Tonsillitis should i go to work

Did you recently get a new pet and are now experiencing a sore throat? Could be allergies. Here are some more tips for responding to a sore throat:. The main point, according to Dr. Curtis, is that using internet search to diagnose yourself is not the safest idea. This is called a glue ear Quinsy — if the infection spreads into the tissue around the tonsils, an abscess can form in the throat, also known as a peri-tonsillar abscess. This causes severe pain and can interfere with swallowing and even breathing.

Antibiotics may help, but sometimes an operation is needed to drain the abscess. Treatment of tonsillitis Because most attacks of tonsillitis are caused by viruses, most of the treatment is aimed at helping to relieve the symptoms such as pain and fever. Tonsillectomy If attacks of tonsillitis become frequent and severe, or cause complications, your doctor might suggest an operation, known as tonsillectomy.

Medical issues to consider before tonsillectomy Before doing a tonsillectomy, your doctor will give you a complete physical check-up. Making a decision about tonsillectomy for children Tonsillectomy is mainly done in children to treat snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea or frequent tonsillitis.

You and your doctor are in the best position to decide if this operation will help your child. Tonsillectomy procedure A tonsillectomy is performed under general anaesthesia.

See the fact sheets here: Before your child has tonsil surgery Caring for your child after tonsil surgery Pain management plan after tonsil surgery Safer Care Victoria has developed a number of videos where parents share their stories about caring for their child before, on the day of and after tonsil surgery. Immediately after a tonsillectomy operation After the operation you can expect: When you wake up, you will be lying on your side — this is to prevent choking if any bleeding occurs from the tonsil pad A sore throat Pain-relieving medication, if necessary The nursing staff will regularly check your pulse, blood pressure, breathing rate and your throat for any signs of bleeding For the first four hours after the operation, you will probably not be allowed to have any food or liquids You may find it difficult to eat or drink, but you will be encouraged to do so — the more often you use your throat, the better You can expect a hospital stay of just one day or so.

Complications of tonsillectomy Possible complications of tonsillectomy include: The pain may ease within two days or so, but may flare up again up to six days after the operation.

You may also have ear pain. There can be excessive bleeding haemorrhage from your tonsil pads. Most cases of haemorrhage occur within one week of surgery. The scabs that form on the wounds may give you a bad taste in your mouth. Self-care after tonsillectomy Be guided by your doctor about how to care for yourself at home, but general suggestions include: Do not smoke. Avoid vigorous exercise immediately after the operation. Usually, you should have a week or so at home before returning to work or school.

Avoid crowded, enclosed areas such as cinemas for at least one week, to reduce the risk of infection. Your sore throat may last for two to three weeks, but try to get back to your normal diet as soon as possible — avoid sticking to a jelly and ice cream diet. Some foods can cause irritation and pain — avoid sour drinks such as citrus fruit juices , spicy foods and roughly textured foods for about 10 days. Tonsillitis normally goes after a few days. Treatment can ease the symptoms until the infection goes.

See a doctor if the symptoms are severe or don't get better quickly. Tonsils are made of soft gland tissue and they are part of the body's defence against infections the immune system.

You have two tonsils, one on either side at the back of the mouth. By Blausen. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 2. ISSN A new strain of bacteria has been identified which may account for the rise in serious Strep A i A sore throat is the most common of all tonsillitis symptoms. You may also have a cough, high temperature fever , headache, feel sick nausea , feel tired, find swallowing painful, and have swollen neck glands. The tonsils may swell and become red.

Pus may appear as white spots on the tonsils. Symptoms typically get worse over days and then gradually go, usually within a week. The picture below shows inflamed tonsils. Glandular fever infectious mononucleosis is caused by a virus the Epstein-Barr virus. It tends to cause a severe bout of tonsillitis as well as other symptoms.

See the separate leaflet called Glandular Fever Infectious Mononucleosis for more details. Infectious means you can pass the infection to someone else. The infection may spread by close physical contact with other people, or by droplets in the air, caused by sneezing or coughing. As with coughs, colds , flu and other similar infections, there is a chance that you can pass on the virus or bacterium that has caused tonsillitis.

See a doctor if symptoms of a sore throat cause severe symptoms, or if they do not ease within days. In particular, you should seek urgent medical attention if you develop:. Mild tonsillitis often doesn't need any treatment. In rare cases, tonsillitis can also be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever. If this is the case, you'll probably feel very ill.

You'll have a sore throat and the lymph glands in your throat may be swollen. You may also have a fever and feel very tired. Bacterial tonsillitis can be caused by a number of different bacteria, but it's usually due to group A streptococcus bacteria. In the past, serious bacterial infections, such as diphtheria and rheumatic fever, have been linked with tonsillitis.

However, this is now rare, because these conditions are vaccinated against and treatment for them has greatly improved. Viruses, such as those that cause colds and flu, are spread through coming into close contact with someone who's infected. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of their nose and mouth.

You can become infected by breathing in the contaminated droplets. This is known as direct contact. You can also become infected if you touch a surface or object that the droplets have landed on and then touch your face.

This is known as indirect contact. There's no specific treatment for tonsillitis and most cases get better within a week without treatment.

While waiting for the infection to clear up, there are a number of things you can do to help relieve your symptoms see below. If your child has tonsillitis, make sure they have plenty to eat and drink, even if they find it painful to swallow.

Being hungry and dehydrated can make other symptoms, such as headaches and tiredness, worse. Over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen , can help relieve painful symptoms such as a sore throat. If treating your children with painkillers, it's important to use the correct type and dosage. Younger children only need small dosages. Your pharmacist can advise you about this. Over-the-counter treatments that can soothe a sore throat, such as lozenges and oral sprays, are also available.

Some people find that gargling with a mild antiseptic solution can also relieve a sore throat. Alternatively, you could try gargling with warm, salty water. Mix half a teaspoon of salt 2. It's important not to swallow the water, so this method may not be suitable for younger children. Antibiotics may not be prescribed, even if tests confirm your tonsillitis is caused by a bacterial infection.

The two main reasons for this are:. In these circumstances, a day course of penicillin is usually recommended. If you or your child is known to be allergic to penicillin, an alternative antibiotic, such as erythromycin, can be used. Hospital treatment may be required for particularly severe or persistent cases of bacterial tonsillitis that don't respond to oral antibiotics.

In these cases, intravenous antibiotics given directly into a vein may be needed. Antibiotics sometimes cause mild side effects, such as an upset stomach, diarrhoea or a rash.

For children with mild sore throats, watchful waiting is recommended rather than a tonsillectomy. A tonsillectomy is only considered for a recurrent sore throat if certain criteria are met.

You must have:. Tonsillectomies are carried out under general anaesthetic , which means you'll be asleep during the procedure.