What should you know about really bad tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, commonly during a throat infection. The condition can present with a painful or swollen throat, fever, swollen glands, bad breath, and changes on the tonsils such as patches. Earache can occur because throat pain is felt near the ear. Strep Throat is one possible cause, but symptoms alone cannot reliably identify the germ.

Take frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration drink, and choose cool or soft foods if swallowing is painful. Rest, avoid smoking and smoky rooms, and use only pain or fever medicine that is suitable for you and follow its label. A GP Consultation can check your throat, hydration, and need for testing. Antibiotic Treatment helps bacterial infections when prescribed, but it does not treat every cause.

Get urgent help if you cannot swallow saliva, are drooling, have noisy or difficult breathing, a muffled voice, severe one-sided swelling, trouble opening your mouth, or rapidly worsening symptoms. Seek prompt care if you cannot keep fluids down, pass very little urine, or feel faint. These signs may indicate significant dehydration or an abscess near the tonsil.

Ask whether your examination suggests viral or bacterial tonsillitis, whether a throat test is needed, and which pain relief is safe with your medicines. Tell the clinician about fever, rash, earache, swollen glands, and difficulty drinking.