Gardasil 9 (HPV vaccine): Side effects, dosage, uses, and more
Everything You Need To Know About Tonsillitis
A variety of bacterial and viral infections can cause tonsillitis. You may experience symptoms like sore throat and pain while swallowing.
Your tonsils are the two small organs made of lymphoid tissue located on each side of the back of your throat. They work as a defense mechanism and help prevent your body from getting an infection.
When an infection develops on your tonsils themselves, the condition is called tonsillitis.
Tonsillitis is a common childhood illness but can occur at any age. Doctors most often diagnose it in children from preschool through their mid-teens. Symptoms include a sore throat, swollen tonsils, and fever.
The germs that trigger tonsillitis can be transmitted to others, and a variety of common viruses and bacteria can cause it. Tonsillitis-causing microorganisms include Streptococcal bacteria. Tonsillitis caused by strep throat can lead to serious complications without treatment.
Tonsillitis is easy to diagnose. Symptoms usually resolve within 7–10 days.
Here's what you need to know about tonsillitis, from its symptoms to treatments that can help.
The tonsils are your first line of defense against illness. They produce white blood cells that help your body fight infection.
The tonsils combat bacteria and viruses that enter your body through your mouth and nose. However, the tonsils are also vulnerable to infection from the very germs they help keep away.
A virus, such as the common cold, can trigger tonsillitis. Bacterial infections, such as strep throat, are also possible causes of tonsillitis.
Possible symptoms of tonsillitis include:
In very young children, you may also notice increased irritability, poor appetite, or excessive drooling.
A mild case of tonsillitis doesn't necessarily require treatment, especially if a virus, such as a cold, causes it.
Treatments for more severe cases of tonsillitis may include antibiotics or, less often, a tonsillectomy.
If a person experiences dehydration due to tonsillitis, they may also need intravenous fluids. Pain medications to relieve the sore throat can also help while the throat is healing.
TonsillectomySurgery to remove the tonsils is called a tonsillectomy. Doctors generally only recommend a tonsillectomy if you experience chronic or recurrent tonsillitis, or if tonsillitis has caused complications or symptoms don't improve.
If you've had tonsillitis or strep throat at least five to seven times in the past year, a tonsillectomy may help stop these recurrences. The surgery can also relieve the breathing or swallowing problems that can result from tonsillitis.
A tonsillectomy may reduce the number of throat infections in children during the first year after surgery, according to a 2017 review of past studies. However, a 2018 study found that adults who underwent the procedure as children faced an increased risk of respiratory and infectious diseases long term.
Having a tonsillectomy may reduce your overall risk of developing strep throat, but you can still get strep throat and other throat infections after removal. It's also possible for your tonsils to grow back after surgery, but this is rare.
You should be able to go home the same day as your surgery, though kids might not always be. It takes about 1–2 weeks to fully recover. Learn what to do before and after getting a tonsillectomy.
Tonsillitis antibioticsIf a bacterial infection caused your tonsillitis, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection.
Antibiotics may help resolve your symptoms slightly faster. However, they increase the risk of antibiotic resistance and may have other side effects, like upset stomach. Antibiotics are more necessary for people at risk of complications from tonsillitis.
If a doctor prescribes antibiotics for you, it's likely to be penicillin for tonsillitis due to group A streptococcus, the bacteria that cause strep throat. Antibiotics are necessary for strep throat due to the risk of rheumatic heart disease. Other antibiotics are available if you have a penicillin allergy.
It's important that you complete the full course of antibiotics. Even if your symptoms appear to be completely resolved, the infection can get worse if you don't take all of the medication as prescribed.
Your doctor may want to schedule a follow-up visit to make sure that the antibiotics were effective.
A doctor will examine your throat to reach a diagnosis. They may also take a throat culture by gently swabbing the back of your throat. The culture is sent to a laboratory to identify the cause of your throat infection.
A doctor may also order a blood sample for a complete blood count. This test can show whether your infection is viral or bacterial, which may affect your treatment options.
