Chronic tonsillitis is defined as more than five attacks of typical throat infection related symptoms per year accompanied by hypertrophy of the tonsils, most frequently caused by bacterial pathogens. The diagnosis can be made by physical examination and microbiological studies.
Presentation
The condition associated with the repeated episodes of tonsillitis throughout the year is termed as chronic (or recurrent) tonsillitis, with the number of episodes being around five per year, whereas persistence of symptoms for a prolonged period of time may also be considered a chronic form of this infection [1]. The condition is more frequently encountered in children, but adults of any age may be affected. The clinical presentation initially focuses on symptoms such as cervical lymphadenopathy, presence of tonsillar exudates, fever and swallowing difficulties, which is considered a hallmark of tonsillitis [2] [3]. Additional signs may include odynophagia, airway obstruction, loss of appetite and the presence of cough that could indicate an infection of the respiratory tract. Constitutional symptoms like lethargy, fatigue, malaise and weakness are common in patients who develop a tonsillar infection. Symptoms of tonsillitis last approximately 1 week and they rarely last more [3], but the progression of acute tonsillitis into chronic over time results in a more frequent onset of symptoms and persistently enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Since chronic tonsillitis is more frequently encountered as a repeated onset of symptoms in a short period of time, the terms "chronic tonsillitis with acute exacerbation" or simply recurrent tonsillitis have been recommended by certain authors [1]. Regardless of the etiology (bacterial or viral), the clinical presentation is the same, which is why laboratory workup is oriented toward identifying the underlying cause; thus determining the optimal therapy.
Immune System
- Cervical Lymphadenopathy
A physical exam can easily identify key findings of tonsillitis - cervical lymphadenopathy and hypertrophy of the tonsils with exudative content. [symptoma.com]
Symptoms may include sore throat, dysphagia, cervical lymphadenopathy, and fever. Diagnosis is clinical, supplemented by culture or rapid antigen test. [merck.com]
The most common presentations are cervical lymphadenopathy, oro-oesophageal candidiasis and otitis media. Investigations It is recommended that throat swabs and rapid antigen tests should not be performed routinely. [patient.info]
The most common presentations are cervical lymphadenopathy, oro-oesophageal candidiasis and otitis media. [cmc.ph]
History Sore throat Difficulty swallowing Cervical lymphadenopathy Fever Headaches Abdominal pain Worsening sleep apnoea Ear aches – referred pain Symptoms of a viral upper respiratory tract infection: rhinorrhoea, cough, hoarseness, watery red eyes. [pch.health.wa.gov.au]
Entire Body System
- Fever
Lancefield's GABS can cause rheumatic fever, Sydenham's chorea, glomerulonephritis and scarlet fever. Streptococcal infection may cause a flare-up of guttate psoriasis. [patient.info]
fever in these settings. [doi.org]
More serious are two distant complications—acute nephritis (kidney inflammation) and acute rheumatic fever, with or without heart involvement. [britannica.com]
Very few of the studies were conducted in children, who made up only 61 of the 1334 patients in whom presence of fever was evaluated at Day 3. [mja.com.au]
- Inflammation
CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that epigenetic changes participate in chronic inflammation and aging in the palatine tonsils. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
NOS, Tonsillitis [Disease/Finding], tonsil inflammation, Inflammation;tonsils, inflammation tonsils, tonsils inflammation, Throat infection - tonsillitis, Inflammation of tonsil, Tonsillitis (disorder), inflammation; tonsil, tonsil; inflammation, Tonsillitis [fpnotebook.com]
- Swelling
It is a swelling of the tonsils caused by an infection. The most frequent cause of tonsillitis is a viral virus. Several of the viruses are the same as the ones found in the common cold. [thelymphnodes.com]
Ultimately, the follicles coalesce to form a white patch over the tonsils Note the swelling of the uvula. THIS IS NOT TONSILLITIS! [ghorayeb.com]
