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Tonsillitis
What
is Tonsillitis?
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils. A throat swab is used to
determine the cause was of viral or bacterial origin. Tonsillitis is a
very common illness, which affects almost everyone some time in life.
What
are the symptoms?
The main symptom is a
sore throat with the tonsils becoming enlarged and inflamed. Often the
illness starts quite suddenly. There is associated difficulty in
swallowing and fever. The lymph glands in the neck are swollen and tender
and the ears can also be affected. Sometimes pus can be seen as small
white spots on the surface of the tonsils.
A raised temperature almost always accompanies
the infection, especially in children. Many children with tonsillitis also
develop an unpleasant smell on their breath.
It is not uncommon for children to develop a
slight rash with tonsillitis.
When
does it tend to occur?
Between the ages of
four and six years and then again around puberty. The more often the
tonsils are infected, the more prone they are to recurrent infections,
leading to a tonsillectomy.
Treatment
Symptoms
can be alleviated by eating soft fruits and drinking lots of liquid.
Painkillers such as aspirin are given to relieve
the pain, whilst antibiotics are invariably used in general practice.
Aspirin should not be given to children under 12 years old.
©
The Internet Health Library 2000
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This page was last updated on 05 December 2006 17:07:29
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