Is it tonsils or streptococcal angina? Key differences that you should know

ahsan65@gmail.comMay 22, 2025

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Is it tonsils or streptococcal angina? Key differences that you should know

Amygdalite is an inflammation of the tonsils – two masses of oval -shaped fabrics at the back of your throat which help you protect yourself against viruses and invading bacteria.

Causes

Amygdalite is most often caused by viruses, generally the same viruses that cause colds, in particular:

Other more serious viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis A and HIV can also cause tonsillitis.

Sometimes a bacterial infection – generally by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus or Streptococcus) – can cause tonsils. The other bacterial causes of amygdalite include:

Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenza

Symptoms

Amygdalite can cause several of the same symptoms of colds, although they generally last longer and become more serious. Symptoms include:

Sore throat
Inflated or red amygone
White or yellow coating (pus) on your tonsils
Fever and chills
Problem swallowed
Bad breath
Lymph nodes swollen in the neck
Stomach
Headache
Stiff neck
Ear pain
Raucous voice

The tonsils can also swell enough to cause problems with breathing, consumption and alcohol consumption.

Diagnosis

To determine if you have amygdalite, your health care provider will examine your symptoms and carry out a physical examination. They will specifically seek:

Tonsils which are red, inflated or have white patches or pus
Lymph nodes swollen in the neck
Fever
The absence of coughing

Once your supplier confirms that your tonsils are infected, they will have to determine whether it is viral or bacterial, using one of the two tests (or both):

Quick test of the antigen, which detects if you have proteins associated with group A Streptococcus in your mucus

Throat culture, which involves laboratory tests of a throat pad

The rapid antigen test provides results in minutes but sometimes produces false negative results. A throat culture takes a few days for the results but is more reliable and can detect several types of bacteria.

If these tests are negative, you have viral tonsils.

Treatment

Similar to colds, viral tonsilitis is clearing alone with resting rest, fluids and pain relievers.

Gargarizations with salt water can also help reduce symptoms.

In rare cases, the body is unable to completely kill the virus and the tonsils can return – five or more amygdalitis episodes in one year are considered a recurring amygdalite. This generally only happens in people with compromise immune systems.

Bacterial amygdalite requires treatment with antibiotics.