Classification of different signs
The signs of tonsillitis depend on both the cause and the course of the inflammatory processes. For this reason, a distinction must be made between bacterial, viral, acute and chronic tonsillitis. Furthermore, the characteristics of the inflammatory processes play a decisive role in the signs that occur.
An initial sign of acute tonsillitis is often the sudden onset of fever and chills. In addition, affected patients typically suffer from severe sore throats, which can sometimes radiate into the ears. Other signs that are particularly common in acute tonsillitis are headaches and difficulty swallowing.
These swallowing problems are caused by swelling in the throat area and can be so severe that eating is only possible with pain. In addition, patients with acute inflammatory processes in the pharyngeal tonsils often have a “clumsy” pronunciation. In particularly severe cases, the swellings can even constrict the airways and thus lead to respiratory distress.
Furthermore, general symptoms such as fever, chills, tiredness and exhaustion are also common. Clinical examination reveals further signs of acute tonsillitis. In affected patients, both the pharyngeal tonsils and the back wall of the throat are usually clearly reddened and swollen.
In the case of bacterial tonsillitis, a whitish-yellowish, tough mass covering the pharyngeal tonsils is also evident.This phenomenon is known as “pustule”, and in very pronounced cases these pustule can merge into one another and extend beyond the palatal tonsils (confluent coatings). These confluent coatings are often a typical sign of pneumococcal angina. In addition, patients with acute tonsillitis often report an unpleasant taste in the mouth (foetor ex ore).
Chronic tonsillitis can always be spoken of when the inflammatory processes in the area of the palatine tonsils persist for a period of more than three months or occur repeatedly within a year. The typical signs of chronic tonsillitis differ significantly from the symptoms of acute tonsillitis. Patients suffering from chronic tonsillitis usually experience mainly sore throat and mild difficulty swallowing.
In addition, chronic tonsillitis can lead to an increase in body temperature. However, the fever is usually less high compared to the acute form. In general, it can be assumed that the signs of chronic tonsillitis are less pronounced.
Since the symptoms of the chronic form are therefore rather discreet, many of those affected dismiss possible swallowing difficulties as atypical neck scratching or dryness. In addition, the affected patients often report a bad taste in their mouth, which is not improved by either rinsing or brushing their teeth. The reason for this unpleasant taste is the inflammatory processes that can accompany the development of a purulent secretion.
In addition, the bad taste in the mouth of an affected person can be caused by metabolic waste products of the original bacteria. In addition, whitish spots, which do not necessarily have to represent pus, are among the typical signs of chronic tonsillitis. Furthermore, depending on the severity of the disease, general signs may also be present.
Persons suffering from chronic tonsillitis are usually weary and tired. Furthermore, the chronic infection can lead to a general reduction in performance and lack of concentration. In addition, an enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck and lower jaw area is one of the most common signs of chronic tonsillitis.
Since the symptoms occur so subtly in the presence of chronic inflammatory processes of the pharyngeal tonsils, only very few of the affected patients ever consult a specialist. Under certain circumstances, this can lead to a long-term reduction in immune function and/or to serious complications. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a viral pathogen that belongs to the group of retroviruses.
An untreated HIV infection usually leads to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) after a varying length of time during which no symptoms occur (so-called latency phase). The transmission of the HI- virus (HIV) occurs mainly through the exchange of sperm or blood. For this reason, people who have unprotected sexual intercourse or are drug addicts are particularly at risk of becoming infected with HIV.
The incubation period (time from infection with the HI-Virus to the outbreak of AIDS) can vary greatly and can be from a few months to more than 15 years. The length of this period can be influenced by virus suppressing medication as well as by the lifestyle and mental health of the person affected. While in the course of HIV infection there are only in very few cases clear signs of infection, typical symptoms appear when AIDS breaks out.
Since AIDS is a disease that destroys the human immune system, affected patients usually tend to suffer from a pronounced immune deficiency. For this reason, the repeated occurrence of tonsillitis (chronic tonsillitis) can be a first sign of HIV infection (AIDS). In this context, chronic tonsillitis is one of the most common signs that can occur in the early stages of AIDS.Since the immune system of an HIV patient is so severely attacked anyway that complications often occur with any infection, bacterial tonsillitis in HIV should be treated with penicillin at an early stage.
Especially in the area of the transition from the mouth to the pharyngeal mucosa, there are important defense centers against bacterial and viral pathogens, the pharyngeal tonsils. For this reason, chronic inflammatory processes in the area of the pharyngeal tonsils (chronic tonsillitis) can put a long-term strain on the entire organism and therefore lead to a number of secondary diseases and complications. Although the pharyngeal tonsils are therefore considered an important component of the human immune system, approximately 80 percent of the immune system is anchored in the intestine.
For this reason, a permanent impairment of pharyngeal tonsils can have an impact on the health of the intestine. Conversely, chronic diseases of the intestine can also increase the risk of developing chronic tonsillitis. Various mechanisms, such as infections of the intestinal mucosa or cancer, can also lead to a pronounced weakening of the body’s immune defenses.
This is another reason why affected patients often develop recurrent or long-lasting inflammatory processes in the area of the tonsils (chronic tonsillitis). Since malignant ulcers (tumors) are among the most important diseases that weaken the immune system, recurrent tonsillitis can be a sign of cancer. However, not every location of a tumor has such an impact on the function and condition of the tonsils. Chronic tonsillitis can mainly be a sign of cancer in the area of the intestine or pathological changes in the blood cells (blood cancer).
