Tonsillitis


How is chronic tonsillitis treated?
The treatment of chronic tonsillitis mainly involves two aspects. The first is conservative treatment, which means paying attention to regular physical exercise to enhance the body's resistance, avoiding environments with smoke and alcohol, and avoiding spicy and irritating food. The purpose of this approach is to prevent acute attacks of chronic tonsillitis. The other method is surgical treatment. Surgical treatment requires adherence to certain criteria for chronic tonsillitis surgery, commonly including repeated occurrences of more than four times a year, the formation of peritonsillar abscesses, and cases affecting breathing, phonation, or swallowing functions. Additionally, surgery is needed when chronic inflammation of the tonsils leads to conditions such as inflammatory granulomas or hyperplasia.


How to treat acute tonsillitis?
Acute tonsillitis is mainly caused by an acute bacterial infection, with the most common symptoms being sudden throat pain, and significant redness and congestion of the tonsils, which may also include pus formation if severe. In terms of treatment, oral medication is primarily preferred, generally focusing on antibiotics, and may include nebulization as well as traditional Chinese oral medications. If inflammation is particularly severe and oral medications are ineffective, infusion therapy may be considered. Some patients may also experience fever, thus requiring physical cooling methods, and if the temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, antipyretic medications should be considered, along with regular blood tests.


Acute tonsillitis signs and symptoms
The symptoms of acute tonsillitis are quite varied, with the most common symptom being pain in the tonsil area. Clinically, sudden onset of redness and pain in the tonsil area may occur, and in severe cases, there might also be fever, or swallowing or breathing difficulties. Overall, it is considered a common illness. Upon examination, the mucous membranes of the throat can be observed to have acute congestion, and the tonsils may be red and swollen to a first or second degree. In more severe cases, there might be third-degree swelling, and some patients may experience purulent infections in the tonsil area, which would require consideration for timely antibiotic treatment and regular follow-up examinations.


How to treat chronic tonsillitis?
Chronic tonsillitis is a chronic inflammation of the tonsils, with clinically subtle symptoms, or a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, which can lead to recurrent acute attacks. The clinical treatment of chronic tonsillitis mainly focuses on local treatments, or treatments with traditional Chinese patent medicines. Local treatment may involve the use of oral rinses, local nebulization inhalation, as well as some heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese patent medicines, such as Ban Lan Gen oral liquid, Pu Di Lan oral liquid, and others that can be used for treatment; some lozenges may also be used. Apart from medication, during the chronic phase of chronic tonsillitis, due to the recurrent acute attacks of tonsillitis, surgery to remove the tonsils can be considered to prevent repeated acute attacks and subsequent secondary damage. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a clinical doctor, according to specific conditions.)


How long to receive IV therapy for acute tonsillitis?
Acute tonsillitis is an acute infectious inflammation of the tonsils, primarily caused by bacterial infection. Therefore, intravenous therapy is required for acute tonsillitis, which indicates that the symptoms of the tonsillitis are severe, often being suppurative tonsillitis. The duration of intravenous treatment generally lasts about three to five days, but it specifically depends on the patient's condition, and can even last longer. After the infection is controlled and symptoms are alleviated, treatment can switch to oral medications for anti-infection. Overall, there is no specific time rule for how long the infusion should last; it is often determined based on the specific condition of the patient.


How long does acute tonsillitis last?
The treatment for acute tonsillitis generally lasts about a week. This condition also relates to the patient's physical constitution, their own resistance to illness, and the degree of inflammation, which means there are individual differences. If a person has good resistance and the inflammation is not particularly severe, noticeable relief can typically be achieved in about three days. Conversely, if someone's physical condition is generally poorer and the inflammation is more severe, the condition might require more than a week to improve. In terms of medication, antibiotics are primarily used, supplemented with nebulization and the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicines. It is necessary to regularly monitor complete blood counts to observe the degree of recovery and changes in the inflammatory response.


Chronic tonsillitis canceration rate
Chronic tonsillitis is mainly caused by mixed infections of bacteria or viruses, with the chronic inflammation of the tonsils often being caused by hemolytic streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus. It is rare for chronic tonsillitis to become cancerous. The primary reason is due to the persistence of acute tonsillitis, which does not provide the conditions for cancerous changes. However, if individuals frequently consume spicy and stimulating food, or engage in smoking and drinking, this can cause local ulcers and lead to cancerous changes in the tonsils. Therefore, in daily life, if one notices cauliflower-like growths on the surface of the tonsils, special attention should be given, and a timely hospital check-up should be conducted to avoid the development of cancer.


Chronic Tonsillitis Dietary Precautions
In terms of diet, there are several points to note for chronic tonsillitis: First, it is very important to drink plenty of water, which is vital for the maintenance of chronic tonsillitis. As for food, it is necessary to avoid spicy and stimulating foods and primarily adopt a light diet, eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits to supplement vitamins in the body, which is also very important for the prevention and care of chronic tonsillitis. Additionally, try to avoid environments with smoking and alcohol; specifically, do not smoke or drink alcohol, and avoid inhaling second-hand smoke. Pay attention to oral hygiene and rinse your mouth promptly after eating.


Is chronic tonsillitis serious?
Chronic tonsillitis is primarily caused by repeated acute tonsillitis attacks or due to poor drainage in the tonsillar crypts, where bacteria and viruses breed and infect, leading to chronic inflammation. It is mainly divided into three types: hyperplastic, fibrous, and cryptic. Clinically, it mainly manifests as sore throat, susceptibility to colds, and a history of acute tonsillitis attacks. Usually, there are few self-perceived symptoms, which may include dry throat, itching, foreign body sensation, and mild symptoms such as irritative cough. If cheesy decayed material or a large number of anaerobic bacteria accumulate in the tonsillar crypts, bad breath may occur. Excessive enlargement of the tonsils in children can lead to respiratory distress, snoring, or swallowing and speech function disorders, requiring surgical treatment. If chronic tonsillitis frequently inflames, accompanied by acute fever more than five times a year, or affects swallowing and breathing, surgical treatment is necessary; otherwise, it may lead to severe diseases such as rheumatic heart disease or nephritis.


How is chronic tonsillitis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis mainly relies on the patient's usual symptoms, medical history, and physical examination by the doctor. The symptoms of chronic tonsillitis typically include sore throat, frequent colds, dry throat, itchy cough, foreign body sensation, and even snoring during sleep among some individuals. Medical history is particularly crucial. If there are recurrent acute episodes, characterized by sore throat, painful swallowing, and sometimes accompanied by high fever, and these episodes occur more than four times a year, this history is significant for diagnosing chronic tonsillitis. Additionally, physical examination by a doctor, who will inspect the tonsils, is essential for making the diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis. The main basis for diagnosis includes symptoms, medical history, and physical examination.