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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffTonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat — one tonsil on each side. Signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include swollen tonsils, sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by infection with a common virus, but a bacterial infection also may cause tonsillitis.
Because appropriate treatment for tonsillitis depends on the cause, it's important to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis. Surgery to remove tonsils, once a common procedure to treat tonsillitis, is usually performed only when tonsillitis occurs frequently, doesn't respond to other treatments or causes serious complications.
- Tonsillopharyngitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch090/ch090i.html. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsillitis. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsillitis.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Tonsillitis. Healthy Children: American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/pages/Tonsillitis.aspx. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- The difference between a sore throat, strep and tonsillitis. Healthy Children: American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/pages/The-Difference-Between-a-Sore-Throat-Strep-and-Tonsillitis.aspx. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Wetmore R. Tonsils and adenoids. In: Kliegman R, et al., eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/193178650-2/0/1608/0.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsilsAdenoids.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Tonsillar cellulitis and abscess. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual of Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec19/ch222/ch222b.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Streptococcal and enterococcal infections. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch171/ch171d.html. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Information from your family doctor. Sore throat. American Family Physician. 2006;74:1185.
- Get smart: Know when antibiotics work. Symptom relief. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/symptom-relief.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids post-op. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsilsAdenoidsPostop.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 7, 2010.
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