{"id":6433,"date":"2019-05-07T02:54:01","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T02:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6433"},"modified":"2021-04-05T16:55:17","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T16:55:17","slug":"14-causes-of-tonsillitis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-causes-of-tonsillitis\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Causes of Tonsillitis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s take a look at some of the causes out there that are known for the tonsillitis infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Streptococcal Infection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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 <\/a>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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Viral Infection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The other way that tonsillitis <\/a>can happen is when it is caused by a viral infection. One of the things that will change depending upon what kind of infection someone has is how long someone might be contagious. After the incubation period which is very short, acute infections of the tonsils that are due to a viral infection are usually contagious for about 7 to 10 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This does not mean that prior to the seven days the person is not contagious because the incubation period is much shorter than that. It just means that the infection period can be anywhere from seven days to ten days of the endpoint. For those with a bacterial infection, the infection time can last about two weeks after just as short of an incubation period. Viral infection also has slightly milder symptoms than a bacterial infection and is usually not accompanied by bad breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Chronic Carriers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, you can attribute the cause of tonsillitis to what is called a chronic carrier. There are people out there that can be contagious <\/a>when tonsillitis for an extended period of time. This may be months or even years. In many cases, the infected person does not even know that they are infected. They may go through life infecting other people without ever realizing that they are carrying the illness themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because the symptoms that they experience may be mild and they attributed to a chronic sore throat. It is also advantageous to know that antibiotics and shorten the contagion time when it comes to tonsillitis from a bacterial infection. Rather than being infectious for two weeks, someone with a bacterial infection of the tonsils is only contagious for 24 to 48 hours assuming that the therapy was successful. This is obviously a much preferable infectious period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Close Contact with an Infected Person<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of course, if you are in close contact with someone that is infected with either a bacterial <\/a>or viral infection of the tonsils, then there is the chance of getting infected yourself. Generally, this happens with family members. Those who live in the same household with an infected person, or spouses that have intimate contact with an infected person can easily become infected themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have someone with tonsillitis in your family, then you want to take precautions to ensure that the illness is not passed on to other family members. This includes avoiding very intimate contact, potentially wearing masks or taking steps such as antibiotics to ensure that the infection period is as short as it can possibly be. You definitely want to avoid close quarters with an infected person while they can pass on the disease. This means hugging and kissing are a no-no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Breathing in Airborne Viruses or Bacteria<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the causes of getting either viral or bacterial tonsillitis is my breathing in the same air that is being expelled by someone with the illness without adequate protection. If you have to be around someone that has tonsillitis, then you definitely want to ask them to wear a mask and ensure that you wear your own mask whenever you are around them. This works really well if you have roommates or other people that share your space that have tonsillitis and you don\u2019t want to get it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asking them to wear a mask whenever they are in a common area can prevent them from spreading the illness that way. Of course, they can still spread it by coughing on their hands or sneezing and then touching their face and then touching other services. But a mask will go a long way towards both preventing the infection from getting out, and a mask on healthy <\/a>people will prevent it from getting in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Touching Surfaces Infected Persons Have Touched<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Touching can be one of the ways that the infection <\/a>is passed on. Most of the time, this happens because an infected person touched their face or mouth after coughing or sneezing or they sneezed or coughed into their hands and did not immediately wash afterward. If you are infected with tonsillitis, then you must wash your hands after every single time you cough or sneeze on them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will go a long way towards preventing the infection from spreading on surfaces. If you have an infected person in your household, then you may want to go with something that kills bacteria and viruses such as antibacterial wipes or antiviral sprays that kill both forms of the illness. A combination of preventative measures and making sure the surfaces are disinfected is the best way to prevent the spread of the tonsillitis infection inside your home or business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Being in Constant Proximity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those that are in constant proximity to this illness may find that they are much higher at risk than other people. This is simply because the longer you are exposed to people carrying either the viral <\/a>form or the bacterial form of tonsillitis, the more the chances go up for you to become infected. That\u2019s why medical providers are at a much higher risk than even family members of infected persons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the family may only be susceptible to catching the illness for a few days, someone that treats tonsillitis symptoms in a medical setting on a regular basis will be constantly exposed to the virus and have to take steps to prevent infection. Of course, it is next to impossible to keep up on all of these measures 100% of the time and guarantee that the illness is not passed on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

8. Other Miscellaneous Factors<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There may be other reasons and causes behind the infections that trigger tonsillitis. However, with only two forms of the disease to worry about \u2013 bacterial and viral \u2013 you should be able to protect yourself fairly well and recover once you have tonsillitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those with chronic bacterial tonsillitis may receive a recommendation from their doctor to have their tonsils removed altogether, but in most cases, your body will simply knock out the infection on its own or with the help of antibiotics <\/a>because your tonsils are one of the things keeping disease and infections from getting into your lungs. Hopefully, now that you know the causes of tonsillitis, you will be able to avoid getting it yourself or passing it on to others if you do happen to contract the illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Weakened Immune System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the body experiences infection by a bacterial or viral pathogen<\/a>, the immune system is responsible for eliminating the disease and returning the body to health. When the immune system is dysfunctional or weakened through an existing infection, the patient is at a higher risk of contracting multiple diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s for this reason that people who are living with HIV will often come down with other life-threatening illnesses, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis. Children have weaker immune systems than adults, and that’s the reason why children pick up so many viruses during the early years of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children, adolescents, and adults with weak immune system function are easy targets for the bacteria or viruses that cause tonsillitis. Since the throat houses the tonsils, they are one of the first areas exposed to the incoming pathogen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With weak immune function, the pathogen sets up residence in the tonsils. As a result of a poor immune response, the bacteria or virus may spread rapidly, increasing the symptoms of the infection.
