swollen tonsils, and pus formation, which may be accompanied by fever. Generally, the duration of the fever varies from person to person, typically around 3 days. During the acute episode, timely medicinal treatment should be considered, primarily with antibiotics. If the body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, fever-reducing medications should be considered. It is also necessary to monitor the patient's blood routine and temperature fluctuations, with regular check-ups.