SCRIPT NUMBER 71
TONSILLITIS
(TWO SPEAKERS)
PROGRAM NAME: HEALTH NUGGETS
PROGRAM TITLE: TONSILLITIS
PROGRAM NUMBER: 71
SUBJECT: CAUSES, TREATMENT, PREVENTION OF TONSIL INFECTION
AND INFLAMMATION
KEY WORDS: IMMUNE FUNCTION, BACTERIAL, VIRAL, LIFETHREATENING COMPLICATIONS, GARGLE, HYGIENE
DATE OF SCRIPT: AUGUST 3, 2012
AUTHOR: RICHARD YUKL, MD, FACS
SPEAKER 1:
Today, we would like to talk with you about tonsils.
Your tonsils are the two oval-shaped pads of tissue that you can see at the back
of your throat when you open your mouth wide— one pad on each side.
SPEAKER 2:
Because your tonsils produce white blood cells that
fight infections, they are your body’s first line of defense against the viruses and
bacteria that attack you by entering your body through your mouth. Their job
makes your tonsils, themselves, particularly prone to inflammation and infection,
or what we call tonsillitis.
SPEAKER 1:
SPEAKER 2:
Isn’t tonsillitis a disease of children?
The tonsil's immune system function lessens after puberty.
This may explain why tonsillitis is so commonly seen in children up to the midteenage years, but only rarely in adults.
SPEAKER 1:
Describe the symptoms of tonsillitis.
SPEAKER 2:
Symptoms include redness and enlargement of the tonsils,
white or yellow patches on their surface, a fever and a sore throat making
swallowing painful. There may be swelling of the neck. In young children who are
unable to describe how they feel, signs of tonsillitis include unusual irritability, a
refusal to eat, and drooling because it hurts to swallow.
SPEAKER 1:
How is tonsillitis diagnosed?
SPEAKER 2:
Viruses cause tonsillitis more often than do bacteria. It is
important to identify the cause of each infection accurately, because their
treatments are different. Making the proper diagnosis starts with your doctor
using a lighted instrument to look at the back of the throat, gently feeling the neck
for swollen glands, and examining the ears and nose, the other possible sites of
infection. A complete blood count can indicate whether the infection is more likely
caused by a bacteria or a virus. The doctor will rub a sterile swab over the back
of the throat, taking a sample of secretions that can be examined for presence of
the bacteria that cause tonsillitis. Many clinics are equipped with machines that
can return such a test result within a few minutes. A second, more reliable, test
may also be done. Results take one to two days. If the test comes back negative,
the tonsillitis is almost certainly a virus infection, but if the test comes back
positive, the infection is bacterial.
SPEAKER 1:
What is the proper treatment of tonsillitis?
SPEAKER 2:
One of the goals of tonsillitis treatment is to control the pain.
Aside from that, it is important to treat the inflammation or infection itself promptly
and vigorously. Left untreated, the inflammation can make it difficult to breathe,
and it can obstruct breathing during sleep. Also, infection can spread into the
tissues surrounding the tonsils with the development of pockets of puss in the
neck. Life-threatening complications can also develop if the infection is left
inappropriately treated. As an example, one bacterium that causes tonsillitis is
also responsible for the life-threatening condition we call rheumatic fever, an
inflammation of all of the layers of the heart, and a major cause of later,
permanent damage of your heart valves, of inflammation of your joints, and of
kidney damage that results in failure of your kidneys to remove waste and excess
fluids from your body.
If your tonsillitis is a viral infection, antibiotics are not helpful, and your doctor will
not prescribe them. Appropriate treatment will limit the pain, but your body’s own
defenses must destroy the virus. The inflammation will likely be better within
seven to 10 days. While suffering the severe symptoms, get plenty of sleep, and
rest your voice. Drink plenty of water to keep your throat moist and prevent
dehydration, drinking warm liquids such as broth and caffeine-free tea, or warm
water with honey. Mix one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, gargle, and
then spit it out. This will sooth a sore throat. Also, moisten the air you breathe by
boiling water and breathing in the steamy air it creates, or by using a humidifier if
you have access to one. Finally, keep your home free from cigarette smoke and
cleaning products that can irritate your throat.
You can buy medicines at a store that are designed to help you fight the
inflammation, minimize throat pain and control the fever without a doctor’s
prescription. Try them, but talk to your doctor about prescribing stronger
medicines if these non-prescription medicines prove inadequate.
SPEAKER 1:
SPEAKER 2:
And, if a bacterium caused my tonsillitis?
In that case, these same, simple treatments are
helpful as an addition to a course of antibiotics. Your doctor will prescribe a
course of antibiotics for you to take. Penicillin that you take by mouth for 10 days
is the most common antibiotic used. You must take the full course of antibiotics
as prescribed even if the symptoms go away completely before the antibiotic
course is completed. Failure to take all of the antibiotics as directed may result in
the infection worsening and spreading to other parts of your body, increasing
your risk of developing life-threatening complications.
SPEAKER 1:
How can I prevent spreading my tonsillitis to others?
SPEAKER 2:
God created our bodies with a delicate immune system to
protect us against invasion by deadly viruses and bacteria. The best way we can
prevent that system from becoming overwhelmed while it does its job is to
practice good hygiene. That means washing our hands thoroughly and
frequently, especially after using the toilet and before eating. It means avoiding
the sharing of our food, drinking glasses or utensils with anyone. Additionally, we
can prevent spread of our viral or bacterial infections to others by coughing or
sneezing into a tissue and then washing our hands. Or, when necessary,
coughing or sneezing into our elbow, and then washing our hands.
SPEAKER 1:
Health Nuggets is written by Dr. Richard Yukl, a medical
doctor working in the United States. The medical views expressed in this
program are his and may differ for your particular health needs. If you need
medical advice, please consult a medical professional in your area.