Other names: swollen tonsils, swollen tonsils

Almonds (tonsils) are small lymphatic organ in the throat. Their role is local defense against harmful microorganisms, ie. Bacteria and viruses. Swelling of the tonsils with a sore throat and redness indicate inflammation, angina. The aim is to remove the tonsils bacillus already in this segment of the upper airways than to get down and caused, for example, bronchitis or pneumonia.Therefore, no removal of the tonsils (tonsillectomy) so straightforward as previously thought. Patients then suffer frequent diseases of the lower airways. Conversely, when frequent tonsillitis (tonsillitis as 4 times a year) may help patients removal of the tonsils.

In addition to redness and swelling of the tonsils during tonsillitis forming coatings of different nature by inducing factor. This may be most streptococci, staphylococci, but also a variety of viruses (e.g., mononucleosis). Previously, the insidious disease had been diphtheria, in which the tonsils form a dirty gray coats bleed almonds until formed a kind of membrane. Swollen tonsils can be secondary symptom and for rarer diseases such as syphilis, leukemia, HIV, etc.

It is always important to distinguish a serious condition requiring medical care from the usual several days of upper respiratory disease, which can handle even without visiting a doctor.

Viral vs. bacterial infection

Likewise, it is necessary to consider whether your swollen tonsils appropriate antibiotics. It occupies a bacterial infectious agent, on viral are unnecessary and are not to be with them for them to waste.On the other hand, if your pain so severe that it will prevent the food and fluid intake, and the throat is significantly red, although there are not yet formed coatings, better antibiotics to deploy because bacterial infections may for the viral early associate.

To distinguish viral from bacterial infections will help some differences. When the virus is mostly affected by “multiple mucosal”, ie. not just the throat, but we must bronchitis (cough) andconjunctivitis (itchy, watery, red eyes), while in bacterial heavily dominated by just a pain in the neck, are stinging or biting through. Viral inflammation in addition to temperatures accompanied by pain in joints and muscles.

After the retreat of temperatures in the case of viral infection, the patient feels much better in bacterial angina after resolution of fever person feels increasingly ill (schvácenost, loss of appetite, tiredness, …).

There are other indicators that use antibiotics, but they no longer belong in the hands of the physician (laboratory tests, etc.).