The fastest way to know if your tonsillitis is caused by bacteria or virus

Tonsillitis can occur due to bacteria or viruses with the most common feeling being a sore throat .

Things to know about tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is a common health condition, common in both adults and children. The disease can be caused by many causes, of which bacteria and viruses are the two main causes. The differences in the treatment of bacterial versus viral tonsillitis require a clear understanding of the origin of the disease.

Here are some key differences between viral tonsillitis and bacterial tonsillitis, including symptoms, treatment, causes, and some risk factors.

1. What is the difference between symptoms of viral and bacterial tonsillitis?

In general, in terms of symptoms, it is difficult to distinguish between bacterial and viral tonsillitis. Different viruses and bacteria will also have different characteristics, which is why testing is so important. The main symptom of both bacterial and viral tonsillitis is a sore throat. Both types of tonsillitis can also cause your tonsils to become red, swollen, and painful, along with difficulty swallowing.

Cough, stuffy nose, fever: If your tonsillitis is caused by a viral infection, like the common cold or flu, your symptoms may be milder than if the cause is bacterial. Patients may also have a cough, stuffy nose, and runny nose. Fever can occur if you have viral tonsillitis with a mild fever, usually from 38 degrees Celsius to 38.9 degrees Celsius.

Both viral tonsillitis and bacterial tonsillitis can cause coughs , but viral coughs are often accompanied by a hoarse voice (voice change).

What are the differences between viral and bacterial tonsillitis symptoms? (Photo: ST).

Fatigue, red spots (monochrome) on the roof of the mouth : Of course tonsillitis will cause fatigue in the sufferer, but if you are often tired, try testing for the EBV virus - the virus that causes mononucleosis or also called mono. This is a common virus that causes tonsillitis in teenagers, with symptoms lasting for weeks including fatigue, sore throat, tonsillitis, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, and headaches. Some cases of EBV virus infection may experience a mottled red rash on the roof of the mouth and rashes on the skin.

Bad breath: Bacterial tonsillitis tends to be more serious and you may notice you have bad breath, according to the NHS. There are several types of bacteria that can cause tonsillitis, but the most common is group A streptococcus.

White spots on tonsils: In addition, bacterial tonsillitis is also often accompanied by small, pus-filled patches of white spots on the tonsils; This symptom is more common due to bacterial infection than viral tonsillitis.

Swollen lymph nodes: Use the pointer and middle finger to gently press along both sides of the neck, on the neck under the corner of the chin and behind the ears. Feel for a hard or soft lump about the size of your little fingernail. This could be a swollen lymph node. Although your lymph nodes can swell any time your body is fighting an infection, swollen lymph nodes are more common with a bacterial infection.

Be careful with abscesses in the tonsils : Peritonsillar abscesses are complications from tonsillitis or strep throat, so the symptoms will be similar to these two diseases. See your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms including: sore throat that gets worse on one side, difficulty swallowing, change in voice (mumbled voice full of mouth, also known as hot potato voice), swollen lymph nodes blood, tonsils are swollen and red on one side, the breath has an unusual foul odor, and the uvula seems to be pushed completely to one side.

Below is a table comparing some symptoms of viral tonsillitis and bacterial tonsillitis based on compiled data. Note that you should not rely entirely on these signs to determine bacterial tonsillitis. or virus and arbitrarily treat it without a doctor's prescription.

2. What are the causes of viral and bacterial tonsillitis?

First, viral tonsillitis is more common than bacterial tonsillitis.

Each type of virus or bacteria that causes tonsillitis will have different symptoms. (Photo: ST).

Reason

Viral tonsillitis is often caused by viruses that cause common respiratory diseases, including:

1. Common cold virus (rhinovirus).
2. Influenza virus (influenza).
3. Adenovirus, which causes colds and sore throat-like symptoms.
4. Epstein-Barr virus, the cause of malaria.
5. Coronaviruses, including the strains that cause COVID-19.
6. Herpes simplex virus, can cause tonsillitis, especially in children.

These viruses are spread through droplets from person to person through coughing, sneezing, talking, or close contact. Viral tonsillitis can develop as part of a sore throat or upper respiratory tract infection.

