{"id":6060,"date":"2019-04-30T02:28:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-30T02:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6060"},"modified":"2021-05-04T15:25:30","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T15:25:30","slug":"14-possible-symptoms-of-tonsillitis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-possible-symptoms-of-tonsillitis\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Possible Symptoms of Tonsillitis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tonsillitis is a condition marked by inflammation of the tonsils. The tonsils are two pads of tissue that you find on the back of the throat. When you have tonsillitis, it is usually because either a bacterial or viral infection is gotten in an enlarged and inflamed the tonsils. In the past, doctors opted to remove the tonsils when they became infected, but as new research showed that the tonsils actually did a great deal in protecting the body from infection, this is rarely practiced today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of tonsillitis are often very similar to symptoms of a cold. Most commonly, it will be children somewhere between the age of four and 14 that will experience an infection of the tonsils and need to be treated for it. Let\u2019s take a look at eight of the possible symptoms of tonsillitis that are out there so you a better understanding of whether or not your child has this particular condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. White or Yellow Patches on the Tonsils<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One symptom you might want to look for is white or yellow patches on the tonsils<\/a>. Many of the symptoms the will find here are similar to cold symptoms. While this means that they are usually minor is not particularly painful or uncomfortable, it also means that it can be difficult to distinguish tonsillitis from the common cold or flu. That\u2019s why it is helpful to have a diagnostic test the can do it home to determine whether it is tonsillitis or some other illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This symptom works particularly well for that. Use a flashlight and a tongue depressor or similar item to take a look in your child\u2019s throat. You can expect the tonsils to be red and inflamed if the condition is tonsillitis, but a dead giveaway is going to be white or yellow patches on the tonsils. Unfortunately, this is not a symptom that it appears with every tonsillitis infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Sore Throat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having a sore throat<\/a> can certainly be uncomfortable, but it is one of those symptoms that can happen when you have a cold or flu. In fact, most of the time that you get a sore throat you can attribute it to some kind of cold or flu virus. But in some cases, a sore throat can be caused by something different, and one of those things is tonsillitis; having a sore throat with this condition feels a little bit different than other types of sore throat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because it is primarily the tonsils that are red, inflamed and painful with a little bit of spread to the other areas of the throat. With the regular sore throat, it is often the opposite is true. You can treat a sore throat with lozenges, sprays and even over-the-counter pain medication. Generally, sore throats will go away in a day or two when the infection has moved to a different part of the body or your body has eliminated it entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Enlarged Lymph Nodes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Enlarged lymph nodes<\/a> are a good indication that you have an infection. Your lymph nodes are located on opposite sides of your neck, and you will often see your doctor feel there to see if they are enlarged when you report cold or flu-like symptoms. Enlarged lymph nodes can be somewhat uncomfortable, although most people do not notice them at all, and they will go away once again once the infection is gone away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of tonsillitis, there is no real difference between the enlarged lymph nodes that are caused by a cold or flu virus and the enlarged lymph nodes that are caused by a bacterial or viral infection of the tonsils. You will have to rely upon other symptoms to confirm that the enlarged lymph nodes are being caused by tonsillitis. The presence of several symptoms in a row may indicate tonsillitis rather than another illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Stomachaches<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may also get stomachaches <\/a>as part of having tonsillitis. Although gastrointestinal problems are less common for this disease, they are entirely possible. Most of the time, you will see this symptom experienced by children although some adults get it too. It can be accompanied by other gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doubling up one of the most common symptoms out there was tonsillitis, but it is a good indicator that something is wrong rather than a conventional cold if all you are experiencing or cold symptoms accompanied by nausea and vomiting. This usually happens with flu, but not so often with colds, so you may get an early indication you have tonsillitis instead of some other illness.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Bad Breath<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having bad breath can certainly be caused by a lot more than just tonsillitis, but this is likely one of the symptoms that are unusual enough to where you might be able to get a clue that the illness that you are experiencing is tonsillitis and not something else. Generally, bad breath does not happen with a cold <\/a>or flu virus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But many people experience bad breath as a result of tonsillitis, especially tonsillitis that is caused by bacteria. If you have never had a problem with bad breath in the past, and you suddenly have people telling you that you have bad breath or you can tell yourself that you have it, then you definitely want to look into tonsillitis as a cause \u2013 especially if you are experiencing any of the other symptoms that are listed here as well. Most people will have a least a few of the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Scratchy Voice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A scratchy voice can be due to several things, but with tonsillitis, it can become worse and go from scratchy to hoarse to even complete laryngitis where you are unable to speak. It would usually get worse for each day you are ill and even last for up to seven days after you are sick. It is also accompanied by other symptoms that are listed here such as headache. Everything is caused by the same infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re tonsils give inflamed, the infection spreads to other parts of your throat and around your body. This often includes your vocal cords which can become painfully swollen and make it very difficult to speak. This results in a scratchy, muffled or sore throat<\/a> that is painful and can make normal stuff like eating impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Headache<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may also experience headaches when you have tonsillitis. Headaches are caused by the same information that causes other symptoms listed here such as the sore throat. The bottom line is that when areas of your body swell <\/a>up and become inflamed, it causes a variety of symptoms including headaches. The problem with headaches is that they are so common that most people do not attribute them to any sort of illness at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be difficult to know that you have any sort of serious illness such as tonsillitis just because you have a headache. That\u2019s why you always want to look for symptoms in the series. For example, you might want to look for groups of three. If you have three symptoms that are often the same illness, then you want to take a look at that illness in detail. Although headache can