Tonsillitis

Tonsils are the two lymph nodes located on each side of the back of your throat. They function as a defense mechanism, helping to prevent infection from entering the rest of your body. When the tonsils themselves become infected, the condition is called tonsillitis. The most common cause is viral infection and the second most common cause is bacterial infection of which the predominant is Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS), which causes strep throat. It shows signs and symptoms of pain, red swollen tonsils sore throat and so on. Swollen tonsils may cause difficulty breathing, which can lead to disturbed sleep. Tonsillitis that is left untreated can result in the infection spreading to the area behind the tonsils or to the surrounding tissue. Symptoms of tonsillitis caused by a bacterial infection usually improve a few days after you begin taking antibiotics.