Chronic Tonsillitis: Symptoms, causes and treatment

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CHRONIC TONSILLITIS

• SYMPTOMS CAUSES TREATMENT

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INTRODUCTION TO CHRONIC TONSILLITIS

• Tonsils are the two lymph nodes established on
  each side of the back of your throat. They work
  as a defense mechanism. They help prevent your
  body from infection. When the tonsils become
  infected, the condition is called tonsillitis.
• Tonsillitis can occur at any age and is a common
  childhood infection. It is most often diagnosed
  in children from preschool age through their mid
  teens. Symptoms include a sore throat, swollen
  tonsils, and fever.
• This condition is contagious and can be caused by
  a variety of common viruses and bacteria, such as
  streptococcal bacteria, which causes strep
  throat. Tonsillitis caused by strep throat can
  lead to serious complications if left untreated.

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SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC TONSILLITIS

• Tonsils that become red, hot and swollen
• Sore throat
• Formation of a coating like surface on the
  tonsils. This could be white or yellow.
• Difficulty in swallowing food, even water or
  saliva
• Fever
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
• Hoarseness in the voice, which may be something
  like scratchy or muffled for some people
• Bad breath
• Abdominal pain, especially in smaller kids

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CONTINUE - SYMPTOMS

• Feeling of stiffness while moving the neck
• Headache that may be recurring and persistent
• These symptoms may bother small children, but
  they may not be able to put them in words. So,
  parents must watch out for signs such as poor
  feeding, crying while opening their mouth for
  eating or swallowing, increased irritability, or
  expressing that their neck is paining.
•  

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CAUSES OF CHRONIC TONSILLITIS

• Viral infections Adenovirus, other ARI
• Group A streptococcal bacteria.
• Epstein-bar virus
• Bacteroides and Fusobacterium
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Syndrome Stevens Johnson
• Leukemia
• Radiation
• Burns Pharyngitis

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TREATMENT OF CHRONIC TONSILLITIS

• A warm saltwater gargle has been an age-old
  treatment method to manage acute as well as
  chronic tonsillitis. Encourage kids to gargle the
  water and spit it out. Doing this several times a
  day provides significant relief in the throat
  pain when swallowing.
• Getting plenty of sleep and rest gives the body
  enough time to fight the infection.
• Kids must be given plenty of fluids throughout
  the day. This would help to keep their throat
  moist and prevent dehydration. Warm
  soups, caffeine-free drinks, ice pops, etc., are
  good for this purpose.
• Dry air may aggravate the symptoms, so it is
  better to use a cool-air humidifier in the
  room. Alternatively, leave a kettle of water
  boiling in the room. The steam will help in
  keeping the air moist.

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CONTINUE - TREATMENT

• Lozenges also provide a good deal of relief from
  sore throat.
• Avoid getting exposed to cigarette smoke, paints
  and the like. These substances irritate the
  throat and may worsen the condition.
• Doctors may be consulted for medications to treat
  fever and pain that arise from chronic
  tonsillitis. These may help during bed time,
  which otherwise may be difficult because of the
  symptoms.
• Although the above measures are good enough to
  treat chronic tonsillitis, if they don't work,
  then an ENT doctor may suggest for a surgery to
  remove the tonsils altogether.