A Doctor-Approved Guide to Treating Tonsillitis

• Relive tonsil pain by mixing 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) of salt into an 8-ounce (236 mL) glass of warm water. Gargle the salty water, spit it out, and repeat as necessary.
• Try antiseptic lozenges to diminish pain in your tonsils and throat.
• Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as directed for pain control.

Trying Home Remedies

Get lots of rest at home. People often take one to three days off of work or school, depending upon the severity of their infection. This can be followed by about one full "restful week," often going to work, but postponing social commitments, chores, and other events until you are feeling better. Speak as softly and as little as possible as you are recovering.

Drink liquids and eat soft foods to soothe pain and discomfort. You can create a soothing mixture to help relieve tonsillitis pain. Combine 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey, 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar mixed in hot water and drink as needed. Water also helps to prevent dryness and additional irritation of the tonsils. Hot teas, warm broth, and other warm liquids can be soothing on the throat. In addition to hot drinks, cold ice pops can also soothe throat discomfort.

Gargle with warm water and salt. Mix 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) of salt into an 8 ounce (236 mL) glass of warm water. Gargle the salty water, spit it out, and repeat as necessary to relieve the sore throat caused by tonsillitis.

Remove any environmental irritants. It is important to minimize any irritants that can worsen tonsillitis, such as dry air, cleaning products, or cigarette smoke. Also, try using a cool-air humidifier that adds moisture to the room.

Try lozenges. Many lozenges contain topical anesthetic within them, which can help to diminish pain in your tonsillar area and throat.

Consider "alternative remedies." Always consult your doctor prior to trying any of the following alternative remedies, to ensure they are safe for you in consideration of any other medical conditions you may have. There are not recommended for children and adolescents. Options to consider include: Papain. This is an anti-inflammatory enzyme that may help to reduce inflammation of the tonsils. Serrapeptase. This is another anti-inflammatory enzyme that may help in tonsillitis. Slippery elm in lozenge form. This has been shown to aid in pain relief. Andrographis. This is aimed at treating symptoms of fever and sore throat.

Getting Professional Treatment

Confirm your diagnosis by a throat swab and culture. If you believe you have tonsillitis, it is important to see either your family doctor or an emergency doctor (if you cannot get in to see your family doctor on the same day) to get a throat swab to determine the diagnosis. The biggest concern with tonsillitis is when it is caused by Group A Strep bacteria. This will require medical treatment with antibiotics, as failure to treat it can lead to potentially dangerous complications down the road. Your doctor may be able to tell if you have a strep infection with a visual assessment. If you have discolored tonsils, an empty cough, swollen lymph nodes in your neck, and a fever, it’s likely they’ll need to run further tests with a throat swab. The good news is that seeking medical treatment promptly usually resolves the infection without complications. Tonsillitis may also be caused by other things, such as a viral infection. It is not always caused by strep bacteria; however, it is always best to be seen by a healthcare professional to rule this out and stay on the safe side.

Ensure adequate fluid and calorie intake. One of the key things that doctors will want to check in on if you have tonsillitis is whether you are able to consume adequate fluids and food daily. The main thing that would prevent you from achieving these goals is tonsils that are so swollen or painful that it hurts to eat or drink. Doctors recommend controlling your pain via medication so you can continue to eat and drink. In extreme cases of tonsillar swelling, doctors can administer corticosteroid medication that diminishes the swelling. If you are unable to eat or drink, your doctor will likely prescribe IV fluids and calories to tide you by until the corticosteroid and pain medications can take effect and decrease the pain and swelling in your tonsillar area enough for you to consume food and drinks orally.

Take pain medications. In almost all cases of tonsillitis, your doctor will recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as needed for pain control. Both of these medications are available over-the-counter at your local pharmacy; follow the recommended dosing on the bottle. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) tends to be the better choice as it combats fever as well as pain. Most cases of tonsillitis are the result of an infection, so acetaminophen can help to bring your fever down too. However, you must be careful with acetaminophen, as it is added to so many medications, which makes it easy to overdose. Make sure to keep track of the total dosage and avoid taking more than three grams per day. Do not drink while taking acetaminophen.

Take antibiotics as directed by your doctor. You may be required to take penicillin for 10 days if the doctor determines that bacteria caused your tonsillitis. Request an alternative antibiotic if you are allergic to penicillin. Finish the antibiotics even if you feel better. Neglecting the remainder of your treatment may result in tonsillitis symptoms returning or worsening, or you may develop complications down the road if you do not finish your prescribed treatment. Ask your doctor about what to do if you forget or miss a dose of the antibiotic.

Get a tonsillectomy. If antibiotics do not help, or if you experience chronic or frequent tonsillitis, then a tonsillectomy may be the last resort. Frequent tonsillitis happens when a person experiences infection multiple times over one to three years. Doctors perform a tonsillectomy to remove the two tonsils from the back of the throat. Besides being the final treatment option for tonsillitis, a tonsillectomy also alleviates sleep apnea or other breathing problems related to enlarged tonsils. Doctors generally finish the surgery in one day, but patients fully recover in approximately 7 to 10 days. In the United States, criteria for a tonsillectomy are normally 6 or more tonsillar infections over the course of 1 year, 5 infections over 2 consecutive years, or over 3 infections per year over 3 consecutive years.