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10. Attending Preschool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the previous segment, we discussed how children have yet to develop a robust immune response. As a result, preschools all across the country are, and always have been \u2013 breeding grounds for various bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kids attending preschool prick up everything from pink eye <\/a>to tonsillitis, and then bring it home to the family. As a result, the child infects the rest of the family members. Teens in the house spread it to their friends at lunch when they share a sandwich. Adults may pass it onto each other around the water cooler at the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child attends preschool, there’s a good chance that at some stage they’ll prick up the bacteria or virus responsible for causing tonsillitis. You need to prepare for these medical situations and notify the school and family to avoid spreading the infection. Keep infected children isolated from other family members until they recover.
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11. Sharing Food and Beverages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the primary ways kids pick up the bacteria or virus responsible for tonsillitis \u2013 is through sharing food and drinks with others. Sharing your lunch with a friend is a tradition across schoolyards and in preschools all over the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, children’s lack of understanding of the importance of hygiene <\/a>means that they come down with plenty of diseases growing up. It’s for this reason that kids require so many vaccines when growing up. Stopping preventable diseases from reoccurring is a vital part of ensuring the health of our society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we get older, we start to get the idea that sharing is not always caring, and sipping on someone else’s coffee could expose you to some pretty nasty pathogens. However, this doesn’t mean that 2 to 5-year olds will ever get the importance of staying away from another kid’s juice box at lunch. As a result, parents need to prepare for tonsillitis, and a wide variety of other health issues while the kids grow up.
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12. Seasonal Changes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the climate changes and the seasons begin to shift, viruses and bacteria start to activate. It’s for this reason that so many people get sick around the period of seasonal changes. If you’ve ever gotten a case of the flu <\/a>in spring or fall, then you are a previous victim of this pathogenic phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During seasonal changes, viruses, and bacteria in the air and water look for ideal breeding grounds to ensure their replication and survival in the population. It’s for this reason that nursery schools become prime targets for a variety of diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seasonal changes account for the majority of viral infections throughout the year, including cases of tonsillitis. Parents need to take extra-special care of their child’s hygiene behavior and enforce it into their kid’s minds during these times of the year. Increase your child’s prevention protocols like washing hands at school, and avoiding sharing foods with friends.
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13. Previous History of Infection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some kids that contract tonsillitis at a young age are more likely to receive re-infection with the condition on multiple occasions. These infections occur periodically throughout their early years, resulting in painful symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kids who are suffering from recurring tonsillitis are at higher risk of developing other health complications. A bacterial tonsillitis infection could spread to other regions of the throat and respiratory system, causing the onset of other diseases like bronchitis, pneumonia, and issues with the nervous system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s for this reason that many doctors elect to remove the child’s tonsils, preventing any further infections. Removing the child’s tonsils is a simple procedure for a talented surgeon, and results in no lasting damage to the throat or vocal cords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kids usually recover from the after-effects of the surgery within a few days, with very few complications resulting in pain. The inflammation subsides quickly, and it’s an excuse for them to enjoy jelly and ice cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Peritonsillar Abscess <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the advanced complications of tonsillitis is a condition known as “peritonsillar abscess.” Children or adults who are suffering from this condition experience heightened symptoms of inflammation and pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While peritonsillar abscess <\/a>is not a cause of tonsillitis, it’s worth mentioning because it’s a direct complication of the disease under discussion. A peritonsillar abscess occurs due to a bacterial infection that leads to tonsillitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The patient may receive the standard treatments for their condition, but experience a worsening in their symptoms. This situation occurs due to weakened immune response or another complication that allows the bacteria to spread. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mononucleosis, or mono \u2013 can also cause the development of a peritonsillar abscess, as well as tooth and gum infections that spread to the tonsils. On rare occasions, patients may experience tonsillitis without bacterial or viral infection. In these cases, there is often inflammation of the Webber glands, the glands under your tongue responsible for producing saliva.
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