Tonsilitis has various classifications.
Acute catarrhal tonsilitis is associated with viral infection secondary to acute pharyngitis and is fairly mild. Associated with swelling of the tonsils and redness.
Follicular tonsilitis is due to bacterial etiology. The tonsils will have white spots all over the tonsils due to pus being expelled from the crypts of the tonsils.
Acute membranous tonsilitis which a more advanced stage of follicular where a membrane is completely form over the tonsils.
Acute Parenchymatous is associated with infection of the parenchymal area rather than the crypts. Importantly the uvula is still central.
Acute tonsilitis is more common in school age children, but can also be seen in adults.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS of Tonsilitis
Sore Throat
Odonophagia - painful swallowing
Fever - chills/rigors
Constitutional symptoms - malaise, lethargy
Earache which is either referred or acute otitis media
Abdominal pain due to mesenteric lymphadenitis
Redness of tonsils, soft palate, pillars and uvula
Halitosis - bad breath
Jugular digastric lymph node enlargement
Chronic Tonsilitis are simply recurrent attacks of acute tonsilitis.
Chronic Follicular and Chronic Membranous
Chronic Fibroid is smaller than normal.
Systemic complications include rheumatic fever, glomeulonephritis, endocarditis, acute otitis media and abscesses (intratonsilar, peritonsilar abscess (quinsy), parapharyngeal abscess). Tonsilolith is a stone that is made up of calcium or lithium.
Treatment for tonsilitis
Conversative treatment such as rest, increased fluid intake, analgesic and anti-biotics (Amoxicillin).
Tonsillectomy is done if there is severe hypertrophy, recurrent, , abscess and malignancy. Complications include bleeding due to suture, infection, reactionary bleed. Aspiration pneumonia and local injury such as TMj, dislocation, eustuchian tube damage, fibrosis, and remnants of tonsil remain.