Almond abscess | Pharyngeal abscess

Almond abscess

The almond abscess or peritonsillar abscess is a severe inflammation of the tonsils in the throat. Various viruses and bacteria can cause acute tonsillitis (peritonsillar inflammation), which causes the tonsils to swell and begin to fester. As a secondary disease of peritonsillary inflammation, a tonsil abscess can occur, but this is only very rarely the case.

Almond abscesses occur when tonsillitis is not treated or the wrong antibiotics have been used for treatment. This can cause the inflammation to spread and an encapsulated collection of pus to form on one or both tonsils. The symptoms of tonsillar abscesses are similar to those of acute peritonsillitis.

Those affected suffer from severe difficulty swallowing, sore throat and fever. In some cases, the inflammation can also affect the nerves of the jaw muscles, making it impossible for patients to open their mouths properly. This symptom is called lockjaw.

A tonsil abscess is an absolute emergency that must be treated immediately by a doctor. To fight the infection, antibiotics are used, which must be highly dosed and are therefore often administered as an infusion. Very large abscesses must be surgically removed and the accumulated pus must be sucked out.

Development of abscesses in the throat after OP

In some cases, abscesses can also develop in the throat after major surgery (e.g. after removal of the palatal tonsils, the so-called tonsillectomy). Germs penetrate the wound caused by the operation and lead to infection. The pus formed in the process cannot drain away, accumulates in an encapsulated tissue cavity and an abscess develops.

Abscess on the palate

An abscess can also occur on the palate and is caused by various diseases of the oral cavity. Often, erupting wisdom teeth or inflammation of the gums lead to bacterial colonization of the tissue and the formation of encapsulated pus accumulations in the palate. A palatal abscess is very dangerous because the inflammation can break through into vessels that supply the brain with blood. An abscess in the oral cavity can therefore be life-threatening and must be treated immediately.