Symptoms and Home Remedies for Tonsillitis (Strep Throat)

By Patricia | March 10, 2010

Symptoms

Tonsillitis is a condition where the tonsils become inflamed due to a viral or bacterial infection. The tonsils on each side of the throat become enlarged, tender and painful. On opening the mouth wide, one may also observe small white patches on the tonsils. Other symptoms of this condition are difficulty in swallowing, headaches, chills and fever, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, and abdominal pain in children. A course of antibiotics is generally sufficient to cure tonsillitis. However, if the problem is recurrent or severe, surgical removal of the tonsils may be necessary. In a small number of cases, throat infections may lead to strep throat, in which the white spots on the tonsils may become filled with pus and tiny red spots may appear on the roof of the mouth. The irritation in the throat may be quite painful and the condition may even induce vomiting. Since the symptoms of both tonsillitis and strep throat are quite similar, it is difficult to say conclusively which of the two conditions you are suffering from. Typically, a person suffering from strep throat may not respond positively to the antibiotics that are generally useful in curing tonsillitis. If you are running a high fever or have great difficulty in breathing but do not have a congested or runny nose then chances are that you may be suffering from strep throat. A thorough medical examination is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.

Home Remedies

However, there are a few basic measures that you may take at home to treat the condition, besides following the medication prescribed by your doctor. You should add a pinch of salt to a glass of warm water and gargle with this solution thrice a day. Also, drinking plenty of water and fluids is important to keep the throat well hydrated and reduce the pain and irritation caused by the infection. Soups and homemade fruit juices are recommended, as they supply essential nutrients to the body and are easy to swallow as well. Avoid carbonated and chilled drinks, coffee and alcohol, as they may cause dehydration and may intensify the symptoms. One of the most popular and effective natural remedies for relieving a sore throat is to squeeze the juice of a lemon into a glass of water, add two teaspoons of honey and a pinch of salt to it and drink small portions of this solution periodically. This kills the microbes that are responsible for causing the infection in the throat.

ADVERTISEMENT
Related Articles
advertisement
Find Us On Facebook
Copyright © 2024 Mac Millan Interactive Communications, LLC Terms of Use | Sitemap
The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
See additional information. Use of this site is subject to our terms of service and privacy policy.