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Symptoms of tonsillitis

By Centro Medico Excel
Posted on 11/30/2011

The main symptom of tonsillitis is a sore throat. Other common symptoms include:

·         red and swollen tonsils

·         pain when swallowing

·         high temperature (fever) over 38°C (100.4°F)

·         coughing

·         headache

·         tiredness

·         pain in your ears or neck

·         white pus-filled spots on your tonsils

·         swollen lymph nodes (glands) in your neck.

Less common symptoms of tonsillitis may include:

·         vomiting

·         constipation

·         a 'furry' tongue

·         bad breath

·         Difficulty opening your mouth.

Younger children may also complain of a stomach ache, which can be caused by the swelling of the lymph nodes in the abdomen.

Related symptoms

There may also be related symptoms that depend on whether the infection is caused by a virus or by bacteria. For example:

if your tonsillitis is caused by a virus, such as the flu virus, you may have other flu symptoms such as a runny nose and aches in your body, or

if your tonsillitis is caused by bacteria, you may have a skin rash or a flushed face.