This is noticeable as a swelling in the throat region and the onset of a scratchy throat. If the immune response is very strong, the tonsils may become inflamed. [pascoe.de]
Chronic tonsillitis involves the swelling of the tonsils, which are two lumps of tissue located at the back of the throat. This can constrict the throat, restricting airflow and causing snoring. [snoringcenter.com]
The tonsils become a lot easier to see when someone has tonsillitis because they swell up and become red. [rchsd.org]
- Weakness
P: Weak and slow or Thready, wiry and even or Thready and weak Treatment Principle Warm and tonify the Spleen and Stomach Relieve spasmodic pain Herb Formulas Dang Gui Jian Zhong Tang Points Clinical Manifestations Abdominal pain Constipation Hypochondriac [americandragon.com]
However, the positivity in the interfollicular zone and surface squamous epithelium was weak only. Merely isolated caspase-3-positive cells were found in tonsillar cancer. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Constitutional symptoms like lethargy, fatigue, malaise and weakness are common in patients who develop a tonsillar infection. [symptoma.com]
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Symptoms The symptoms of tonsillitis include: Painful and sore throat Dysphagia or pain and discomfort while swallowing Fever over 38°C (100.4°F) Cough Weakness Headache and jaw pain In most cases, tonsillitis resolves within three to four days. [news-medical.net]
- High Fever
If a child suffers from symptoms or a high fever for more than four days without improving, it is important to consult a physician. Complications include high fever, convulsions due to fever, inability to eat or drink and shortness of breath. [news-medical.net]
Coxsackievirus can cause painful tonsillitis with a high fever and decreased appetite, sometimes with a rash as well. Mononucleosis can also cause severe tonsillitis. [drgreene.com]
Rapid onset of sore throat and high fever associated with an exudative tonsillitis is more suggestive of a Streptococcal tonsillitis, especially in the absence of typical viral features. [pch.health.wa.gov.au]
Comes on suddenly with loss of appetite headache sick stomach perhaps vomiting high fever sore throat vomiting may persist. [cedag.eu]
However, patients should contact their health care provider if their symptoms are associated with a high fever, severe difficulty or painful swallowing, trouble swallowing their own saliva, a muffled voice, or failure to begin improving after about one [bvhealthsystem.org]
Respiratoric
- Sore Throat
[…] and sore throat days. [doi.org]
A GP with a list of 2,000 can expect to see around 120 cases of sore throat a year with considerable seasonal variation - see the separate Sore Throat article [ 1 ]. [patient.info]
Do you have a sore throat on an ongoing basis? No need to keep suffering. Your sore throat may be caused by your tonsils, and the good news is we can help! [verobeachent.com]
A GP with a list of 2,000 can expect to see around 120 cases of sore throat a year with considerable seasonal variation – see the separate article on Sore Throat. [cmc.ph]
- Pharyngitis
etc.), or long-term use of atropinic agents (antihypertensive drugs, tranquilizers, etc.); pharyngeal paraesthesia, phobic manifestations relative to the pharyngeal area: sensation of a foreign body or having a "lump in one's throat" (globus hystericus [campus.cerimes.fr]
For example, pharyngeal exudate may be present in more than a third of patients with non-GAS pharyngitis. 11 Patient age may help: GAS pharyngitis occurs predominantly in school-aged children. 12 However, it can occur in younger children and adults. [mja.com.au]
Throat-related symptoms (complaints, tonsillitis rate, and pharyngeal findings) of 81 adults with histologically proven chronic tonsillitis followed by tonsillectomy were analyzed. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
- Cough
Cough with sputtering Worse with emotional turmoil or anger Difficult to cough up sputum Maybe Blood-streaked sputum The cough may drag on or may recur regularly Pain over the chest and hypochondrium During the coughing, the patient may get hot, flushed [americandragon.com]
Recent data from the BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health) project show that 4% of all symptomatic presentations to general practitioners were for throat complaints, second only to cough at 7%. 1 Sore throat is also one of the most common [mja.com.au]
