Tonsillitis is a painful disease resulting from inflamed tonsils. It is caused by bacteria or viruses that infect one or both of the palatine tonsils. Most attacks of tonsillitis occur in people between the ages of 10 and 40. An attack begins with swelling and pain in the throat and difficulty in swallowing. Fever, headache, backache, stiff neck, and nausea occur in severe cases. Sometimes an abscess (collection of pus) forms next to the tonsil in the throat.
Physicians generally recommend bed rest, aspirin, and saltwater gargles to relieve the symptoms of tonsillitis. If the infection is bacterial, doctors can cure it with antibiotics. Antibiotics are not effective against viral tonsillitis. Some people suffer from long-lasting or repeated attacks of tonsillitis. Doctors may recommend that the tonsils be removed in such cases. The operation to remove the tonsils is called a tonsillectomy.
