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Pain in the tonsils
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
The tonsils are located in the back of the throat. There are two pharyngeal tonsils, two palatine tonsils, also called glands, and a lingual tonsil. The tonsils are one of the most important human immune organs. Pain in the tonsils can indicate various disorders in the body. A person with pain in the tonsils needs to consult a doctor, because some disorders can lead to the removal of the tonsils, which greatly reduces immunity.
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Causes tonsil pain
Angina is an acute infectious disease, the changes in the tonsils are of an inflammatory nature. The main pathogens of the disease are streptococci and staphylococci, but in recent years the number of other types of bacteria that provoke the disease has increased. Angina can be primary and secondary, arising in connection with acute infectious diseases such as diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, etc., as well as due to diseases of the circulatory system.
Factors that predispose to the development of angina include hypothermia, physical and mental fatigue, previous illnesses, and vitamin deficiency. The disease begins acutely, patients are bothered by pain in the tonsils, sore throat, headache, and general weakness of the body. The temperature may vary, depending on the type of angina, from slightly elevated to very high.
Another cause of pain in the tonsils is chronic tonsillitis. It occurs due to several consecutive tonsillitis. Also, the occurrence of the disease is influenced by adenoids, sinusitis, periodontal disease and carious teeth, weakening the body. Patients often complain of neuralgic pain radiating to the neck and ear, there is a sensation of a foreign body in the throat and an unpleasant smell from the mouth. The disease is accompanied by lethargy and high temperature, especially in the evening.
A retropharyngeal abscess is also a cause of pain in the tonsils. It is formed as a result of suppuration of the lymph nodes. It can be a complication of measles, flu and other acute respiratory diseases, and is also provoked by damage to the mucous membrane of the larynx by solid food. Symptoms: sharp pain in the tonsils when swallowing, choking on food, sometimes it gets into the nose, when located in the nasopharynx, nasal speech and difficulty breathing are characteristic, when located in the lower parts of the larynx, shortness of breath occurs, accompanied by snoring. The body temperature is very high, up to 40 degrees Celsius. Profuse sweating.
Chronic pharyngitis is a sluggish inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx, and is also the cause of pain in the tonsils. Often the cause of the disease can be diseases of the liver, digestive tract and thyroid gland. Symptomatic manifestations of chronic pharyngitis are severe redness of the mucous membrane of the throat with accumulation of thick mucus on it.
Also, pain in the tonsils can be caused by non-inflammatory factors, such as allergies, dry air in the room where you are, and especially where you sleep. Also, in the case of systematic breathing of air polluted with harmful chemicals, the tonsils can hurt.
The human immunodeficiency virus can also cause pain in the tonsils, but this is not due to the virus itself, but due to the general weakening of the body and the infections that develop in connection with this. Also, complaints of pain in the tonsils, without symptoms of an infectious disease, may indicate the development of a tumor in the larynx, in which case a consultation with an oncologist is advisable.
Pathogenesis
The tonsils with other lymphatic follicles form the pharyngeal lymphatic ring, which is essentially the body's immunity. The tonsils are the first to encounter pathogenic foreign bodies entering the body and neutralize them, and most immune cells are also generated in them. The structure of the tonsils is porous, they are permeated with lacunae - special porous tubes that serve as a trap for microbes. From the inside, they connect with the entire immune system through the lymphatic duct.
Usually, the tonsils located on the palate hurt, the inflammation can be easily tracked, as they are visible with the mouth open. Less often, the pharyngeal and lingual tonsils are at risk. If you are worried about pain in the tonsils, you need to direct all efforts to eliminating the problem without surgical intervention.
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Treatment tonsil pain
It is not very difficult to detect a tonsil disease, but in no case should you self-medicate, as this can cause harm and lead to significant complications. If you or your loved ones have tonsil pain, you should immediately go to the doctor to keep them intact and protect yourself from life-threatening consequences. A specialist who has diagnosed the disease at an early stage will easily eliminate it by prescribing the correct treatment.