accompany cold and flu, is not nearly as common as it is with tonsillitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Difficulty Swallowing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, people have difficulty swallowing when they have tonsillitis. The reason for this is that when your throat and esophagus becomes inflamed, it is extremely painful when pressure is exerted against it. That means that if you were to eat something, it would be pressing against your esophagus <\/a>and throat the entire time that you are trying to swallow it and this can lead to serious problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People have choked before because whatever they were trying to swallow was simply too painful to choke down. You want to be extremely careful of this, and make sure that you stick to soft foods or liquid diet when you have an extremely sensitive sore throat. You can also use throat numbing sprays and over-the-counter painkillers, although it will still be painful to eat hard foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When viruses or bacteria that cause tonsillitis to enter the mouth and cause infection in the throat, the immune system starts to create antibodies and white blood cells to kill the pathogen<\/a>. At the same time, the hypothalamus calls for an increase in the production of pyrogen proteins. These inflammatory particles attach to the ends of nerves, signaling the CNS to increase body temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient starts to develop a fever. The intensity of the temperature depends on the severity of the infection. Viral tonsillitis presents fever symptoms that are lower than bacterial infections. In either case, the patient may start to feel warm, and then feel like they are sitting in a sauna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

High temperatures induce symptoms of sweating and in some cases, delirium. Most doctors will let a fever run until it gets over 101F, where it may start to present a threat to the brain. However, most tonsillitis patients rarely reach this stage of fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Chills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those patients that do experience symptoms of a high fever may find that they start to develop chills<\/a>. These chills describe a period where the patient may find that they suddenly feel cold, even though they are running a fever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient may start to shiver and draw more blankets around themselves in an attempt to warm up. When the body isn’t experiencing the effects it desires with the fever; it may continually increase the temperature. This response is an attempt to provide a hostile environment for the colonization of pathogens. As a result, the patient feels cold until they catch up to the new temperature setpoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These chills will continue until the fever breaks, and they are nothing physicians can prescribe that prevents them from occurring. Patients with high fever and chills require bed rest and treatment with OTC medications. Caregivers should ensure the patient remains hydrated, and keep a doctor on call in case a medical emergency arises as a result of a complication with the infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Stiff Neck<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with tonsillitis infection may find that they wake up in the morning with symptoms of a stiff neck. Viral and bacterial infection may affect the tissues and nerves around the base of the skull and the sides of the neck, leading to symptoms of a stiff neck<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most patients find that this symptom only occurs in the presence of other signs of a severe infection. In most cases, this means that it’s a complication attributed to bacterial forms of tonsillitis. Patients who wake up with a stiff neck may want to lie in bed and massage the back of their spine and base of the skull before placing pressure on it while sitting up straight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s best to visit your physician for a checkup if the pain in your neck becomes intense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After your consultation, the doctor may recommend OTC anti-inflammatories and painkillers to help the patient cope with any issues of severe discomfort. The patient may also try using a heat pack to loosen up their neck muscles as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Drooling in Infants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Infants <\/a>infected with tonsillitis are unable to speak and tell their parents that they are in pain or discomfort. As a result, babies offer visual cues to their caregivers. If you notice that your infant starts drooling frequently, and does not want to eat, then they may be dealing with a tonsillitis infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Babies drool because they find it painful to swallow. When the pain and discomfort become too much to bear, your baby will start to cry. They may have extended crying spells when they are not feeling well, and the best thing you can do is keep them calm and help them try to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are concerned about your baby’s condition, take them to the emergency room right away. Some babies may experience complications with tonsillitis infection that may cause problems with other body functions or processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, tonsillitis is not life-threatening to your child, but you need to take extra special care of them until they are feeling better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Refusal to Eat in Young Children<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Babies with tonsillitis infection will often lose their appetite <\/a>and refuse to eat. This symptom occurs in most children up to 2-years old, and some young kids of 6-months old or so may spit their food out after you feed them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pain and discomfort from tonsillitis make swallowing food feel painful. It’s like trying to squeeze a pea through a straw as the inflammation causes the throat to swell. Should you persist with trying to feed your child, they may turn irritable and start to protest or cry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, your baby will be okay with some soft foods, but you may have to mash vegetables for young children that are dealing with the infection. It’s crucial that kids eat to keep up their strength and help the body deal with the depleting effects of trying to fight off the infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, these symptoms of avoiding eating only last a day or two, and your child will return to normal levels of appetite afterward.
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14. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are specific demographics with a higher risk of contracting tonsillitis than others. If you find yourself or your loved ones in any of the high-risk categories mentioned below, then ensure that you take the necessary precautionary steps to avoid infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tonsillitis typically affects young children from 1-month old to 12-years old. The highest risk group is children between the ages of two and five, as these kids will often attend preschool. Preschools are breeding grounds for all sorts of viruses. The kids pick up the pathogens and spread them to one another through contact and sharing food or beverages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kids typically do not understand the importance of personal hygiene until they reach their early adolescence. As a result, nursery school children may cause outbreaks of disease that infect dozens of children at a time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prevention of tonsillitis includes teaching your child about hygiene <\/a>and the importance of not sharing food or beverages with other kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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