Helped Over 500,000 patients with 98%+ satisfaction.

Connect & Get Personalized 1-to-1 Answers from Expert Doctors

DoctorSpring > Question Home

Swollen tonsils which hurt to swallow.

Resolved Question:

Only my right side of my tonsils is swollen. It hurts to swallow and I can feel the tightness on that side all the time. It's almost like it makes a little pop sometimes when I swallow. The first photos were about three weeks ago. The next when seems to have enlarged more were two weeks ago. And the last photo is comparing to my left tonsils. I have had an in and out doctor say it was an infection-prescribed me two rounds of a zpack-it hasn't gone away with that. An internist that was pushy to get me out the door said it was nothing. And an ENT today told me he thought it was bothered from acid reflux. I brought up the possibility of hpv in the mouth and he said he didn't think it would be in my throat- which kind of bothered me because that is a real thing to get now- hpv in your throat. I have my gyn appt Monday but would like some peace until then-I'm really worried. I've never had any kind of tonsil problems. Thanks in advance

Category: ENT Specialist

Ask Your Own Question

Category: ENT Specialist
 28 Doctors Online

Hello.
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com.
I can understand your concern. You are suffering from throat pain and pain with a sensation of tightness on the right side while swallowing for almost 3 weeks.
The most likely diagnosis in your case is Tonsillitis (infection of tonsil) only. As your anterior tonsillar pillar (the tissue in front of the tonsils) are congested on both the sides and posterior pharyngeal wall (back of the throat) is congested, it indicates Tonsillitis.

Tonsil is a normal structure and size of your tonsil is still normal (grade I) even though the right one is larger than the left . In infection most of time we do not consider size, but since it is congested and you have symptoms, the diagnosis will be tonsillitis.

As your doctor told it is very unlikely to be HPV, This is because throat infection due to HPV is very uncommon and it does not present with congestion which is seen in your case. So you should not worry about HPV.
The first line drug for throat infection is Amoxicillin.
So you can start Tab. Amoxicillin 500 mg, two times daily, after meals, for 5 days.
You can add an antihistamine including Tab. Levocetrizine 5 mg once in a day for 5 days.
Usually acid reflux does not cause any congestion of anterior tonsillar pillar congestion, but it may cause posterior pharyngeal wall granulations. Anyway acidity / acid reflux can be controlled with Cap. Omeprazole 20 mg, two times daily, at least 30 mins prior to a meal, for 5 days.
You can do warm saline/ Betadine gargle thrice daily.
If pain is unbearable despite all these measures, you can take an OTC like Ibuprofen 400 mg, twice daily after meals, for 3 days.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further queries.

Best regards,
Dr. Sunil Jalan,
MBBS, DLO, MS(ENT), DNB(ENT).
ENT Specialist.


Patient replied :

Thank you so much. Your reply was very informative and calming opposed to the doctors I have seen in the last three weeks. What visually seen shows "congestion" just so I can understand myself. How do I retrieve the amoxicillin off of here?
Thanks again!
Kayla
[email protected]


Hello.
Yes it shows congestion, and as i said mostly indicative of tonsilitis.
For the prescription, kindly get it from your local physician, because i can;t provide you prescription online.
Let me know if you have any additional queries.
Regards,
Dr. Sunil Jalan


Dr. Sunil Jalan
Category: ENT Specialist
Experience: 
DAA (Diploma in asthma and allergy) : Christian Medical College, Vellore, 2012
D.N.B (ENT), 2011
Residency - M.S. (Master post graduate degree in otorhinolaryngology),  Christian Medical College, Vellore, 2009
D.L.O. (Diploma in otorhinolaryngology) - Christian Medical College, Vellore, 2007
Medical School - M.B.B.S, S.P. Medical college, Bikaner, 2004
Dr. Sunil Jalan and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

Users who read this, also read:

Make informed and better medical decisions.

Join the 500,000 people who found a smarter, quicker way to get Answers, Recommendations & Expert Opinions.

Expert Doctors at fingertips

Recommendation on next step. Second-opinion.Multi-specialty.

Save Time

Average time for answers: 6 hours.

Save Money

$35 for typical specialist consult vs. $120 for a local appointment.

Free Follow-ups

Clarify, ask further questions for free in private conversation.

100% Satisfaction

Money back guarantee for the 1st reply. MEDNET Quality Board.

Start My Consultation

CHAT NOW

About DoctorSpring.com

Doctor Spring is a novel online Doctor consultation platform where you can get your medical questions answered by leading Doctors. Just Submit your question and rest assured that you will consult a Doctor easily. Once you submit the question, the Doctor from the concerned specialty will reply within hours. You can always ask more questions or add details with follow-up question options and make it an online doctor chat. You may use this service to consult a specialty or for getting medical second opinion. All paid services come with a MEDNET quality assurance and 100% money back guarantee.

DoctorSpring in news