Tonsillitis can present in several different ways.
Acute tonsillitisTonsillitis is incredibly common in children. In fact, almost every child will probably get tonsillitis at least once.
If symptoms last around 10 days or fewer, a doctor will consider it acute tonsillitis. If symptoms last longer, or if tonsillitis comes back multiple times during the year, it may be chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.
The symptoms of acute tonsillitis usually improve with home treatments. But, in some cases, you may require other treatments, like antibiotics.
Chronic tonsillitis symptoms continue longer than the acute type. You may have the following symptoms on a long-lasting basis:
Chronic tonsillitis may also cause tonsil stones, where materials like dead cells, saliva, and food build up in the crevices of your tonsils. Eventually, the debris can harden into small stones. These may come loose on their own, or a doctor may need to remove them.
A doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy to surgically remove your tonsils if you have chronic tonsillitis.
As with chronic tonsillitis, a standard treatment for recurrent tonsillitis is a tonsillectomy. Recurrent tonsillitis is often defined as:
A 2018 review suggests that chronic and recurrent tonsillitis may occur due to biofilms in the folds of the tonsils. Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that have developed antibiotic resistance, and they can cause repeated infections.
Genetics may also be a reason for recurrent tonsillitis.
A 2019 study examined the tonsils of children who had recurrent tonsillitis. Researchers found that genetics may cause an insufficient immune response to group A streptococcus bacteria, which cause strep throat and tonsillitis.
Learn more about the genetics behind recurrent tonsillitis.
Talk with a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:
In rare cases, tonsillitis can cause the throat to swell so much that it causes trouble breathing. If this happens, seek immediate medical attention.
While some tonsillitis episodes resolve without treatment, some may require other treatments.
Tonsillitis isn't contagious, but the infectious organisms that cause it may still be able to transmit to others until you're no longer sick.
After around 24 hours of taking antibiotics, the bacteria won't be able to transmit to other people.
You can develop tonsillitis if someone carrying a pathogen coughs or sneezes near you, and you breathe in the droplets. If you touch an object that potentially contains infectious organisms, like a doorknob, and then touch your nose or mouth without washing your hands first, you may also develop tonsillitis.
Being in contact with a lot of people increases the risk of exposure to the bacteria and viruses that cause tonsillitis. This is why school-aged children often get the illness. If you have symptoms, it's best to stay home to avoid transmitting tonsillitis.
It typically takes 2–4 days to develop symptoms after exposure. Find out how to reduce your risk of getting or transmitting tonsillitis.
Viral tonsillitisViruses are the most common cause of tonsillitis. The viruses that cause the common cold are often the source of tonsillitis, but other viruses can also cause it, including:
Since the Epstein-Barr virus can cause both mononucleosis and tonsillitis, sometimes people with mono develop tonsillitis as a manifestation of mono.
If you have viral tonsillitis, your symptoms may include coughing or a stuffy nose. Antibiotics aren't effective against viruses, but you can treat standard symptoms by staying hydrated, taking over-the-counter pain relievers, and resting to help your body heal.
Bacterial tonsillitisBacterial tonsillitis is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. Around 15–30% of tonsillitis cases in this age group result from bacteria. Most often, it's strep bacteria, which cause strep throat. But other bacteria can also cause tonsillitis.
A doctor can prescribe antibiotics to treat bacterial tonsillitis, though they may not be necessary. Besides antibiotics, treatment is the same for most cases of viral and bacterial tonsillitis.
There are several treatments you can try at home to ease the throat pain from tonsillitis:
Use throat sprays rather than lozenges for young children, and always check with a pediatrician before giving children medications. Find out more ways to care for tonsillitis at home.
A number of different bacteria or viruses can cause tonsillitis, including group A streptococcus bacteria. Group A streptococcus bacteria is the only cause of strep throat.
Both conditions are contagious, so try to avoid being near other people if you think you have either one.
