The size of the tonsils is quite small, but their role in the body is significant. They serve to perform a protective and hematopoietic function, take part in the formation of immunity. The tonsils are the first to establish a barrier to the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the human body. Scientists have not been able to fully elucidate their immunological role. The article is devoted to clarifying the problem of why the tonsils hurt.
What is this?
Tonsils (or, as they are popularly called, tonsils) are an accumulation of lymphoid tissue located in the oral cavity and nasopharynx. Depending on the location, they are divided:
- On steam rooms: palatine - the largest, and tubal - small in size, located on the side wall of the nasopharynx.
- Unpaired: pharyngeal - located in the center in the upper part of the wall of the nasopharynx, and lingual - located at the root of the tongue.
All six tonsils with sidegranules and rollers from the same tissue as the tonsils form a lymphoid ring. A person is able to see only the palatine tonsils, the doctor is able to examine the rest with the help of the necessary tools. He althy tonsils are pink in color, normal in size, free of plaque and purulent plugs. A person is born with underdeveloped tonsils, and only by the end of the first six months of life they complete their formation. They are the first to meet the infection and begin to fight it.
Main causes of sore tonsils
The tonsils in the throat hurt, and the pain intensifies during swallowing, itching and dryness are felt - such manifestations cause a number of diseases. And before you start treatment, you need to find out the cause of these symptoms. A sore throat that radiates to the ear is due to:
- Otitis media. This is inflammation of the middle ear. The disease is accompanied by high fever, general weakness, poor appetite. A feature is the increase in pain in the evening.
- Acute pharyngitis. With the disease, there is a feeling of a foreign body in the throat, a tickle and a dry cough appear.
- Angina and tonsillitis. Inflammation occurs in the tissues and mucous membranes. When the tonsils and muscles hurt, a high temperature rises, chills appear, and often bad breath due to a purulent process.
- Diphtheria. Tonsils swell and turn red, plaque appears, lymph nodes increase.
- Laryngitis. A sore throat is necessarily accompanied by a hoarse voice.
If you have a sore throat on one side, the reasons may be:
- Foreign body that traumatizes the mucous membrane, for example, a fish bone.
- Acute pharyngitis - initially painful sensations occur only on the left or right side.
- Inflammation of one of the tonsils - acute tonsillitis.
- Retropharyngeal abscess - purulent inflammation.
- Inflammation of tissues near the teeth due to infection.
- Glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
If the tonsils hurt at normal body temperature, then the reason lies in the following:
- mucosal injury;
- strong vocal cord tension;
- appearance of neoplasms;
- esophageal varicose veins;
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
If you experience any sore throat, it is best to consult a doctor to determine the exact cause of their occurrence.
The main symptoms of inflammation of the palatine tonsils
Symptoms of pathology are associated with the causative agent of the disease, the nature of its course and the individual characteristics of the organism. However, the main features are noted in each case:
- Dryness, burning and itching in the throat.
- Pain in the region of the tonsils. It appears constantly or only during swallowing. The tonsil hurts on one side or along the midline of the pharynx, and the pain has a different intensity.
- Enlargement of tonsils. Sometimes they grow beyond the palatine arches and interfere with normal breathing.
- Changes in the lacunae of the tonsils. Visuallythere is a white coating or pus.
- Fever. Depending on the severity of the disease, the temperature rises from 38 to 40 degrees. The fever lasts three to five days.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Putrid smell from the mouth. It often occurs with purulent plugs.
- Hoarse voice. This is a characteristic symptom of laryngitis.
- Pain in the ear. Occurs with inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil.
- Loss of appetite.
- Rhinitis.
- Headache.
- Cough.
When a diagnosis is made, the doctor first of all pays attention to the symptoms of the disease, finds out the causes of their manifestation, and only then prescribes laboratory tests.
Inflammation of the palatine tonsils
Inflammation of the tonsils, or tonsillitis, most often occurs against the background of a bacterial or viral infection. The prerequisites for it are hypothermia of the body, severe overwork, decreased immunity. There are two forms of tonsillitis: acute and chronic. The acute form of the disease is called angina. With her, the symptoms of the disease are pronounced, and it usually occurs with a sharp rise in temperature. Enlarged tonsils hurt a lot, they turn red, head and joint aches appear, malaise and general weakness are observed, lymph nodes enlarge. Often, after a sore throat, if the treatment regimen is not followed, severe complications on the kidneys, heart and joints are possible. There are several forms of angina, which occur with varying degrees of severity and have different symptoms. The formchronic tonsillitis proceeds more calmly and for a long time with periods of remission and exacerbation.
Varieties of angina
The most common forms of acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis) include:
- Catarrhal - it is considered a less severe manifestation of tonsillitis. Unpleasant sensations appear in the throat: burning, dryness and perspiration, the patient may complain that his tonsil hurts on one side. The temperature does not rise above 38 degrees, headaches occur, there is a feeling of weakness. One or both palatine tonsils have a bright red color and a loose structure, only the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, but there are no purulent raids. Neck lymph nodes are often enlarged.
- Follicular - more severe than the catarrhal form, not only the mucous membrane is affected, but also the follicles. The acute onset of the disease is accompanied by a rise in temperature to 39 degrees. When examining the pharynx, a bright red color is observed not only in the tonsils, but also in the arches and the soft palate. The patient complains that his tonsils and ears hurt. Leukocytes accumulate in the follicles, forming yellow dots up to 3 mm in size. They open on their own on about the third day of illness.
