How is chronic tonsillitis diagnosed?

Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 10, 2024
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yao Jun
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
48sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
52sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gui Xiao Yan
Internal Medicine
1min 1sec home-news-image

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)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
41sec home-news-image

Is chronic tonsillitis contagious?

Chronic tonsillitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the tonsils, mainly due to repeated attacks of acute tonsillitis or the presence of a chronic infectious focus in the teeth and oral cavity, which prevents acute tonsillitis from being actively cured and then gradually develops and prolongs into chronic tonsillitis. Since it is a chronic inflammation, it should be noted that it generally is not contagious. Even acute tonsillitis has relatively weak contagiousness. In clinical treatment, chronic tonsillitis is mainly treated symptomatically with traditional Chinese medicines that clear heat and detoxify. In summary, chronic tonsillitis is not contagious.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
51sec home-news-image

Treatment course for acute tonsillitis.

Acute tonsillitis is an acute, infectious inflammation of the tonsils, primarily caused by bacterial infection. For the treatment of acute tonsillitis, we mainly adopt antibiotic treatment for infection. The general course of treatment lasts 7-10 days, especially for acute suppurative tonsillitis, which may even extend to about 10-14 days. Clinically, we primarily administer cephalosporin antibiotics to control the infection. If the infection is severe, we may even opt for infusion therapy to counter the infection. During the infusion, we can administer some corticosteroids such as dexamethasone to treat concurrently, enhancing the anti-inflammatory effect. Clinically, we should pay attention to drinking plenty of water and eating a light diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods.