Overview Tonsillitis is inflammation or infection of the tonsils. Tonsils are lymphoid tissues that are situated on both side of the throat. Generally, the palatine tonsil are referred to as "the tonsils".
| Definition Tonsils: Collections of lymphoid tissue at the entrance to the pharynx, on either side of the uvula (the palatine tonsils). There are also lingual tonsils at the base of the tongue. All of these as well as the adenoids are part of Waldeyer’s ring Tonsillitis: Inflammation of the tonsils. Usually refering to infection Adenoids: Collection of lymphoid tissue near the opening of the Eustachian tube |
Differential Diagnosis of the sore throat
A typical attack of acute tonsillitis will last from 3 to 7 days. The main organisms implicated are as follow:
| Indications |
| Recurrent tonsillitis >6/year |
| Tonsillolith |
| Malignancy |
| Oropharyngeal obstruction (Sleep apnoea or swalling difficulty) |
| Abscess (Quinsy) |
Complications
Prognosis Most cases of acute tonsillitis resolve spontaneously with no ill-effects. However, it can be a serious disease particularly in the immuno-compromised patient
Overview Adenoids are a collection of lymphoid tissue. They are part of a circle of lymphoid tissue known as Waldeyer’s ring that surrounds the entrance to the pharynx and respiratory tract.
Adenoids are very small and reach maximum size at 8 years of age, and then regress. Adults have little or no adenoid tissue. In children, repeated infections cause adenoids to enlarge and obstruct the airway.
Adenoid hypertrophy Management