In addition to tonsillitis symptoms, people with strep throat may develop:
A doctor can use the same tests to diagnose both conditions. Treatments for bacterial tonsillitis and strep throat are also similar. Learn more about the differences between tonsillitis and strep throat.
Tonsillitis is most common in children because they come into close contact with others every day at school and play. This potentially exposes them to a variety of viruses and bacteria. However, adults can get tonsillitis too.
Frequent exposure to other people increases the risk of encountering a person with tonsillitis. As a result, doing activities alongside large groups of people might increase your chance of being exposed to tonsillitis.
Symptoms of tonsillitis and treatments are similar for both adults and kids. If you get a tonsillectomy as an adult, though, it's likely to take longer for you to recover than it would for a child. Learn what to do if you develop tonsillitis as an adult.
If you don't take a full course of antibiotics or the antibiotics don't kill off the bacteria, it's possible that complications could develop from tonsillitis. These include:
In addition to these, complications caused by strep throat include rheumatic fever and poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Taking your medications as instructed by your doctor can reduce your risk of these complications.
To decrease your risk of getting tonsillitis:
Swollen tonsils may cause breathlessness, which may lead to disturbed sleep. Without treatment, tonsillitis-causing bacteria can spread to the area behind the tonsils or to the surrounding tissue.
Symptoms of tonsillitis due to a bacterial infection usually improve a few days after you begin taking antibiotics. The infection is considered transmissible until you've been taking antibiotics for a 24-hour period.
Viral tonsillitis generally resolves on its own with supportive care.
So You Have An Ear Infection—Is That Why Your Jaw's Hurting, Too?
When you think of ear infections, you may think of childhood. Lots of kids come down with ear infections after swapping germs at school or even getting pool water stuck in their ears. But unfortunately, adults can get ear infections, too, and they may be just as painful as they were back then. Add in other symptoms like jaw pain, and it's twice the trouble.If you're unlucky enough to have an ear infection and jaw pain at the same time, you might wonder what's up—is it just a coincidence, or are the two things related?
Here, Philip Chen, MD, FARS, a professor of otolaryngology and rhinology at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, answers this question, including what kinds of conditions cause ear and jaw pain at the same time, and how you can relieve both while you heal from infection.
Can an ear infection cause jaw pain?Sadly, yes (as if an earache wasn't sucky enough). There are two types of ear infections, according to Dr. Chen:
Both kinds can cause jaw pain, and it's largely due to anatomy. "The jaw joint sits right in front of the ear and ear canal," says Dr. Chen. So inflammation in the ear area will affect its neighbor, i.E., the jaw.
Still, if you have ear and jaw pain, you might not put two and two together. So how can you tell if your ear infection is causing your throbbing jaw? On top of pain, ear infections have some other telltale signs, says Dr. Chen, including:
If you have all or a few of the above, an ear infection is likely to blame. But if in doubt, see your doctor. They can take a look to see if you have fluid behind your ear drum or an infection in the ear canal.
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Other causes of jaw and ear painAn ear infection isn't the only possible reason for a double dose of ear and jaw pain. The following conditions can also cause pain in these areas at the same time, per Dr. Chen:
Depending on the type of ear infection you have (which your doctor can determine), you can either use home remedies or prescription medication to heal.
Usually, a healthy person doesn't need antibiotics to clear a middle ear infection, says Dr. Chen. While your body heals on its own, you can try the following things at home to help manage the tenderness in your jaw:
As for an external ear infection, you can still use the same comfort measures for pain, but you'll also need to be treated with prescription drops (or oral antibiotics depending on the severity of the infection), says Dr. Chen.
And don't think about trying any DIY ear cleansing or rinses, which could just make the issue worse, he adds. Putting anything inside your infected ear (like cotton swabs or your fingers) can potentially damage the sensitive skin in your ear canal.