Symptoms include intermittent unilateral dyphagia with otalgia, bad breath, fetid fragmented sputum, and tickly coughing. There are no general signs of infection. [campus.cerimes.fr]
Tonsillitis is spread through the air in droplets when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. [uwhealth.org]
- Tonsillar Hypertrophy
[…] treatment of chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Gastrointestinal
- Vomiting
In Ayoga of Vamana, the patient either does not vomit or vomits only the drug taken. In Atiyoga of Vamana the patient passes blood with vomiting. [nhp.gov.in]
Comes on suddenly with loss of appetite headache sick stomach perhaps vomiting high fever sore throat vomiting may persist. [cedag.eu]
Many people experience nausea and vomiting, throat pain, difficulty swallowing, low-grade fever, bad breath, earaches, and fatigue. [verywellhealth.com]
Symptoms may include: sore throat fever (either low grade or high) Headaches decrease in appetite not feeling well nausea vomiting stomach aches painful swallowing How we care for pharyngitis and tonsillitis The Boston Children's Hospital Department of [childrenshospital.org]
Difficulty swallowing Sore throat Hoarseness Fever Chills Bad breath Snoring Blisters or ulcers in the throat Redness of the tonsils Yellow or white coating of the tonsils Headache Ear pain Lost appetite Children may also experience stomach pain or vomiting [snoringcenter.com]
- Nausea
Many people experience nausea and vomiting, throat pain, difficulty swallowing, low-grade fever, bad breath, earaches, and fatigue. [verywellhealth.com]
Symptoms may include: sore throat fever (either low grade or high) Headaches decrease in appetite not feeling well nausea vomiting stomach aches painful swallowing How we care for pharyngitis and tonsillitis The Boston Children's Hospital Department of [childrenshospital.org]
Symptoms may include: sore throat fever (either low grade or high) headache decrease in appetite not feeling well nausea vomiting stomach aches painful swallowing visual redness or drainage in the throat Diagnosis of Pharyngitis and Tonsillitis In most [beaumont.org]
Younger children may have nausea, vomiting or stomach pain. They may be unusually fussy and drool a lot because they can’t swallow. Not every sore throat is due to tonsillitis. [healthdirect.gov.au]
Yosef Krespi specializes in a laser procedure called tonsil cryptolusis to with just one treatment” strep throat sore throat nausea strep throat says Krespi who has zapped tonsil stones in more than 500 patients. [cedag.eu]
Cardiovascular
- Heart Disease
[…] rheumatic heart disease). [healthengine.com.au]
After treatment, the normalization of trace elements iron, zinc, magnesium did not happen, moreover, significant changes were observed in patients with heart disease against the background of chronic tonsillitis. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
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But if the disease is caused by strep, rare complications can happen. These include rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, and kidney disease. Treatment with antibiotics can prevent these complications. [lluh.org]
Jaw & Teeth
- Halitosis
Chronic Tonsillitis Patients with chronic tonsillitis may experience a chronic sore throat, halitosis, tonsillitis, and tender cervical lymph nodes. [naenta.com]
नपुंसकता Menopause रजोनिवृत्ति Piles बवासीर Pregnancy गर्भावस्था Menstrual-Disorder मासिक-विकार Paralysis पक्षाघात Sciatica-Pain कटिस्नायुशूल-दर्द Rheumatism गठिया Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia Arthritis गठिया Cholesterol कोलेस्ट्रॉल Leucoderma Leucoderma Halitosis [shinderaj.blogspot.com]
The association of caseous with other two symptoms is the most frequent one and was distributed as follows: · tonsillitis sensation of foreign body (7 patients), · tonsillitis and halitosis (5 patients) and, · halitosis and sensation of foreign body [oldfiles.bjorl.org]
Odonophagia - painful swallowing Fever - chills/rigors Constitutional symptoms - malaise, lethargy Earache which is either referred or acute otitis media Abdominal pain due to mesenteric lymphadenitis Redness of tonsils, soft palate, pillars and uvula Halitosis [youtube.com]
