What antibiotic should i take for tonsillitis

Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.

I may not want to take medicine if it won't help me get well faster. Do antibiotics work if a sore throat is caused by a virus, such as a cold? Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?

Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

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Get the facts. Your options Take antibiotics for a sore throat caused by a bacterial infection. Don't take antibiotics. Try home treatment instead. Key points to remember People often think antibiotics will cure their sore throat.

But most sore throats are caused by a virus , such as a cold. Antibiotics won't work for sore throats caused by a virus.

Most of the time, sore throats go away on their own. To relieve the pain from a sore throat, you can take over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen, or you can try lozenges or nasal sprays. Drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest.

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to shorten the time you are able to spread strep throat —which is caused by bacteria—to others. Antibiotics will help prevent a serious but rare problem called rheumatic fever. Taking antibiotics too often or when you don't need them can be harmful and costly. And the medicine may not work the next time you take it when you really do need it.

This is called antibiotic resistance. What is a sore throat? How well do antibiotics work to treat a sore throat? What are the risks of taking antibiotics for sore throat? Antibiotics may cause side effects, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin rashes.

Antibiotics cost money. You will probably have to see the doctor to get a prescription. This costs you time. If you take antibiotics when you don't need them, they may not work when you do need them. Each time you take antibiotics, you are more likely to carry some bacteria that were not killed by the medicine.

Over time, these bacteria get tougher and can cause longer and more serious infections. To treat them, you may need different, stronger, and more costly antibiotics. How can you relieve a sore throat without antibiotics? Home treatment is often all you need to soothe a sore throat.

Try these tips: Gargle often with warm salt water if you are age 8 or older. This helps to reduce throat swelling and pain. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in mL 8 ounces of warm water.

Drink extra fluids to soothe your throat. A tonsillectomy may also be performed if tonsillitis results in difficult-to-manage complications, such as:.

A tonsillectomy is usually done as an outpatient procedure, unless your child is very young, has a complex medical condition or if complications arise during surgery. That means your child should be able to go home the day of the surgery. A complete recovery usually takes seven to 14 days. If your child is experiencing a sore throat, difficulty swallowing or other symptoms that may indicate tonsillitis, you'll likely start with a visit to your family doctor or your child's pediatrician.

You may be referred to a specialist in ear, nose and throat disorders. Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions about your child's condition. Be prepared to answer the following questions:.

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This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Your child's doctor will start with a physical exam that will include: Using a lighted instrument to look at your child's throat and likely his or her ears and nose, which also may be sites of infection Checking for a rash known as scarlatina, which is associated with some cases of strep throat Gently feeling palpating your child's neck to check for swollen glands lymph nodes Listening to his or her breathing with a stethoscope Checking for enlargement of the spleen for consideration of mononucleosis, which also inflames the tonsils.

More Information Tonsillectomy. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Kliegman RM, et al. Tonsils and adenoids. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Elsevier; Tonsillectomy may help to change the oropharyngeal bacterial profile to a more normal pattern [ 8 ].

SIGN has produced its own criteria for tonsillectomy for children and adults, viz [ 2 ] :. A six-month period of watchful waiting is appropriate in patients for whom the indications for surgery are not clear-cut.

Tonsillectomy is effective in reducing the number of episodes of sore throat and the number of days with sore throats in children.

The gain is more marked in those most severely affected. However, the effect is modest. Although removing the tonsils will prevent tonsillitis, the impact on sore throats due to pharyngitis is much less predictable [ 10 ]. The average duration of acute tonsillitis is one week [ 1 ]. One study found that if tonsillectomy does have to be performed in children it produces a positive and durable increase in 'health-related quality of life' measures [ 13 ].

Smoking cessation for parents: the children of parents who smoke have an increased prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections, wheeze, asthma and lower respiratory tract infections [ 14 ]. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Br J Hosp Med Lond. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Epub Oct 1. Epub Nov J Laryngol Otol. Epub Jul Clin Otolaryngol. Penicillin and amoxicillin are the antibiotics that doctors prescribe most often to adults with bacterial tonsillitis.

People who are allergic to penicillin antibiotics will receive a suitable substitute. Using antibiotics, when appropriate, can shorten the duration of symptoms and reduce the risks of complications, such as rheumatic fever.

Various home remedies are available to help adults take care of themselves during a bout of tonsillitis. People can try:. Most cases of tonsillitis in adults resolve within a week, but for some people, the inflammation and discomfort last much longer.

Some people also experience frequently recurring bouts of tonsillitis. A doctor may recommend that a person undergo the removal of their tonsils, called a tonsillectomy, if they have :. Therefore, if someone seems to be more prone to infections instead, removal may be the best option. Pain is common after a tonsillectomy. Just as children should stay home from school for 2 weeks or so after surgery, adults need to give themselves and their body a chance to rest and recover.

Although swallowing might be difficult after the procedure, experts recommend as rapid a return to solid foods as possible. Viral infections cause most cases of tonsillitis in adults and children, and at-home treatment with rest, fluids, and OTC pain relievers is usually sufficient.