Bleeding tonsillitis

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Van Thai - Ear, Nose Throat Doctor - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Bleeding tonsillitis is not a common symptom of tonsillitis, so when this happens, many patients will be very confused, worried, and do not know how to treat.

1. What is tonsillitis?

The tonsils are a lymphoid tissue consisting of two masses located on either side of the pharynx. The tonsils have the function of producing lymphocytes and antibodies, so they play a very important role, helping to maintain the body's immune system, especially increasing the resistance of the nasopharynx to pathogens. However, because it is the "gateway" of many viruses and bacteria, the tonsils are very vulnerable. Tonsillitis is one of the most common tonsil lesions. This is a very common disease, which can appear in all subjects from adults to children, but mainly in children aged 5 to 15 years. The main causes of tonsillitis are:
● Bacteria: group A beta-hemolytic streptococci, staphylococci, streptococci, spirochetes, some strains of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria
● Viruses: measles, influenza, whooping cough,...
Tonsillitis often occurs in people who have poor resistance, are allergic or have inflammatory diseases in the throat and mouth such as tooth decay, gingivitis, sinusitis, VA. The sudden change in weather from hot to cold or polluted environment, poor hygiene is also a favorable factor for the development of the disease.

2. Why does tonsillitis cause bleeding?

When having tonsillitis, the patient will have symptoms such as: Sudden feeling of chills, then a fever of 38-39 degrees. Body fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, little urine, dark urine. The throat is hot, dry, especially in the side wall of the throat, where the tonsils are located, sore throat, sharp pain in the ear, cough with phlegm, hoarse voice.
Bleeding tonsillitis is not a common symptom of tonsillitis, so when experiencing this symptom, the patient will be very confused and worried. The cause of tonsillitis bleeding is due to tonsillitis that is not treated promptly or improperly, symptoms of sore throat, prolonged cough that ruptures tiny blood vessels in the throat, when coughing blood may produce a blood clot. little blood or blood mixed in sputum. Another cause is that some of the agents that cause tonsillitis create sores on the tonsils that cause bleeding.

3. Is tonsillitis causing bleeding dangerous?

Bleeding tonsillitis is a rather dangerous condition. Because it is located next to large blood vessels, if the damage is not treated soon, the damage to the blood vessels will become more and more widespread, and the tonsil bleeding will become more and more severe. Besides, when tonsillitis is not treated, the disease will develop seriously, causing complications in many organs, seriously threatening the patient's health.
● Complications in nearby organs: Rhinitis, otitis media, laryngitis, bronchitis
Complications in distant organs: arthritis, endocarditis, nephritis, bacterial infection blood ,...

4. What to do when tonsillitis causes bleeding?

When tonsillitis causes bleeding, the patient should go to medical facilities for active treatment. The doctor will conduct a clinical examination and order a number of tests to comprehensively assess the patient's condition. To treat tonsillitis that causes bleeding, the drugs that can be used are:
● Antibiotics: When acute tonsillitis may not require antibiotics, the treatment is mainly symptomatic and advanced. physical condition. However, when tonsillitis causes bleeding, through a doctor's examination, it is determined that the tonsillitis is caused by bacteria, antibiotics are indispensable treatment drugs.
Antipyretic and analgesic: Paracetamol is used at a dose of 10-15mg/kg, 4-6 hours apart.
● Gargle with warm alkaline solutions: mix half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, sodium borate,... with a cup of warm water to gargle. Can also use physiological saline 0.9% NaCl instead.
During treatment, the patient needs to spend a lot of time resting, drinking lots of water, and eating a nutritious diet. Do not eat foods that are too hot or too cold because they can easily damage the lining of the mouth and throat. When tonsillitis is thoroughly treated, the bleeding caused by tonsillitis and other symptoms of the disease will disappear, and the patient's health will recover.

BSCK II Nguyen Van Thai is formerly a Doctor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology - Hue Central Hospital with more than 17 years of treatment experience, especially in the field of Head and Neck Surgery. Currently, he is an Otolaryngologist at the Inter-Specialist Clinic of the Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine, Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a prestigious and high-quality hospital system in examination, diagnosis and treatment of problems related to ENT, including tonsillitis. Customers who need advice or support from high quality services from Vinmec, please contact to book an appointment HERE.
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