14 Causes of Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is a condition where the tonsils become inflamed. The tonsils are oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat. You have one tonsil on each side. When someone gets tonsillitis, they often have sore throat and difficulty swallowing. In the past, removing the tonsils was a fairly common procedure as they were not regarded as a vital component.

However, the tonsils actually protect the body from a variety of infections and there are only certain cases in which a tonsillectomy is performed. There are a couple of main causes of tonsillitis as well as some other ways that you can contract this illness. Most people only get tonsillitis once or twice in their lifetimes, but others may have reoccurring infections that require stronger treatment protocols. Let’s take a look at some of the causes out there that are known for the tonsillitis infection.

1. Streptococcal Infection

The first cause we are going to be looking at is a bacterial infection usually streptococcal. If your tonsils are infected by a bacterial infection like Streptococcus pyogenes then you will notice certain symptoms that you will not find with other causes and the symptoms that you experience may be more severe and pronounced than they are with other causes. One of those symptoms is bad breath.

With viral infections, bad breath is usually not a symptom of tonsillitis. However, due to the bacteria causing decay, it is often found in tonsillitis caused by a bacterial infection. It is impossible to tell by looking at the throat whether tonsillitis was caused by a bacterial infection or some other cause so you will have to see your doctor and get tested to find out exactly what form of tonsillitis you have and identify exactly what caused it in the first place.