How serious is a swollen tonsil

How serious is a swollen tonsil

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Discussion

PulsatingStar

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

255 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
I have one at the moment (just the right side). It hurts to swallow at all, I also feel a bit hot and ache at times. Its been like this a couple of days now.

I phoned the doctors and said I didnt think I had an urgent issue. The nearest appointment I could get was 2 weeks away. I said not to bother and ill call again if it doesnt clear up. Now im getting hassled by girlfriend to phone back and get an emergency appointment.

So what the general opinion on this? If it was down to me id not have phoned them in the first place about it and just tried to see it out (im rarely ill).


deevlash

10,442 posts

244 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.

sherman

13,814 posts

222 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
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Parsnip

3,135 posts

195 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
Try some throat spray stuff like this: http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/difflam-throat-spra...

Works a treat on man flu induced sore throat - which is far more serious than tonsillitis, or even death.

Edited by Parsnip on Thursday 28th October 20:19

littlegreenfairy

10,134 posts

228 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
Ahh you wuss. Try being on the third type of antibiotic to clear a touch of pneumonia wink

SunnyD

698 posts

183 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
OK gonna get gross now... is the tonsil white? I presume if it's swollen and you look down your throat you can see it?

PulsatingStar

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

255 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
SunnyD said:
OK gonna get gross now... is the tonsil white? I presume if it's swollen and you look down your throat you can see it?
Yeah theres a pretty big white bit. It seems cavernous. I wish I hadnt looked at it really.

I think im just going to try a walk in clinic tomorrow but from reading up it sounds like there might be nothing done about it anyway.

SunnyD

698 posts

183 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
When I had severe tonsillitis both my tonsils were white and so swollen you couldn't see down my throat, but that was a pretty bad case, I was off sick for about a month, on a course of antibiotics.

Edited by SunnyD on Thursday 28th October 22:14

PaulHogan

6,582 posts

285 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
Probably you'll be fine. Mine was the opening chapter of non-hodgkins lymphoema, chemotherapy, stem cell transplant frown
It's your call: either put up with it or DEMAND to see an otorhinolaryngologist

Raverbaby

896 posts

193 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
Few months ago I had what can only be described as a lump or swollen right hand side throat.
There was some white stuff in it, it also bled a little when I "poked" it with a cotton bud (as you do).
Went to the walk in GP at the hospital's out of hours service as I was a little concerned, he had a look and said it would go down after a few days and it was not unusual for it to grow the size of a golf ball, I can't remember exactly what the name of it was but was some sort of abcess.
True to his word it cleared up after a few days.
Can you go see a doc at local A&E instead of waiting 2 weeks, surely someone would have a quick look.

goldblum

10,272 posts

174 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.

Raverbaby

896 posts

193 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
Lol I was recently asking my GP about preventing mouth ulcers, he said "Eat your greens"

deevlash

10,442 posts

244 months

Thursday 28th October 2010
quotequote all
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
to keep my throat moist

goldblum

10,272 posts

174 months

Friday 29th October 2010
quotequote all
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
to keep my throat moist
..won't boiled sweets and saliva do that? Lol

deevlash

10,442 posts

244 months

Friday 29th October 2010
quotequote all
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
to keep my throat moist
..won't boiled sweets and saliva do that? Lol
the water has to come from somewhere

goldblum

10,272 posts

174 months

Friday 29th October 2010
quotequote all
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
to keep my throat moist
..won't boiled sweets and saliva do that? Lol
the water has to come from somewhere
Yes.

deevlash

10,442 posts

244 months

Friday 29th October 2010
quotequote all
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
to keep my throat moist
..won't boiled sweets and saliva do that? Lol
the water has to come from somewhere
Yes.
whats your point caller?

Gusanita

365 posts

197 months

Friday 29th October 2010
quotequote all
SunnyD said:
When I had severe tonsillitis both my tonsils were white and so swollen you couldn't see down my throat, but that was a pretty bad case, I was off sick for about a month, on a course of antibiotics.

Edited by SunnyD on Thursday 28th October 22:14
Same thing happened to me. I didn't realise that tonsillitis isn't normally like that.

goldblum

10,272 posts

174 months

Friday 29th October 2010
quotequote all
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
goldblum said:
deevlash said:
I had this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was tonsilitis and went to my GP. Turns out is was just a swolen tonsil and anti biotics wouldnt help. He said if it was tonsilitis he could have given me some pills and it would have bee fine in a day or so but as it wasnt it might take a while to heal up.

He said drink lots of water, stop talking so much and eat some boiled sweets to keep the saliva going.

It was fine about 4 days later.
'He said drink lots of water,' what for? were you dehydrated as well?

Why do GPs say this Old Wives waffle? Ten years or whatever to qualify and they come out with that.
to keep my throat moist
..won't boiled sweets and saliva do that? Lol
the water has to come from somewhere
Yes.
whats your point caller?
My point is that it the Doctor told you to 'drink lots of water'.There is no medical reason for you to do this.

Out of interest do you have both tonsils,and only one was swollen? If so you risked overhydrating the healthy tonsil.




AlexC1981

5,050 posts

224 months

Saturday 30th October 2010
quotequote all
I believe gargling and rinsing several times a day with warm salt water is supposed to help.