Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis Quiz
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Sore throat
Fatigued
Have a fever
Swallowing difficulties
White spots at the back of the throat
Pain when swallowing
Swollen tonsils
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis?
Infection of the tonsils and pharynx (back of the mouth), either by viruses or bacteria.
Typical Symptoms of Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis
- Unable to swallow liquids
- Discharge of yellow or green sputum.
- Swollen throat
- Pain at the back of the head
- Sore throat with pain when swallowing
- Recurrent fever episodes
- Cough worsens after exercise
- Whole body pain
Diagnostic Questions for Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you unable to swallow liquids?
- Do you have yellow or green sputum?
- Is your throat swollen?
- Do you have pain at the back of your head?
- Do you have a sore throat with pain when swallowing?
Treatment of Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis
This condition may improve without treatment, especially if caused by viruses. The doctor may prescribe pain relievers, and in some cases antibiotics to fight a bacterial infection. Ensuring proper hydration is important as pain makes swallowing and drinking difficult.
Reviewed By:
Scott Nass, MD, MPA, FAAFP, AAHIVS (Primary Care)
Dr. Nass received dual medical degrees from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Charles R. Drew University in Medicine and Science. He completed Family Medicine residency at Ventura County Medical Center with subsequent fellowships at Ventura, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, George Washington University, and University of California-Irvine. He holds faculty appointments at Keck School of Medicine of USC, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, and Western University of Health Sciences.
Rohini R, MD (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.
Content updated on Feb 13, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Throat swelling
- One side of the throat is swollen
- Hard to eat
- Difficult to swallow food because of pain
- Asymmetric throat swelling
- Tonsils are inflamed
- Throat feels burnt when I drink
- Unilateral tonsillar swelling
- Throat tightness
- Swelling of the throat is worse on one side
- Bump in the throat
- Swollen uvula
- Sore, swollen glands in neck or jaw
See full list
Symptoms Related to Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis
Diseases Related to Acute Tonsillitis / Pharyngitis
FAQs
Q.
What Causes Tonsils to Swell?
A.
Tonsils can swell due to various causes, primarily infections and other inflammatory conditions. Understanding these causes can help in managing symptoms and determining the appropriate treatment.
References:
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Overview: Enlarged tonsils and adenoids. [Updated 2023 Jan 17].
Q.
What Should I Do If My Tonsillitis Symptoms Haven't Improved After 4 Days?
A.
If your tonsillitis symptoms have not improved after four days, it is important to seek medical attention. Persistent symptoms may indicate a more serious infection or the need for a different treatment approach.
References:
Georgalas CC, Tolley NS, Narula PA. Tonsillitis. BMJ Clin Evid. 2014 Jul 22;2014:0503. PMID: 25051184; PMCID: PMC4106232.
Singh H, Bhatt A, Kumar M, Deshmukh P. Tonsillitis and Sinusitis: A Narrative Review of Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management. Cureus. 2023 Oct 17;15(10):e47192. doi: 10.7759/cureus.47192. PMID: 38021555; PMCID: PMC10652663.
Q.
Can Stress Cause One Tonsil to Swell?
A.
Stress can potentially contribute to the swelling of one tonsil, although it is not a direct cause. Unilateral tonsillar enlargement is often associated with infections or other medical conditions, but stress may exacerbate underlying issues or affect the immune response, leading to tonsil swelling.
References:
Cortez EA, Mattox DE, Holt GR, Gates GA. Unilateral tonsillar enlargement. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg (1979). 1979 Nov-Dec;87(6):707-16. doi: 10.1177/019459987908700603. PMID: 530694.
Alicandri-Ciufelli M, Molteni G, Villari D, Mattioli F, Presutti L. Tonsillar swelling: always a simple diagnosis? Med J Aust. 2009 Apr 20;190(8):457. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02502.x. PMID: 19374623.
Cvetković T, Vlahović P, Todorović M, Stanković M. Investigation of oxidative stress in patients with chronic tonsillitis. Auris Nasus Larynx. 2009 Jun;36(3):340-4. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2008.10.004. Epub 2008 Dec 25. PMID: 19111415.
Q.
How Long Is Tonsillitis Contagious, and How Long Should You Take Off From Work or School?
A.
Tonsillitis can be contagious, especially if it is caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Generally, individuals with tonsillitis should stay home from work or school until they have been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours if the cause is bacterial, or until symptoms improve if it is viral.
References:
Windfuhr, J.P., Toepfner, N., Steffen, G. _et al._ Clinical practice guideline: tonsillitis I. Diagnostics and nonsurgical management. _Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol_ 273, 973–987 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3872-6
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tonsillitis.html
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tonsillitis.html
Schwartz RH, Kim D, Martin M, Pichichero ME. A Reappraisal of the Minimum Duration of Antibiotic Treatment Before Approval of Return to School for Children With Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2015 Dec;34(12):1302-4. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000000883. PMID: 26295745.
Norton L, Myers A. The treatment of streptococcal tonsillitis/pharyngitis in young children. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Jul 15;7(3):161-165. doi: 10.1016/j.wjorl.2021.05.005. PMID: 34430823; PMCID: PMC8356196.
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Buettner, R., Schwermer, M., & Ostermann, T. (2023). Complementary and alternative medicine in the (symptomatic) treatment of acute tonsillitis in children: A systematic review. Therapies in Medicine.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229923000274Bochner, R. E., Gangar, M., & Belamarich, P. F. (2017). A clinical approach to tonsillitis, tonsillar hypertrophy, and peritonsillar and retropharyngeal abscesses. Pediatrics in Review.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatricsinreview/article-abstract/38/2/81/31836Eroğlu, A., Suzan, Ö. K., Kolukısa, T., & Kaya, Ö. (2024). The relationship between group A streptococcus test positivity and clinical findings in tonsillopharyngitis in children: systematic review and meta-analysis. Infection.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s15010-024-02395-7