When to see a doctorIn some cases, ear infections and jaw pain can get better on their own—with time and home remedies. But you might need an office visit if you have the following symptoms, per Penn Medicine:
"It's pretty uncommon, but it's possible," says Dr. Chen. When an outer ear infection spreads to the surrounding tissues and bone, it's called malignant otitis externa. Though rare, it's a serious condition that can damage or destroy your bones, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
Signs of malignant otitis externa to look out for include the following, per the NLM:
If you have any of the above symptoms, see your doctor ASAP. Left untreated, malignant otitis externa can even affect your cranial nerves, brain, and other parts of your body, per the NLM. You'll likely need to take antibiotics for a long time because the bacteria that cause the infection are typically tough to treat. Depending on how severe your case is, you may even need surgery to remove dead or damaged tissue.
How do I know if I have an ear infection or TMJ?Often, people with TMJ issues are misdiagnosed with an ear infection, says Dr. Chen. With the overlap of symptoms (including ear and jaw pain and a feeling of fullness in the ear area), it can be hard to distinguish between the two. But there are subtle differences. For one, TMJ disorders (TMD) don't involve an infection, so you won't get the typical signs like fever or drainage from the ear, he says. And with TMD, hearing loss would be less likely, while pain with yawning or chewing might be more prominent.
Even so, differentiating between an infection and TMD isn't so cut and dry. For example, like TMD, middle ear infections don't cause drainage the way outer ear infections do, says Dr. Chen. So telling the difference in this case might not be as clear.
At the end of the day, it's best to leave the diagnosing to a medical professional. If the issue doesn't resolve on its own after a week or so, see your doctor. They can take a history of your symptoms and look inside your ear. If there's no evidence of infection, you're liking dealing with TMJ problems.
What can be mistaken for ear infection?Whenever an earache strikes, our first assumption is an ear infection. Even though ear infections are common in kids, they're less likely to happen as you get older. In fact, ear pain often has nothing to do with an infection and is usually related to another problem entirely. Here are some of the most common causes of ear pain that might be mistaken for an infection, according to Penn Medicine:
Mastoiditis is a bacterial infection in your mastoid—the large bone behind your ear. It usually happens when a middle ear infection goes untreated (but it can also be caused by cholesteatoma, an abnormal skin growth in your middle ear and temporal bone behind your eardrum), according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Like an ear infection, mastoiditis can be painful. It may really hurt when you touch the area behind your ear. Other signs of mastoiditis include, per the Cleveland Clinic:
See your doctor if you have any of the above symptoms. You'll need antibiotics and steroids to treat the infection. In severe cases, you might even have surgery to remove the infected bone.
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Ceftriaxone - Uses, Side Effects, And More
What are the most common side effects of ceftriaxone?The most common side effects of ceftriaxone are listed below. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.
There may be other side effects of ceftriaxone that are not listed here. Contact your healthcare provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.Fda.Gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088. In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.Health.Gc.Ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.
What are the serious side effects of ceftriaxone?While less common, the most serious side effects of ceftriaxone are described below, along with what to do if they happen.
Severe Allergic Reactions. Ceftriaxone can cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Your healthcare provider will stop using ceftriaxone and will give you emergency treatment if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
Nervous System Problems. The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves (the fibers that carry sensations from your body to the brain). Damage to the brain called encephalopathy can happen in people using ceftriaxone. Your healthcare provider will stop ceftriaxone if you experience any of the following symptoms.
Seizures. Some people who have used ceftriaxone have reported having seizures. There are many different types of seizures and some of them are not easy to recognize. Your healthcare provider will stop ceftriaxone if you experience any of the following signs that a seizure is happening or could happen.
Antibiotic-associated Diarrhea. An overgrowth of germs called Clostridioides difficile, or "C. Diff," can happen in your gut with many types of antibiotics, including ceftriaxone. This can cause a condition known as antibiotic-associated diarrhea and can happen even up to 2 months after stopping the antibiotic. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of this condition.
Blood Disorders. Ceftriaxone may cause your red blood cells to be destroyed, which is called hemolytic anemia. Your healthcare provider will run tests and stop ceftriaxone if you have hemolytic anemia.
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