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Tonsillitis - Exams and Tests
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
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Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Diagnosis of tonsillitis is based on a medical history and a physical exam of the throat. An accurate medical history is needed to find out whether tonsillitis is recurrent, which may affect treatment choices.
If your symptoms suggest strep throat, your doctor may want to confirm this diagnosis by doing a throat culture. Strep throat is more likely if 3 or 4 of the following signs or symptoms are present:
- Fever
- White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and/or tonsils (tonsillar exudates)
- Swollen or tender lymph nodes on the neck
- Absence of coughing or sneezing
If a strep infection is suspected, your doctor may do a rapid strep test or a throat culture or both. Both of these tests can be done in a doctor's office. You may want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each test to see which test is appropriate.
The results of these tests will determine whether antibiotic treatment is needed. These results combined with an accurate medical history will be considered in deciding whether surgery to remove the tonsils (tonsillectomy) is recommended.
If the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause mononucleosis, is suspected as a cause for the tonsillitis, a test for mononucleosis may be done.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: December 8, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Charles M. Myer, III, MD - Otolaryngology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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