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Tonsillitis is an infection that affects the tonsils. Tonsils are the small glands which are situated towards the back of your throat just behind the tongue. It is still not clear what their function is but most studies indicate that they may help fight infections.
Although the most common and dominant symptom of the condition is a sore throat there are many other symptoms like a cough, headaches and fever. The symptom that you are experiencing is not uncommon and is something that many patients experience. The pain from a sore throat can at times be so severe that eating and swallowing, even your own spit, is extremely painful.
Very often the infection clears and vanishes on its own, without any medical intervention, but in cases that are severe, or recurring, removal of the tonsils through a procedure called a tonsillectomy is the best option. The infection could be either viral or bacterial, but it is most commonly viral. Children in the age group of five to fifteen years are at a much higher risk of infection but it could infect anyone.
It is very important that you give your body and system a chance to rest. Although swallowing and eating food is extremely painful make sure that you have a lot to eat and drink, as depriving your body of vital nutrients and leaving it dehydrated can worsen and intensify the symptoms. As the most common cause of tonsillitis is viral infection, antibiotics are not very effective against it and the infection will clear on its own. The only treatment that can help would be treatment directed towards the symptoms to alleviate them.
In case of bacterial tonsillitis that is caused by the streptococcal bacteria treatment with antibiotics is quite effective. However this treatment will again only address the infection so you could try out some home remedies as well o address the symptoms.
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