Tonsillitis

Children with tonsillitis have swollen tonsils that turn red accompanied by fever and inability to swallow food due to sore and painful throat. Affected individuals also complain of headache, stiffness in neck, stomach pain, and muffled voice. Children who develop tonsillitis have swollen lymph nodes in the neck and also develop patches on the tonsils. Young children who are unable to express the symptoms often turn fussy and show disinterest towards food due to difficulty in swallowing it.

The following diagnostic procedures are conducted to determine tonsillitis.

• Physical examination: A preliminary physical examination is done to assess the degree of distress that has made swallowing difficult in affected children. The examination is done with the help of lighted instruments to carefully look for signs of infection. In many cases, the nose and ears are also checked. In addition, the child’s cheeks are palpated to check for signs of swollen lymph nodes.
• Throat swab: This is utmost necessary to assess the nature of infection present and the causative agent. In this test, throat secretions are collected and sent to laboratory for further testing [6].
• Blood test: Blood test to assess complete blood count will help in determining the cause of tonsillitis [7].

Treatment of tonsillitis largely depends on the cause of the disease. The following methods are employed for treating the condition:

Viral infection: The child should get better within a week to 10 days. The affected child should be allowed to take as much rest as possible and should also be asked to rest his voice. In addition, he should be given foods that are easy to swallow and which would not trouble the throat much. Warm foods would provide relief to the sore throat. Gargling with salt water also can help treat the condition faster and promote quick recovery. Other symptoms of pain and fever can be treated with mediations.

Bacterial infection: In case, the cause of tonsillitis is bacterial infections then antibiotics form the basis of treatment regime. Penicillin is given which needs to be taken for 10 days. Complete course of antibiotic regime should be strictly followed to ensure complete recovery from the infection [8].

Surgery is the method of choice when all the above mentioned treatment regimes fail to bring about desired results. Surgical procedure to remove the tonsils is known as tonsillectomy. It is used in conditions when children get recurrent bouts of tonsillitis or the condition results in debilitating complications which cannot be managed with medications alone [9] [10].

The prognosis of tonsillitis is usually favorable owing to improvements in its treatment regime. With more advancements treatment methods being introduced, the development of complications has decreased to a great extent [5]. Complications of tonsillitis including rheumatic fever, scarlet fever and death have decreased significantly due to use of more advanced methods for treating tonsillitis.

Viral infections are the most common cause of tonsillitis. However, in some cases bacterial infections too can cause symptoms of sore throat in children and adults. Children are more susceptible to contract tonsillitis compared to adults owing to low immunity. The viruses that are known to play a role in causation of this condition include adenovirus, coronavirus, influenza, rhinovirus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus and HIV. As already stated, tonsillitis can also be caused by bacteria and the causative agent includes Group A B-hemolytic streptococcus [2].

Tonsillitis is a common occurrence in children older than 2 years. Tonsillitis due to bacterial infections strike children between the age group of 5 – 15 years. Sore throat, a common condition of tonsillitis affects 100 in 1000 individuals. The condition is considered to be the 8th most common disease in UK [3].

The tonsils produce white blood cells for protecting the body against infections. In the process of safeguarding the body against various foreign agents, the tonsils can themselves get infected. Viruses and bacteria that enter the body through the mouth are not allowed entry into the system by the tonsils. However, in certain conditions, the tonsils get infected by the bacteria or viruses giving rise to the condition known as tonsillitis. Children fall easy prey to viral or bacterial infections when they come in contact with other children who are already suffering from tonsillitis [4].

Infections from viruses or bacteria are the major cause of tonsillitis. Therefore, the best way of preventing this disease is to practice good hygiene and maintain a safe distance from individuals suffering from this disease. Tonsillitis is contagious and children should be taught to wash hands often, especially after coming in contact with individuals who have the disease. Covering mouth while coughing and sneezing is also another way of preventing the spread of the disease.

Tonsils are the 2 lymph nodes which are situated on either side towards back of the throat. These safeguard the body from various infections. Tonsillitis can occur at any age; but commonly strikes the children. The condition can be appropriately treated if the exact cause is identified. Surgical removal of tonsils is carried out when the conditions occurs repeatedly and other treatment regimes fail to yield positive outcome [1].

Definition

Tonsillitis is defined as inflammation of the tonsils due to either bacterial or viral infections. The tonsils usually provide protection to the body against various infections. In the process of warding of infectious agents, the tonsils gets infected and inflamed.

Cause

Viruses are the most common cause of tonsillitis followed by bacteria. Certain types of viruses such as adenovirus, influenza, rhinovirus, cytomegalovirus and respiratory syncytial virus are known to play foul in causation of tonsillitis.

Symptoms

Symptoms of tonsillitis include inflammation of the tonsils, high fever, headache, and stomach ache, development of white patches on the tonsils, bad breath, and difficulty in swallowing food and loss of appetite.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of tonsillitis begins with a physical examination to check for signs of infection and development of rashes. Following this, throat swab is conducted to detect the causative organism and blood test to assess complete blood count is done.

Treatment

Treatment of tonsillitis is cause dependant. If bacteria are the source of infection then antibiotic penicillin is administered. If viruses are the cause then medicines for treating fever and other symptoms are given. Surgery is usually the last resort to treat tonsillitis if the condition occurs frequently and medications do not help.

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