Do I Have Tonsilitis?

Do you have fever over 38°C (100.4°F)?

Do you have a sore throat that does not go away within 24 to 48 hours?

Do you have difficult or painful swallowing?

Do you have enlarged and tender lymph nodes in the neck?

Do you have a scratchy- sounding or muffled voice?

Do you have red and/or swollen tonsils or perhaps, one of your tonsils appear larger than the other?

Do you have white or yellow coating or patches on the tonsils?

Do you have bad breath?

Do you feel extreme tiredness, lethargy, and malaise?

Do you have disrupted breathing during sleep such as breathing with your mouth open, snoring or sleep apnea (temporary cessation of breathing - breathing repeatedly stops and starts)?

Do you drool due to difficult or painful swallowing?

Do you have difficulty opening your mouth (trismus)?

Do you have stiff neck?

Do you have headache, earaches, or stomachache (particularly in children)?

Have you been exposed to anyone known to have strep throat?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is an inflammation of your tonsils (two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat) caused by viral or bacterial infection. The symptom you have may indicate some form of infection. The best approach in this case is to contact you GP for the symptom assessment.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is an inflammation of your tonsils, commonly due to viral or bacterial infection. The tonsils are lymph glands located in the back of your throat and you can see them when you open your mouth. The tonsils are part of the body immune system and on the first line of defense for fighting infections. Tonsillitis is a common childhood illness, but it can occur at any age. Tonsillitis by itself usually is not serious, but if left untreated it can lead to complications. Please contact your GP or an ENT specialist, or otolaryngologist.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have tonsillitis. Tonsillitis is an inflammation of your tonsils (a pair of lymphoid tissue in the throat, one on each side) caused by viral or bacterial infection. There are 3 types of tonsillitis: acute, chronic, and recurrent. The symptoms of acute tonsillitis usually clear up within a few days, but chronically enlarged tonsils can cause complications such as airway obstruction leading to sleep apnea. A severe case of tonsillitis, usually found in adults, is a peritonsillary abscess in which a pocket of pus develops around your tonsils. Please contact your ENT specialist or otolaryngologist.