- Lacunar - in terms of common symptoms, but more pronounced, it is similar to follicular tonsillitis. A serous-mucous, purulent secret accumulates in the lacunae. Tonsils acquire a white or white-yellow coating, which is easily removed with a spatula.
All sore throats are insidious in their consequences, so it is necessaryobserve bed rest and all doctor's recommendations.
Inflammation of the tonsils in diphtheria
Diphtheria is a serious infectious disease caused by the diphtheria bacillus and spread by airborne droplets. The disease is not common because children and adults are vaccinated against this infection. Recently, some parents refuse vaccinations, so there is a threat of disease. Most often, the palatine tonsils are affected, they swell, become red with a bluish tinge, the patient has a sore throat. The plaque on the tonsils has a grayish color with a white or yellow tint. Purulent contents can only be in the gaps or cover all the tonsils with a film. It is poorly removed with a spatula, and then formed again. The disease progresses rapidly and leads the patient to suffocation or disruption of the nervous system and heart. Often ends in death.
Inflammation of the tonsils with scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a common illness in children's groups. Its causative agent is streptococcus. When the disease occurs, inflammation of the tonsils, fever and the formation of a characteristic rash throughout the body. The inflammatory process in the pharynx begins immediately after infection. The pharynx becomes bright red, and the redness extends to the hard palate. After the third day of illness, protruding papillae appear on the crimson tongue. The patient complains that his tonsils are swollen and hurt. They have a coating on them that can be easily removed. It can also spread beyond the tonsils.
When scarlet fever there are signs of sore throat from catarrhal to necrotic. Therefore, the tonsils can simply be inflamed or contain purulent plugs. Small punctate rashes appear on the patient's body, starting from the palms of the hands and feet. A characteristic sign of scarlet fever is rosy cheeks and a pale nasolabial triangle. The disease is dangerous with severe complications, therefore, with any form of angina, a child must be treated under the supervision of a doctor so as not to miss scarlet fever.
Inflammatory process in the tonsils with pharyngitis
Often, the left tonsil hurts in the throat, this can happen when acute pharyngitis occurs. In the future, painful sensations intensify and spread to the back wall of the larynx. The patient feels dryness, burning and tingling in the throat, ear blockage occurs, which disappears after swallowing saliva. The disease often occurs against the background of colds, when the nose does not breathe and you have to breathe a lot through your mouth. Untreated acute pharyngitis becomes chronic, exacerbations of which occur with any hypothermia or even from severe fatigue. Sometimes a person suffers from pharyngitis throughout the cold season. The mucous membrane becomes very thin, dries up and may bleed. There is constant discomfort in the throat and a feeling of a stuck lump. Treatment of the disease should be started immediately, at the first symptoms, by seeking help from a doctor.
Tonsils hurt: how to treat and what to do?
Basic treatment after careful examinationthe doctor will prescribe, and the following recommendations will help alleviate the condition at home:
- Respect the water regime - if you have pain in your throat, it is advised to drink warm herbal infusion with honey, tea with lemon and raspberry jam, milk more often, but it is better to limit coffee and carbonated drinks.
- Take care of your vocal cords and larynx - talk less, don't raise your voice. Whispered conversation puts just as much strain on the vocal cords as it would on a normal tone.
- Gargle more often, at least four times a day, throat with decoctions of medicinal herbs or soda and saline solution. During the procedure, pathogens and their toxins are washed off the tonsils, and the oral cavity is disinfected.
- Breathe through your nose. Breathing through the mouth when the tonsils hurt, dries out the mucous membranes, and as a result, they recover more slowly.
- Normalize air humidity. Use a special humidifier, and if it is not available, then hang a damp towel on the radiator. Ventilate the room regularly.
- Use ready-made pharmaceutical forms: lozenges, sprays, rinses. It is better to choose products made from vegetable raw materials.
All of the above recommendations are used as ancillary to medications that the attending physician will prescribe.
Advice and prevention aimed at preventing diseases
Preventing a disease of the tonsils is much easier than treating it, for this you need:
- Avoiddrafts and hypothermia, do not drink too cold drinks.
- Correct diet. Enrich it with vegetables, fruits and herbs. Eat more onion, garlic, lemon, currant, cranberry.
- Maintain the necessary humidity in the apartment. Dry air irritates the mucous membranes, causes their inflammation, and then in the morning, after sleep, the tonsils are disturbed and hurt when swallowing.
- When in contact with a sick person, use a gauze mask.
- Drink vitamin complexes several times a year.
- With frequent recurrences of throat diseases, rinse it daily, before going to bed, with saline or soda solution.
- Monitor the condition of the teeth and treat caries in a timely manner.
- Stay outdoors and do simple daily exercise.
All these activities will strengthen your immunity and he alth.
Instead of a conclusion
Tonsils are an important link in the human body and perform a protective function against the penetration of bacteria and viruses into it. But with their chronic inflammation - tonsillitis - the soft lymphoid tissue is replaced by a coarser connective tissue. In addition, adhesions and scars begin to form, into which pathogenic microorganisms enter. They support the inflammatory process. If the throat and white plaque on the tonsils constantly hurt, then this indicates that urgent serious treatment is required - conservative or even surgical.
