Tonsillitis | Conditions & Treatments

What Is Tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils. Your tonsils are two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat. They help catch germs and bacteria that can make you sick.

Tonsillitis is very common and mainly affects children between preschool ages and the mid-teenage years.

Symptoms of tonsillitis include:

Red, swollen tonsils
White or yellow patches on the tonsils
Sore throat
Difficult or painful swallowing
Fever
Swollen, tender glands (lymph nodes) in the neck
A scratchy, muffled, or throaty voice
Bad breath
Stomachache
Neck pain or stiff neck
Headache

Tonsillitis is most commonly caused by streptococcus (strep) bacteria. Other bacteria and viruses that may infect your tonsils include:

Adenoviruses
Epstein-Barr virus (this causes infectious mononucleosis)
Herpes simplex virus
Cytomegalovirus
Measles virus

UR Medicine's Treatments for Tonsilitis

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe your condition is.

Tonsillitis caused by a virus is treated differently from an infection caused by bacteria. Your healthcare provider may give you antibiotic medicine for a bacterial case of tonsillitis, while an antiviral medication will be prescribed if your tonsillitis is viral.

If your tonsillitis keeps coming back, your provider may advise surgery to remove your tonsils.

You may need treatment right away if you develop a peritonsillar abscess. A peritonsillar abscess is pus-filled tissue next to one of the tonsils that can block your airway.

What Sets Us Apart?

Our Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) physicians are trained in non-surgical and surgical treatment of diseases of the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck. They perform hundreds of procedures and surgeries every year, so your care is always in the hands of well-practiced experts.

As part of UR Medicine, our physicians are exposed to more complex conditions and unusual complications than most physicians in the Upstate New York region. Many of our physicians are also involved in research to find new treatments for ENT-related conditions.

All our doctors are board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology.