What should i do for swollen tonsils

Read about eight possible causes and how to treat them. Cysts on your tonsils are a rare occurrence. Other conditions can easily be mistaken for a tonsil cyst, such as tonsillitis, strep throat, or…. Tonsillitis is more commonly seen in children, but it can occur in adults, too.

We explain the symptoms, treatment options, and when to seek help for…. Tonsillitis is contagious, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk for catching or spreading this infection.

Tonsil stones, which are caused by calcium deposits in your tonsils, sometimes dislodge by themselves. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. Causes Other symptoms Could it be cancer?

Other symptoms. Could it be cancer? Home remedies. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. Tonsillar Hypertrophy. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Kliegman RM, et al. Acute pharyngitis. Mitchell RB, et al. Clinical practice guideline: Tonsillectomy in children update. Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. DOI: Paradise JL. Messner AH. Tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy in children: Postoperative care and complications.

Healthy habits to prevent the spread of flu. Orvidas LJ expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. Related Inflamed tonsils. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. This can be:. If the rapid strep test doesn't show signs of strep, the health care provider will depend on the culture for a final diagnosis.

Rarely, a health care provider might recommend a tonsillectomy surgery to remove the tonsils if a child's tonsils get infected a lot or are so big they make it hard to breathe at night. Tonsillectomy used to be very commonly done. Now, experts use guidelines to decide if tonsil removal is the best treatment. In general, tonsillectomy may be considered if a child has seven sore throat episodes in 1 year, five episodes 2 years in a row, or three episodes 3 years in a row.

Make sure that your child drinks lots of fluids and gets plenty of rest. If swallowing hurts, serve liquids and soft foods. Some kids prefer warm drinks, like soup or sweetened tea. Other kids like the feel of cold or frozen foods on their throat, such as milkshakes, smoothies, ice pops, or ice cream. Older kids can suck on hard candies or throat lozenges. You can give a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen , for throat pain. Don't give aspirin or other products that contain aspirin, though, because these can put kids at risk for Reye syndrome.

Tonsillitis is contagious. Sometimes they can become infected. Poststreptococcal disorder is a group of autoimmune disorders that occur after an infection with the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. Learn the causes,. Marshmallows are primarily made of sugar, water, and gelatin, and may not do much for a sore throat.

Marshmallow root could, though. It can be hard to tell if you have a sore throat from a virus, or strep throat, which is most often caused by a bacterial infection. Mucus protects your respiratory system with lubrication and filtration.

But sometimes, your body produces too much mucus, which requires frequent…. The combination of sore throat and chest pain could be a sign of asthma, GERD, lung cancer, or another underlying condition. Learn more about these…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Home Remedies for Tonsillitis. Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M.

Salt water Licorice lozenges Warm tea and honey Popsicles and ice chips Humidifiers See your doctor Outlook We include products we think are useful for our readers. Overview Tonsillitis is a condition that occurs when your tonsils become infected.

Tonsillitis can lead to symptoms such as: swollen or inflamed tonsils sore throat pain when swallowing fever hoarse voice bad breath ear pain Viral infections that cause tonsillitis pass on their own. Salt water gargling. Licorice lozenges. Warm tea with raw honey.