Bad taste in mouth and foul breath (halitosis) due to pus in crypts. 4 Thick speech, difficulty in swallowing and choking spells at night (when tonsils are large and obstructive). Examination 1. Tonsils may show varying degree of enlargement. [earnosethroatclinic.blogspot.com]
- Tonsillar Exudate
Tender, swollen cervical lymph nodes and tonsillar exudates may occur. The disease is normally self-limiting. [amboss.com]
Infectious mononucleosis is suggested by posterior cervical or generalized adenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, fatigue, and malaise for > 1 wk; a full neck with petechiae of the soft palate; and thick tonsillar exudates. [merck.com]
The clinical presentation initially focuses on symptoms such as cervical lymphadenopathy, presence of tonsillar exudates, fever and swallowing difficulties, which is considered a hallmark of tonsillitis. [symptoma.com]
Patients may present with a variety of symptoms including painful throat (may be unilateral), dysphagia, fevers, tender cervical lymphadenopathy and/or tonsillar exudate. Ear pain and trismus can also occur 1. [radiopaedia.org]
[…] criteria that must be present for tonsillitis comprise sore throat in conjunction with erythema and/or tonsillar exudate, which may or may not be accompanied by a scarlatiniform rash. [pharmacytimes.com]
- Dental Caries
We have experienced a frequent association of chronic tonsillitis (CTL), and dental caries in those patients of persistent course. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
No dental caries was noted. There was also bilateral, moderately tender submandibular lymphadenopathy. The remainder of physical examination was unremarkable. Blood tests results are shown in Table 1. [bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com]
Musculoskeletal
- Arthritis
Her arthritis was ameliorated after successful tonsillectomy and synovectomy, with marked reduction of the serum rheumatoid factor concentration. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Acute rheumatic fever and poststreptococcal reactive arthritis reconsidered. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2010;22(4):437–42. 12. Shulman ST, Ayoub EM. Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2002;14(5):562–5. 13. [bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com]
हर्निया Leprosy कुष्ठ Renal-Stones गुर्दे के पत्थर Impotence नपुंसकता Menopause रजोनिवृत्ति Piles बवासीर Pregnancy गर्भावस्था Menstrual-Disorder मासिक-विकार Paralysis पक्षाघात Sciatica-Pain कटिस्नायुशूल-दर्द Rheumatism गठिया Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia Arthritis [shinderaj.blogspot.com]
Olcsó some, psoriatic arthritis pikkelysömör a minor olcsó that requires medication only at times when olcsó are worse. [dehypyvegu.cf]
Heart diseases (atrial fibrillation, coronary blockage, angina, heart failure ), respiratory diseases (allergic asthma, sinusitis, pneumonia, nasal congestion, polyps, adenoids, tonsils, ARDS, TB), Piles/fissure/constipation, Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis [play.google.com]
Skin
- Pruritus
"Pepper Mild Mottle Virus, a Plant Virus Associated with Specific Immune Responses, Fever, Abdominal Pains, and Pruritus in Humans". PLoS ONE. 5 (4): e10041. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010041. PMC 2850318. PMID 20386604. ^ "Viral Fever". [en.wikipedia.org]
Therefore, ampicilline and amoxicilline should not be used for therapy, as these in up to 90 percent of cases can lead to the formation of a rash (ampicillin exanthema) and pruritus. [egms.de]
Neurologic
- Irritability
[…] weak Night sweats Malar flush Afternoon fever Sterility Spermatorrhea Sore and swollen throat Asthma Dry nose and lips Low grade fever Raspy breathing resembling wheezing Cough with dry or little Phlegm Five sole heat May be fever Blood flecked Phlegm Irritability [americandragon.com]
Avoid irritants. Keep your home free from cigarette smoke and cleaning products that can irritate the throat. Treat pain and fever. [mayoclinic.org]
Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat. It is usually caused by pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat) or tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils). It can also result from trauma. [en.wikipedia.org]
