How do you Get Tonsillitis?

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Tonsillitis is considered to be everybody’s worst enemy. Although it only affects the tonsils located at the back of our throat, having tonsillitis can be very annoying, painful, irritable and uncomfortable. In addition to these, tonsillitis can also produce several other symptoms that could make us endure this kind of situation a lot more difficult. We can also find it hard to eat or drink anything since the passage of food and any liquid is swollen and inflamed making it very painful to swallow. Because of these, we all ask the same question; what is tonsillitis and how do you get tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is a medical term that refers to the inflammation of the tonsils, which are lumps of tissue located at either side of the posterior part of the throat. This portion is considered a part of the body’s immune system, which aids in the trapping of bacteria and viruses that tries to enter the system via the mouth. However, the strength of the pathogen could be quite severe to handle that even the tonsils become infected themselves. Once this occurs, tonsillitis is most likely to happen. But how do we acquire or get tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is recognized as a contagious infection. This basically means that we can get it from someone who is already infected with the said virus or bacteria. This is made possible through the exchange or passing of body secretions, which are ejected through sneezing and coughing. Once the bacteria enter the body, it can start attacking the lymph nodes particularly the tonsils. One of the most common types of bacteria that can cause this condition is none other than the group A Streptococci bacteria, which are also the ones responsible for strep throat. What are the different symptoms of tonsillitis?

Tonsils are normally unseen even if it is look on a mirror. However, once infection sets in, the tonsils tend to swell up and become inflamed making it a lot easier to notice. Some of the common signs of tonsillitis include sore throat, which can be mild or severe, swelling of the lymph nodes as well as the tonsils, redness of the tonsils, presence of white spots or streaks on the tonsils, fever, dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing and changes in voice. Once these symptoms are observed, it is ideal to go see a doctor in order for proper intervention and medication to be given.

Because of this, it is important for us to learn the different ways and techniques in order to prevent being infected with the causative agents. These techniques include frequent and proper hand washing, separation of items from those who are infected, avoidance of any mouth contact like kissing and proper disposal of mouth items that are used during the course of infection such as toothbrushes. By doing these simple steps, we can significantly lessen the risk of getting contaminated.