Symptoms of Acute Tonsillitis

When diagnosed with acute tonsillitis, you are suffering from a sudden inflammation of the tonsils due to a viral or bacterial infection. Much like chronic tonsillitis, this form of the condition brings with it a number of undesirable symptoms.

Sore Throat and Pain

• For most people, tonsillitis causes the symptom of a sore throat due to a swelling in the tonsils. This is often accompanied by some level of pain or difficulty in swallowing, and could also trigger hoarseness or even a loss of voice.

Discoloration

• If you were to open the mouth, along with the inflammation, the tonsils will frequently appear red or even speckled with small, white patches.

Fever and Headache

• A low-grade fever, running anywhere between 99 and 101 degrees F, is another common symptom of tonsillitis. Sometimes, this fever is also associated with a case of the "chills" as well as periodic headaches.

Swelling

• While the majority of people suffering from tonsillitis face an inflammation of the tonsils, it isn't uncommon for the glands around the neck and up into the jaw to also experience some swelling.

Abdominal Pain

• Though not a common symptom in adults, some children with tonsillitis also suffer from a certain level of abdominal pain.

Treatment

• If you are plagued with a viral form of tonsillitis, self-care measures are really the only option for treatment. This is due to the resistance viruses have to medications, so warm liquids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be used to ease the associated pain and other symptoms. With the bacterial form, an antibiotic, like penicillin, is used to treat the infection, but you may also want to consider employing self-care measures to help relieve some of your symptoms.