The contents of these exaggerated crypts, by reason of their decomposition, often irritate the tissue around. The hypertrophy is not always the result of chronic inflammation. [chestofbooks.com]
Chronic irritation in throat with cough. 3. Bad taste in mouth and foul breath (halitosis) due to pus in crypts. 4 Thick speech, difficulty in swallowing and choking spells at night (when tonsils are large and obstructive). Examination 1. [earnosethroatclinic.blogspot.com]
- Hyperactivity
Children who are not getting a restful night of sleep may present with hyperactivity, irritability or behavioral issues at school. Studies have shown a link between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and snoring/sleep apnea in children. [bergerhenryent.com]
• Best Homoeopathic treatment for paediatric disorder: Cerebral palsy, hyperactive child, autism, bed wetting, adenoid, tonsillitis. [play.google.com]
[…] study by Spektor et al indicated that the risk of postoperative bleeding in children undergoing tonsillectomy is increased when the surgery is performed on a child with recurrent tonsillitis (4.5 times increased risk), on a child with attention deficit hyperactivity [emedicine.medscape.com]
Workup
Firstly, a detailed patient history regarding the onset and duration of symptoms should be performed, followed by a thorough physical examination of the head and neck area, with an emphasis on the throat. A physical exam can easily identify key findings of tonsillitis - cervical lymphadenopathy and hypertrophy of the tonsils with exudative content. Their confirmation can be sufficient for the diagnosis, but to identify the underlying cause and determine whether antibiotic therapy is necessary, microbiological studies should be performed. Throat cultures are rarely done, primarily due to a prolonged time to obtain viable results, which is why throat swabs and rapid antigen detection test (RADT) is recommended, as it can yield a positive result within an hour [4]. However, it is used exclusively for streptococcal infection [4] [5]. RADT carries a 98% specificity for streptococcal species, and the test should be repeated if the initial turns out to be negative [4]. RADT is positive in chronic asymptomatic carriers as well (approximately 10% of healthy children), but the absence of symptoms indicate that therapy is not necessary [4]. Evaluation of antistreptolysin O (ASO) antibodies through serology may also be a possibility, but its use in the setting of an active infection is minimal and establishing prior infection is the main purpose of this test [4]. A valid diagnostic tool to distinguish viral agents as the cause of tonsillitis is yet to be created, especially when having in mind that adenovirus and parainfluenza virus have been detected in > 95% of children with bacterial tonsillitis [4].
Microbiology
- Chlamydia
It would appear that if the tonsil is once infected by Chlamydia trachomatis, tonsillar tissue becomes more prone to recurrent attacks of other pathogenic organisms. [ci.nii.ac.jp]
Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Chlamydia pneumoniae rarely cause acute pharyngitis. Neisseria gonorrhea may cause pharyngitis in sexually active persons. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Treatment
The treatment consists of minor local means: gargling, surface spraying using a laser, radiofrequency therapy, and cryotherapy. Tonsillectomy is indicated in patients presenting complications. 8/11 [campus.cerimes.fr]
Although it is usually short-lived, some cases persist and are unresponsive to treatment. This can lead to exposure to a variety of treatment regimens including immunosuppressants and splenectomy. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The investigators wish to evaluate coblation channeling in the treatment of chronic tonsillitis. The tonsillar crypts play an important role in chronic tonsillitis. [clinicaltrials.gov]
Prognosis
Estimations of the serum immunoglobulin, or simply of IgA, may help us to select those candidates for adeno-tonsillectomy who will have a good prognosis, or at least to exclude those with an underlying sub-clinical immunodeficiency disease. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prognosis of Tonsillitis Tonsillitis is a self-limiting disease. [healthengine.com.au]