- The cause of bacterial tonsillitis is usually streptococcal bacteria, group A hemolytic bacteria, aerobic and anaerobic strains, and staphylococci. Among them, group A streptococcus infection causing tonsillitis is the most common.

Factors that increase risk

People at high risk of viral tonsillitis often include:

1. Children and adolescents, because this group's immune system is not fully developed.
2. People with weak immune systems, including adults and children.
3. People who are frequently exposed to environments where the virus circulates, such as schools, child care facilities, or crowded workplaces.
4. People living in or traveling to areas where influenza or other infectious diseases are circulating.

Avoiding close contact with sick people, maintaining personal hygiene, and taking preventative measures such as getting vaccinated on time can help reduce the risk of viral tonsillitis.

People at high risk for bacterial tonsillitis often include:

1. Children and adolescents between 5 and 15 years of age, because their immune systems are developing, are more exposed to pathogens at school or at school.
2. People with weak or impaired immune systems due to medical conditions or treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or use of immunosuppressive drugs.
3. People who live or work in crowded environments, such as schools, daycares, or health care facilities, where bacteria can easily spread.
4. People with a history of bacterial tonsillitis or other upper respiratory tract infections.

It's important to note that, although people in this group are at higher risk, bacterial tonsillitis can occur at any age.

3. Treatment of tonsillitis caused by viruses and bacteria

As mentioned above, how tonsillitis is treated will depend on the cause of the disease. In most cases of tonsillitis, symptoms will gradually disappear in about 3 to 7 days, regardless of whether the infection is viral or bacterial. In particular, symptoms of viral tonsillitis seem to improve noticeably in the first 3-4 days.

According to Healthline, there is no specific treatment if you have viral tonsillitis. However, if the infection is bacterial, antibiotics may be prescribed.

With antibiotics to treat bacterial tonsillitis, patients need to pay attention to taking and completing the entire course of treatment as prescribed by the doctor, even if symptoms have shown signs of improvement. Stopping antibiotics suddenly without a prescription can prevent the bacterial infection from being eliminated and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Bacterial tonsillitis may require antibiotics. (Photo: Internet).

Supportive treatment

Whether you have viral or bacterial tonsillitis, here are some supportive measures to help you feel more comfortable, specifically:

1. Rest more.
2. Drink a lot of water.
3. Eat soft, easy-to-swallow foods, and divide into smaller meals throughout the day if needed.
4. Drink warm water or suck on cold foods like ice cream to relieve a sore throat.
5. Rehydrate with a humidifier
6. Gargle daily with salt water.
7. Take over-the-counter pain relievers.

When does tonsillitis require tonsillectomy?

The decision to remove tonsils should be based on the doctor's assessment of each patient's specific health condition. However, children under 5 years old and people over 45 years old should limit surgery. The reason is because children under 5 years old have a weak immune system, and people over 45 years old if their tonsils are removed will be susceptible to bleeding, infection due to fibrous tonsils or other underlying diseases such as cardiovascular disease, blood pressure,. Your doctor may consider recommending a tonsillectomy if:

1. Patients experience at least 5 episodes of infectious tonsillitis in a year.
2. If you have severe tonsillitis at least 7 times a year, 5 times a year for 2 consecutive years, or 3 times a year for 3 consecutive years.
3. When tonsillitis causes serious complications such as peritonsillar abscess or difficulty breathing due to swollen tonsils (snoring, sleep apnea), otitis media, sinusitis or more serious complications. such as rheumatism, arthritis or glomerulonephritis.
4. Tonsillitis persists without improvement after 4-6 weeks of intensive treatment.
5. When there are many nooks and crannies of the tonsils that contain a lot of secretions that cause bad breath (tonsil stones), difficulty swallowing or suspected malignant tumors.

Understanding the signs and treatments will help patients take timely prevention and intervention measures, minimize the risk of complications and improve their health when suffering from tonsillitis. If you just observe, it is difficult to be sure whether you have viral tonsillitis or bacterial tonsillitis. Tests such as throat culture must be performed to confirm.