Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Identify common viral symptoms
• Method 2 of 3: Recognizing bacterial tonsillitis complications
• Method 3 of 3: Have yourself examined by your doctor
• Tips
• Warnings

Tonsillitis, or inflammation of the tonsils, is a common cause of sore throat, especially in children and young adults. The condition is usually caused by a virus and usually resolves on its own. However, in about 15 to 30% of cases, the inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection in the tonsils and the condition should be treated with antibiotics. You can never be completely sure if you have bacterial or viral tonsillitis without seeing a doctor, but recognizing the common symptoms of both conditions will help you know when to see your doctor for treatment.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Identify common viral symptoms

1. Recognize a runny nose as a viral symptom. If your tonsillitis is caused by a virus, you are more likely to have a runny or blocked nose. With both a viral and bacterial infection, you may have a general feeling of illness and fever, but the fever is usually lower if it is a virus. In that case, your body temperature is closer to 38 ° C than 38.9 ° C.
2. Attribute your cough to a virus. You can have a cough with both bacterial and viral tonsillitis, but coughing and a hoarse voice are more common with viral tonsillitis. Coughing and changes in your voice can be caused by laryngitis, a condition usually caused by a virus and associated with tonsillitis.
3. Notice if your symptoms ease within four days. Viral tonsillitis is usually healed within three to four days, or at least improvement occurs within that time. So if you start to feel better within that time frame, chances are you have a viral infection that is healing. Bacterial tonsillitis can last much longer and bacterial tonsillitis may even disappear after receiving medical treatment.
   • If you don't see any improvement after four days, see your doctor. You may have a bacterial infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.
   • Even viral tonsillitis can last for up to two weeks. So if you are ill for longer, it does not always mean that it is a bacterial infection.
4. Get tested for mononucleosis if you are constantly tired. Pfeiffer's disease, also called glandular fever, is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Pfeiffer's disease is a common cause of tonsillitis in young adults and teens. The disease can last for weeks and is often associated with fatigue, sore throat, tonsillitis, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, and headache.
   • Pfeiffer's disease goes away on its own and usually does not require treatment. However, make sure you get diagnosed by a doctor. Whether you have the disease can be determined with a simple blood test.
5. Check for a rash on your palate. Some people with mononucleosis also develop a red, blotchy rash on their palate. Open your mouth wide and look in the mirror at the roof of your mouth. Red spots can indicate mononucleosis.
   • You can also have mononucleosis without having a rash.
   • While looking into your mouth, also check that your tonsils are covered with a gray membrane. This is another sign of mononucleosis.
6. See if the area above your spleen is sensitive. Gently feel the area of ​​your body above your spleen - below your rib cage, above your stomach, on the left side of your torso. Your spleen can swell if you have mononucleosis and can be sensitive when you press on it. Be careful. A swollen spleen can burst if you don't handle it carefully.

Method 2 of 3: Recognizing bacterial tonsillitis complications

1. Check for white spots on your tonsils. Your tonsils are the glands located in the back of your mouth on both sides of your throat. If you have bacterial tonsillitis, you may have small, white, pus-filled areas on your tonsils. Look in the mirror, open your mouth wide, and take a good look at the tissue in the back of your mouth on both sides of your throat. If you cannot see these areas properly, ask a family member to look and shine a flashlight in your mouth.
   • It's normal for your tonsils to be red and swollen if you have bacterial or viral tonsillitis. The white, pus-filled areas are more likely to occur in a bacterial infection.
2. Feel your neck to see if your lymph nodes are swollen. Use your index and middle fingers to gently press on both sides of your neck, your throat under your chin, and behind your ears. See if you feel a hard or soft bump about the size of the nail on your little finger. This could be a swollen lymph node. Your lymph nodes may swell every time your body fights an infection, but swollen lymph nodes are more common with bacterial infections.
3. Think of an ear infection as an indication that bacteria are present. Sometimes bacteria from a strep throat can spread to the fluid in your middle ear and cause a middle ear infection (also called otitis media mentioned). Symptoms of a middle ear infection include ear pain, hearing problems, balance problems, fluid leaking from the ear and fever.
4. Check for an abscess near your tonsil. A peritonsillar abscess almost certainly indicates bacterial tonsillitis. An abscess is a cavity filled with pus, and in this case, an abscess forms on one side between your tonsil and the throat wall. Look for the following signs and symptoms that could indicate a peritonsillar abscess and see your doctor right away if you have these symptoms:
   • Sore throat that gets worse on one side
   • Difficulty swallowing
   • Altered voice, where vowels cannot be heard clearly (it feels like you have a hot potato in your throat)
   • Swollen lymph nodes
   • Large, red swellings on one side of the tonsils
   • Difficulty opening the mouth
   • Sudden bad breath
   • The uvula - the hanging tissue in the back of the throat - can look like it is being pushed to the unaffected side instead of hanging in the middle
5. See if you develop a rash. Scarlet fever and rheumatism can be complications of bacterial tonsillitis, but these conditions usually only develop if the infection is not treated. Both conditions can cause a rash. If you also develop a new rash when you have a sore throat, take this as a clear sign of a bacterial infection and see your doctor right away.
   • With acute rheumatism you can also suffer from joint pain all over the body.

Method 3 of 3: Have yourself examined by your doctor

1. Have a quick test performed by your doctor. As the name implies, this rapid test can be performed quickly at the doctor's office by making a throat swab. This is used to test for the streptococcal bacteria which can cause streptococcal pharyngitis. Such an investigation is not always accurate and in one third of the cases yields a negative result while there is still an infection.
   • This is a good initial examination, but a throat culture must usually be made to be able to make a proper diagnosis.
2. Wait for the throat culture to come back from the lab. The most accurate way to determine the cause of your tonsillitis is to have your doctor check the results of the throat culture. Your throat swab will be sent to the lab and cultured. A laboratory technician will then determine whether and which bacteria are on your tonsils. Your doctor can prescribe the appropriate antibiotics to treat the cause of your tonsillitis based on the results.
3. Have a blood test to see if you have the Epstein-Barr virus that causes mononucleosis. Pfeiffer's disease can only be diagnosed with a blood test. Because it is a virus, the disease will disappear on its own. Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. Do see your doctor for a diagnosis if you have mononucleosis symptoms, as the disease can cause your spleen to swell and then burst if you exercise too much. Your doctor will tell you what to do to stay safe and get better.

Tips

• The only way to determine with certainty that you have tonsillitis is to have a throat swab done by your doctor. In the above article you will only find guidelines.
• Tonsillitis is contagious, so make sure to wash your hands thoroughly and not share food with anyone who is sick. Always sneeze and cough into a tissue if you have tonsillitis, wash your hands often, and stay home from work or school until you're well.
• Since young children cannot tell you what symptoms they have, you pay attention to their behavior. Signs of tonsillitis include refusing to eat or being unusually fussy and fussy. Take your child to the emergency room if he or she is drooling, has trouble breathing, or has severe trouble swallowing.

Warnings

• Bacterial tonsillitis can occur as a complication of viral tonsillitis.
• See your doctor right away if your symptoms are so severe that you have trouble eating, drinking, and breathing.