Tonsillitis what makes it worse

Your tonsils are the two lumps of lymphoid tissue located in the back of your throat that function as part of your immune system to keep germs and other foreign particles from slipping down your throat. Tonsillitis can be caused by a viral infection or bacterial infection like strep throat , and most of the time it goes away in a week or less. Still, there can be complications from tonsillitis that require medical attention. And rarely, there are cases in which a life-threatening illness can have some of the same symptoms as tonsillitis.

If bacterial infections do not go away on their own, they can continue to worsen and spread throughout the body. Clark adds.

Here are a few other complications that can result from tonsillitis. Note that they are more common in people who have tonsillitis repeatedly or if it becomes chronic.

An estimated 2 to 4 percent of the adult population has obstructive sleep apnea , which is when the upper airway collapses repeatedly while a person is sleeping.

This interruption leads to poor sleep quality and daytime tiredness, and is also associated with a significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, according to research published in September in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease.

Sleep apnea can result from very enlarged tonsils that prevent normal breathing during sleep. Tonsillitis, which can cause the tonsils to become enlarged because of the infection and inflammation, is therefore a potential cause of sleep apnea either temporarily or permanently, if tonsillitis is recurrent or causes lasting inflammation in the tonsils.

This complication can happen to both children and adults, Clark says. And particularly in children, removing the tonsils tonsillectomy may be recommended to cure the sleep apnea, which might otherwise turn into a chronic problem.

Another complication is that a tonsil infection can develop into a secondary infection of the middle ear. The middle ear is a sealed cavity with only one opening, called the Eustachian tube.

The adenoid tissue, or the highest part of your tonsils is located in the back of the nose and is next to the Eustachian tube.

When the adenoid tissue becomes swollen from an infection it can block the Eustachian tube and result in pressure buildup in the ear. The most common infectious bacteria are group A Streptococcus , which cause strep throat.

Other species of strep bacteria may cause tonsillitis as well, including:. Strep throat is caused specifically by the group A Streptococcus bacteria. No other group of bacteria or virus causes it. You may not need to see a doctor for tonsillitis or strep throat.

In most cases, symptoms will resolve within a few days of home care, such as rest, drinking warm liquids, or sucking on throat lozenges. Your doctor will ask you about symptoms and do a physical exam. During the physical exam, they will examine your throat for swollen lymph nodes, and check your nose and ears for signs of infection.

If your doctor suspects tonsillitis or strep throat, they will swab the back of your throat to take a sample. They can use a rapid strep test to determine if you are infected with strep bacteria. They can get results within a few minutes. If you test negative for strep, your doctor will use a throat culture to test for other potential bacteria.

The results of this test usually take 24 hours. Learn more: Streptococcal screen ». Most treatments will relieve your symptoms instead of actually treating your condition.

For example, you can use anti-inflammatory medications to relive pain from fever and inflammation, such as acetaminophen Tylenol or ibuprofen Advil and Motrin. If you have tonsillitis caused by a virus, your doctor will not be able to treat it directly. If your tonsillitis is caused by bacteria, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. Make sure to take antibiotics exactly as directed by your doctor. Taking antibiotics will also help you reduce your risk of infecting other people.

A research study involving 2, cases of sore throat showed that antibiotics reduced the duration of symptoms by an average of 16 hours. Your doctor will prescribe steroids to decrease inflammation.

This option is used only in rare cases. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:. Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:.

Enter M in the search box to learn more about "Tonsillitis: Care Instructions". Author: Healthwise Staff. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. Topic Contents Overview How can you care for yourself at home? When should you call for help? Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Overview Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils that is caused by bacteria or a virus. How can you care for yourself at home? If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better.

You need to take the full course of antibiotics. Gargle with warm salt water. This helps reduce swelling and relieve discomfort.