How long will chronic tonsillitis take to heal?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on November 27, 2024
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
1min 5sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
1min 8sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
39sec home-news-image

Is acute tonsillitis contagious?

Acute tonsillitis is an acute infectious inflammation of the tonsils, primarily caused by bacterial infection, though it often also involves viral infection. Acute tonsillitis is mildly contagious; the contagion is not severe or serious, and general isolation is not necessary. It is sufficient to take some precautions in daily life, such as avoiding kissing and the mouth-to-mouth transfer of food. Generally speaking, the contagiousness of acute tonsillitis is relatively weak. Appropriate use of a mask for local isolation, such as wearing a mask to prevent transmission, is sufficient without the need for other special treatments.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
1min 29sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
51sec home-news-image

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.