Symptoms of tonsillitis

Tonsils act as a filter of the body which forms as a barrier to all the germs and immunes the body. tonsillitis is usually caused by the inflammation of the tonsils. It is mainly typified by an enlargement of the tonsils, which looks red and inflamed with a surface coat of white spots.

Inflammation is not limited to the surface area only; it engulfs the throat as a whole. The main symptom of tonsillitis is sore throat, which may develop gradually or suddenly and could be severe or mild. Regardless of the causes of tonsillitis, there are other symptoms which are similar and include:

1) Fever and chills, headache, earache, bad breath

2) A person may even experience change in the voice

3) Painfully difficult in swallowing, swollen glands at the side of the neck and pain in the throat that may last for 48 hours or more

4) Red and swollen tonsils which is occasionally pus or ulcerated

5) High temperature which goes up to 101 F or higher and loss of appetite

6) Vomiting due to irritation of the swollen tonsils, constipation, tiredness etc.

7) Abdominal pain, nasal congestion, runny nose and pain in various parts of the body

8) Redness or sore eyes, difficulty of feeding in babies etc.

In case of younger children, if there are signs of cold, such as runny nose, cough, and sore eyes, then the tonsillitis is most likely caused by viral infection. And if the child is suffering from chronic inflammation, then he may lose weight, be irritable, lethargic and weak in studies. They are often listless and pale.

The above signs usually last for 4-6 days. However, each person suffering from tonsillitis may not experience all of these. It may vary depending upon the cause of infection. For instance, if the infection is caused by virus, you may have flu virus symptoms. If it is caused by bacteria then you may have skin rashes or a flushed face.