Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils, which are lymph nodes located at each side of the back of your throat. Tonsils act as a defense mechanism against viruses & bacteria, & help our body from getting an infection. But sometimes, they get overwhelmed by viruses or bacteria, making them swollen & inflamed. Tonsillitis can occur at any age but is more common in children.
Types Of Tonsillitis
- Acute Tonsillitis: When its symptoms last from 2-4 days to 2 weeks
- Recurrent tonsillitis: When tonsillitis occurs several times in a year
- Chronic tonsillitis: When you have a long term infection of tonsils lasting more than a year
Symptoms
- Red, swollen tonsils
- Pain & difficulty while swallowing
- Fever
- Stiff neck
- Ear pain
- Headache
- Bad breath
- In young children, you may notice drooling, refusal to eat & upset stomach
Videos
Causes & Risk Factors
- Tonsillitis can be caused by any viral or bacterial infection.
- Some of these viruses include Influenza virus, Adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Enterovirus, etc.
- Some common streptococcal group of bacteria is known to cause this condition.



