You should know about tonsillitis

Author: Huang Qingyan, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University

Xu Fei The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University

Reviewer: Zheng Hongliang, Chief Physician, First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University

Speaking of tonsils, I believe everyone is familiar with them! When the body's resistance is low, these little guys may become inflamed - tonsillitis, which is hard to prevent! So, how much do you know about tonsillitis? Let's learn together!

1. Causes of tonsillitis

Tonsils are sometimes attacked by acute or chronic nonspecific inflammation. The pathogens that cause inflammation are often those viruses or bacteria that run around everywhere. They sneak into our bodies quietly, making tonsillitis a "star" disease in the Department of Otolaryngology.

2. Symptoms of tonsillitis

——The throat hurts like a fire, is dry like the desert, and always feels like there is something stuck in the throat. From time to time, it will cause irritation and coughing, and the voice will be hoarse and weak. The worst thing is that if the inflammation causes the tonsils to be too enlarged, you may snore when you sleep, your breathing will become unsmooth, and even swallowing saliva will be difficult.

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——Systemic symptoms should not be underestimated. They will make you feel cold all over, your body temperature will rise, you will become lazy and you will even lose your appetite.

——Complications are even more terrible, and may cause a series of problems such as otitis media, sinusitis, and even serious diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, myocarditis, and nephritis. Everyone must be careful and seek medical attention in time if symptoms occur!

3. Drug treatment of tonsillitis

Acute tonsillitis may be contagious! So, keep the indoor air circulating, let in fresh air, and keep germs out! Don't give them a chance to spread through droplets or contact!

We need to select the antibiotic that is most sensitive to the pathogen. Experience tells us that penicillin may be a good helper!

If you feel feverish and body aches, don't worry, antipyretic and analgesic drugs are your super weapon! They can help you get rid of these discomforts.

However, if you still feel uncomfortable after 2 to 3 days of treatment, you need to find out the cause. You may need to switch to more powerful and sensitive antibiotics, and you can also increase the amount of glucocorticoids, such as dexamethasone.

During the treatment, you should rest well and drink plenty of water! Quit smoking and drinking, and try to avoid irritating foods. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash to keep your mouth clean and fresh.

Most people with acute tonsillitis can recover in about a week. For those with chronic tonsillitis, remember to combine work and rest to enhance your immunity! Use antibiotics appropriately. You can also choose Chinese medicine or Chinese patent medicine that suits you according to the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, such as Liushen Pills, Yinhuang Lozenges, etc.

4. Tonsillectomy

① When should we consider “one size fits all” when inflammation persists?

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Surgery is not a joke. It requires accurate judgment of surgical indications and contraindications. It cannot be performed casually.

If the following situations occur, you must act quickly to remove your tonsils and get your body back on track to health!

- Chronic tonsillitis, if it recurs more than 3 times a year

- Peritonsillar abscess

——Excessive enlargement of tonsils, affecting breathing, swallowing, pronunciation, etc.

——Causes lesions in adjacent tissues and organs, such as otitis media, sinusitis, etc.

② In these cases, tonsils cannot be removed casually

If these conditions exist, tonsillectomy may not be suitable for you for the time being!

- Sudden onset of tonsillitis

——Having hematopoietic system disease or abnormal coagulation function

——Hypertension, decompensated heart disease, active pulmonary tuberculosis, etc.

——Women during menstruation or pregnancy

——Low white blood cell count, autoimmune diseases, etc.

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③Precautions after tonsillectomy

——Prevent bleeding. After tonsillectomy, the problem of bleeding should not be underestimated! Be sure to pay attention after the operation. If you feel blood flowing into the throat, remember to spit it out in time and never swallow it. Try to talk less, cough gently, and spit out the secretions in your mouth. After wiping with a tissue, put the tissues containing blood together to facilitate observation of the amount of bleeding. If the child has not woken up after general anesthesia, or the child has undergone surgery, parents should pay special attention to whether there is frequent swallowing. Medical staff will deal with it in time according to the blood situation. Rest more after surgery and reduce activities!

——Prevent infection. The oropharynx is the only way to eat, and the wound is easily contaminated by food. Therefore, before and after eating, you must remember to rinse your mouth and maintain oral hygiene. The doctor will use antibiotics reasonably, and the nurse will measure your body temperature every day. Be careful not to let too many people visit you, otherwise it is easy to cross-infect. At the same time, you must ensure nutrition and sleep to improve your body's resistance.

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——Relieve pain. When the wound hurts, the doctor will treat it according to the specific situation. If it only hurts a little, you can try listening to music or playing with your phone to divert your attention. Another trick is to use an ice pack to cool the submandibular area or neck, which can not only relieve pain, but also reduce bleeding!