Tonsillitis

Question 1

Tonsillitis

Answer 1

Inflammation of the tonsils due to infection

Question 2

Causes

Answer 2

Commonly viral

Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus

Question 3

Clinical features

Answer 3

Sore throat
Fever
Headache, tummy pain (small children), referred ear pain
Loss or change in voice
Red throat, swollen tonsils, flecks or covered in white
Purulent exudate, lymphadenopathy and severe pain suggest bacterial
Classical streptococcal tonsillitis has an acute onset, headache, abdominal pain and dysphagia

Question 4

Management

Answer 4

Reassurance
Encourage to keep drinking
Analgesia
Antipyretics
Antibiotics if think bacterial, have immunosuppression, hx of rheumatic fever
Tonsillectomy if recurrent/has big impact

Question 5

Complications

Answer 5

Retropharyngeal abscess
Peritonsillar abscess (quinsy)
Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis or rheumatic fever