Tonsillitis is an infectious disease that provokes inflammatory process in the tonsils. Treatment of tonsillitis should be correct and timely so that the disease does not become chronic. The main sign of tonsillitis is a sore throat when swallowing food and saliva.

What triggers the disease?

Acute tonsillitis occurs due to the infectious pathogen entering the mucous membrane of the throat. Tonsillitis is transmitted by airborne droplets. In children who attend kindergarten and other preschool institutions, this disease is more common than other nasopharyngeal infections.

Tonsillitis in either adults and children can occur through self-infection, when the body has other inflammatory processes, mainly of purulent nature, such as ethmoiditis, tooth decay, sinusitis. The bacteria that cause this disease are streptococci, staphylococci, other pathogens – adenoviruses, herpes viruses, pathogenic fungi.

The presence of pathogenic microflora does not necessarily cause the onset of the disease. Tonsillitis develops against a background of such provoking factors:

• hypothermia;
• decreased protective functions of the immune system;
• injuries to the tonsils;
• respiratory dysfunction;
• sinusitis;
• laryngitis;

Chronic tonsillitis in a child and adults develops against the background of untreated acute tonsillitis and inflammatory diseases in the nasopharynx and oral cavity.

Clinical picture

Symptoms of tonsillitis in the acute form are as follows:

• pain symptom when swallowing;
• heat;
• red and enlarged tonsils;
• the presence of purulent plugs on the tonsils;
• headache;
• weakness and drowsiness.

Symptoms of tonsillitis in the chronic stage:

• a sore throat;
• dry mouth
• coughing;
• bad breath;
• fatigue
• insomnia;
• swollen lymph nodes and pain in them.

Diagnostic methods

To treat tonsillitis correctly, it is necessary to undergo a diagnosis of the disease by a doctor. Tonsillitis in children and adults has symptoms similar to colds, and therefore, without consulting a doctor, self-medication will lead to a lack of positive dynamics and exacerbation of the disease. Diagnosis of tonsillitis includes an examination by a doctor and passing a complete blood count test.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of tonsillitis in adults and children depends on the stage of development, the severity of the symptomatic picture, and the type and nature of the infectious agent. Medication for chronic tonsillitis involves washing the tonsils with antiseptic and antibacterial solutions, using tablets that dissolve.

To stop the symptoms of intoxication, you need to drink as much plain water as possible. If there is fever, severe sore throat, symptomatic treatment with antipyretic and analgesic drugs is performed. It is mandatory to follow a therapeutic diet and take vitamin complexes and immunostimulating drugs with herbal ingredients to activate the protective functions of the immune system.

If the symptoms of tonsillitis intensify, and treatment with drugs does not give positive results, the patient’s condition worsens, surgery is required. Removal of tonsillitis is carried out if the following indicators are present:

• relapses of tonsillitis up to 4 times in 12 months;
• complications in the cardiovascular system.

Surgical treatment of chronic tonsillitis in a child or adult involves the removal of tonsils that have been affected by the inflammatory process.