Do you need to be hospitalized for suppurative tonsillitis?

Written by Cheng Fu Wei
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 03, 2024
00:00
00:00

Purulent tonsillitis is a relatively severe type of tonsillitis, mainly caused by bacterial infection leading to inflammation and pus formation in the tonsils. If symptoms are severe, such as intense pain that interferes with eating and swallowing, or even high fever reaching above 38.5 degrees Celsius, hospitalization for intravenous therapy is recommended. If the condition is mild, with no fever and less severe pain and swallowing discomfort not affecting eating, oral medication or outpatient intravenous therapy can be administered.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
1min 14sec home-news-image

How many days does suppurative tonsillitis generally cause fever?

Purulent tonsillitis generally causes fever that lasts for three to five days, and patients will experience persistent high fever with body temperatures above 38°C. Purulent tonsillitis is caused by a systemic and throat symptom due to infection with hemolytic streptococcus following a decrease in the body's immunity and resistance. Patients will experience sudden high fever, body temperatures above 38°C, and severe throat pain primarily around the tonsils. Additionally, patients may experience dryness, itchiness, a sensation of a foreign body, a feeling of obstruction, and irritative cough in the throat area. Upon examination, significant congestion and swelling in the throat, enlarged tonsils, and pus plugs covering the surface can be found. In treatment, since tonsillitis is generally a bacterial infection, patients can benefit significantly from orally administered cephalosporin antibiotics. Moreover, patients need to follow a bland diet, abstain from smoking and alcohol, and avoid spicy and irritating foods. Improvement is generally seen around one week. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
51sec home-news-image

What should I do if I have a fever with suppurative tonsillitis?

Acute purulent tonsillitis often comes with a fever, which is generally caused by an acute bacterial infection. The first step is to check the body temperature. If the temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, consider using antipyretic medication. It is also advised to perform a routine blood test to assess the extent of the inflammatory response. Typically, antibiotic treatment is considered to combat the infection, and this may be accompanied by nebulization and the oral intake of traditional Chinese medicine. Most patients can effectively recover with timely treatment. If the treatment does not yield good results, further hospitalization and intravenous therapy might be necessary, along with investigating the possibility of infectious mononucleosis. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
43sec home-news-image

Dietary restrictions for suppurative tonsillitis

For acute suppurative tonsillitis, dietary caution is indeed necessary. Avoid spicy and stimulating foods, smoking, alcohol, overly hard foods, and allergenic foods, as these can exacerbate existing inflammation and cause further throat pain. Timely medical treatment should be considered. Typically, a complete blood count test is recommended to assess the extent of the inflammatory response. Antibiotics, commonly cephalosporins or penicillins, are generally advised for treatment. Additionally, nebulizer therapy can be considered in conjunction with regular follow-up checks to observe the effects. (Medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
40sec home-news-image

What fluid should be administered for suppurative tonsillitis?

Purulent tonsillitis is a serious infectious disease clinically, mainly manifesting as severe pain in the pharyngeal area, general malaise in patients, and even symptoms such as chills and fever. Therefore, active treatment is required. Clinical treatment is mainly anti-infection treatment. Infusion primarily uses cephalosporin antibiotics such as ceftriaxone and cefazolin for treatment. To enhance the anti-infection effect and reduce the edema of the patient's throat mucosa, corticosteroid drugs such as dexamethasone or prednisolone are often used simultaneously in the infusion treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
56sec home-news-image

How is suppurative tonsillitis treated?

Acute suppurative tonsillitis is primarily considered to be caused by acute bacterial infections. In such cases, it is primarily necessary to conduct a complete blood count test. The main purpose of this test is to examine the increased levels of white blood cells and inflammatory response proteins. If the inflammatory response is not particularly prominent, oral antibiotics are generally sufficient, and this can be supplemented with nebulization and the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicines for auxiliary treatment. If the complete blood count indicates a particularly severe inflammatory response and the symptoms are also prominent, intravenous therapy may need to be considered. In cases where conservative treatment is ineffective and particularly severe, further hospital treatment and systematic examination may be required for an accurate assessment of the condition.