Treatment of tonsillitis in Cherkasy

Tonsillitis is an infectious disease with inflammation of the lymphatic tissue of the tonsils. It can be acute and chronic. In most cases, children and schoolchildren can be sick with tonsillitis, adults after 40–50 years old rarely get sick. The disease has seasonality: outbreaks of tonsillitis are often recorded in autumn and winter. Otolaryngologist at “ON Clinic Cherkasy” receives patients with tonsillitis, diagnoses the disease and prescribes treatment.

Causes of tonsillitis

In most cases, tonsillitis occurs with viral and bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract. The most common causes are adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, enterovirus and beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Less commonly, tonsillitis occurs with a fungal infection.

The causative agent of the disease is airborne transmitted while coughing or sneezing. People transmit the infection to each other through prolonged and close contact, for example, if they live in the same apartment, study in the same class or work in the same room. Less commonly, infection is transmitted through the hands to food. Thus, bacteria generate and infect another person.

The infection enters through the respiratory tract and stops in the lymphatic tonsils tissue. There is a focus where bacteria generate, toxins and pus accumulate. From the local focus, toxins are absorbed into the general circulation and carried throughout the body. Because of this, three syndromes arise: infectious, toxic and allergic.

The infectious syndrome is associated with the generation and vital activity of bacteria. In the inflammation area, catarrhal and purulent phenomena occur. The lymph nodes and the mucous membrane of the oropharynx are involved in the inflammatory process. The toxic syndrome occurs due to the spread of bacteria and their waste products throughout the body. The allergic syndrome occurs due to the immune response to bacterial lipopolysaccharides.

Symptoms of tonsillitis

The symptoms of tonsillitis are diverse: from mild symptoms to severe conditions that require hospitalization of the patient. The first symptoms occur after 4–5 days, that is, after the end of the incubation period, during which the bacteria generate actively. Let's analyze the general symptoms characteristic of each form of tonsillitis.

First, intoxication occurs. It is accompanied by headaches, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, chills, photophobia and irritability. In bacterial tonsillitis, body temperature is usually about 38.0 °C-39.0 °C. Less commonly, body temperature is normal or below 38.0 °C. In case of a viral infection, for example, Epstein-Barr, the temperature can rise to 40.0 °C.

Along with intoxication, local inflammatory processes appear in tonsils. Sore throat is felt when swallowing and talking. Tonsils themselves swell and increase in size. The back of the throat turns red.

In most cases, catarrhal and follicular tonsillitis occurs. Catarrh is characterized by the formation of mucus and inflammatory fluid. The follicular form is characterized by the suppuration of tonsils follicles in the form of small white dots.

Specific symptoms depend on the form of the disease. Signs of acute catarrhal tonsillitis are the following:

• burning sensation and sore throat, which intensifies when swallowing;
• dryness and throat irritation;
• body temperature from 37.0 °C tо 38.0 °С;
• difficult swallowing;
• headaches, fatigue, malaise.

Symptoms of acute follicular tonsillitis:

• severe sore throat, which intensifies when swallowing;
• pain spreads to the ear;
• body temperature ranges from 38.0 °C to 40.0 °C;
• headaches, fatigue, weakness;
• sometimes pain occurs in the lower back and joints.

Symptoms of chronic tonsillitis:

• frequent recurrent cases of acute tonsillitis;
• body temperature from 37.0 °C to 38.0 °С;
• pain in muscles and joints, lethargy, malaise, superficial sleep, fatigue;
• Bad breath due to the accumulation of pus in the tonsils.

Tonsillitis – contagious or not

The causative agents of tonsillitis are bacteria, viruses and pathogenic fungi. They are contagious: transmitted by airborne, through non-sexual contact and through food. It is easy to get infected, therefore, at the first signs of the disease, you should visit otolaryngologist.

Treatment of chronic tonsillitis

In order to select the proper treatment, the ENT specialist must identify the causative agent of tonsillitis. To do this, the doctor prescribes a bacteriological test of the material from tonsils and posterior pharyngeal wall. Using the bacteriological method, you can determine whether there are bacteria in the body or not. If the result is negative, then the disease has a viral origin. Based on this, therapy is prescribed that aims to eliminate the causes of tonsillitis – antiviral or antibacterial drugs.

Antibiotics for tonsillitis are prescribed in such cases: if the disease is caused by bacteria and there is a likelihood of bacterial complications. In addition, antibiotics are prescribed when there are bacterial complications, for example, due to purulent tonsillitis. Treatment usually begins with cephalexin and cefuroxime.

The doctor also prescribes symptomatic therapy – drugs that relieve symptoms: relieve swelling, inflammation and sore throat. These medicines are prescribed as a spray, rinse and sucking tablets. They relieve sore throat and swelling.

During treatment, you should drink plenty of fluids: warm tea, fruit drinks, juice, mineral water. Increased fluid intake relieves intoxication and removes toxins quickly from the body.

Physiotherapy methods at the medical center "ON Clinic Cherkasy" accompany the treatment. Otolaryngologists use the BTL apparatus – a device for electrotherapy, laser therapy and magnetotherapy. Physiotherapy accelerates the treatment of the inflammatory process.

Cases when you need urgently to call an ambulance or consult a doctor:

• a child under three years old is sick;
• a patient has congenital or acquired heart defects;
• encephalopathy;
• immunodeficiency;
• disease is severe: body temperature reaches 40.0 °C, a patient does not sleep, raves.

If you or your relative have symptoms of acute or chronic tonsillitis, contact your ENT doctor for help. Do not wait until complications arise and do not self-medicate.