Meanwhile, the prognosis for patients who develop serious complications, such as obstructive sleep apnoea, is dependent on the extent and severity of the complication. References: Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids. [docdoc.com.sg]
In general, the prognosis for tonsillitis is excellent, and most people recover without any complications or long-term problems. Most cases of viral tonsillitis resolve within 7-10 days with watchful waiting. [emedicinehealth.com]
Etiology
TY - JOUR T1 - [Chronic tonsillitis, etiological and pathogenetic aspects of the development of metatonsillar complications]. [unboundmedicine.com]
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Particularly useful for detecting prior infections in patients presenting with complications (e.g., rheumatic fever) Not recommended for diagnosing acute infection [7] Differential diagnoses Disease Etiology Clinical features Pharyngitis See Etiology [amboss.com]
Regardless of the etiology (bacterial or viral), the clinical presentation is the same, which is why laboratory workup is oriented toward identifying the underlying cause; thus determining the optimal therapy. [symptoma.com]
Follicular tonsilitis is due to bacterial etiology. The tonsils will have white spots all over the tonsils due to pus being expelled from the crypts of the tonsils. [youtube.com]
Epidemiology
Abstract Group A Streptococcus has been identified as a possible etiologic agent in psoriasis in epidemiologic, immunologic, immunopathologic, medical, and surgical studies. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Epidemiology Epidemiological data refers to the US, unless otherwise specified. [amboss.com]
Epidemiologic observations made decades earlier indicated that some outbreaks of streptococcal pharyngitis in rheumatic fever hospitals or wards were followed closely by recurrent ARF, whereas other outbreaks failed to trigger such recurrences, even in [doi.org]
"The epidemiology of peritonsillar abscess disease in Northern Ireland". J. Infect. 52 (4): 247–53. doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2005.07.002. PMID 16125782. ^ Ehlers Klug T, Rusan M, Fuursted K, Ovesen T (November 2009). [en.wikipedia.org]
Pathophysiology
Presence of MDA and SOD in tonsillar tissue reinforce involvement of oxidative stress in pathophysiology of chronic tonsillitis. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve in a patient with posttonsillectomy scarring: recovery after local infiltration of procaine-case report and pathophysiologic discussion. Case Rep Neurol Med 2015;560546:1–5. [5]. [journals.lww.com]
Therefore, understanding the microbiology and pathophysiology of such diseases represent an important step in the management of biofilm-related infections. [hindawi.com]
Prevention
A Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on children and adolescents, the tonsils and/or adenoids are removed to prevent recurrent infection or inflammation. [verobeachent.com]
How can it be prevented? Tonsillectomy can prevent tonsillitis, but is only recommended in select circumstances. Because most types are spread by droplet transmission, droplet precautions can be effective means of prevention. [drgreene.com]
[…] of secondary cases; and prevention of acute rheumatic fever. 26 There is no definitive evidence that antibiotic treatment of GAS pharyngitis prevents acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. 27 An important consideration is the need to minimise potential [mja.com.au]
Postsurgical care is aimed at prevention of hemorrhage, prevention of aspiration of drainage, and control of pain. The child is positioned on side until fully alert to facilitate drainage of secretions and prevent aspiration. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
References
- Georgalas CC, Tolley NS, Narula PA. Tonsillitis. BMJ Clin Evid. 2014;2014:0503.
- Pribuišienė R, Kuzminienė A, Sarauskas V, Saferis V, Pribuišis K, Rastenienė I. The most important throat-related symptoms suggestive of chronic tonsillitis as the main indication for adult tonsillectomy. Medicina (Kaunas). 2013;49(5):219-222.
- Worrall G. Acute sore throat. Can Fam Physician. 2011;57(7):791-794.
- Stelter K. Tonsillitis and sore throat in children. GMS Curr Top Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014;13:Doc07.
- Johansson L, Månsson NO. Rapid test, throat culture and clinical assessment in the diagnosis of tonsillitis. Fam Pract. 2003;20(2):108-111.