Description

• An inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsils. The inflammation regularly lengthens to the adenoid and the lingual tonsils. It frequently arises in combination with inflammation of the pharynx; for this reason, the term tonsillitis and pharyngitis are often used interchangeably or in combination ( tonsilopharyngitis)
• It is most common in children and young adults and are primarily caused by group A streptococci
• Characterized by the sudden onset of fever, sore throat, and painful swallowing. Patients may also have tender, swollen cervical lymph nodes and tonsillar exudates
• Acute catarrhal or superficial tonsillitis - Tonsillitis is a part of generalized pharyngitis and is mostly seen in viral infections
• Acute follicular tonsillitis -The infection spreads into the crypts which become filled with purulent material, presenting at the openings of crypts as yellowish spots
• Acute parenchymatous tonsillitis - Tonsil substance is affected. Tonsil is uniformly enlarged and red
• Acute membranous tonsillitis - Exudation from the crypts coalesces to form a membrane on the surface of tonsil

Types

Symptoms

• Sore throat
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Fever, vary from 38 to 40°C and may be associated with chills and rigours
• Earache- either referred pain from the tonsil or the result of acute otitis media
• Simple pharyngitis
• Headache
• General body aches
• Malaise
• Constipation

Signs

• Breath is foetid and the tongue is coated
• Hyperaemia of pillars, soft palate and uvula
• Tonsils are red and swollen
• Yellowish spots at the opening of crypts - Acute follicular tonsillitis
• Whitish membrane on the medial surface of tonsil- Acute membranous tonsillitis

Complications

• Chronic tonsillitis
• Peritonsillar abscess
• Parapharyngeal abscess
• Cervical abscess
• Acute otitis media
• Rheumatic fever

Investigation

• Throat examination
• Throat Swab
• Complete blood count

Treatments

• Take plenty of fluids
• Analgesics
• Antimicrobial therapy

Ayurvedic treatment

• Advice to avoid seetha vihara

Internal medicines

• Amruthothara kashaya – in Fever
• Guduchyadi kashaya
• Panchathiktaka kashaya – in Inflammation
• Guggulu panchapala choorna
• Amrutharishta
• Punarnavasava
• Sudarsanam gutika
• Suryaprabha gutika
• Vyoshadi vataka

Procedures

• Kabala -Triphala kashaya
• Lepa – Rasna jambeera

Department

Salakya - ENT