This is a condition that implies inflammation of tonsil tissue.

What are tonsils?: Tonsils are lymphatic glands situated in throat, on either sides, performing the function of drainage of throat (pharyngeal and naso-pharangeal) tissue. Whenever the tissue of upper respiratory tract is inflamed it is these glands that drain off the toxic products of infection, the live or the dead bacterial products in the bargain getting themselves infected and inflamed. This is exactly like a gutter draining off bad water or dirt from a premises and getting chocked in the bargain.

Age: usually occurs in children after infancy frequently from age of 16 months to 10 years of age. But age is no bar really and it can occur even in adults.

Symptoms: high fever, throat irritation, pain in throat while swallowing, dry cough not allowing to sleep. The pain can be burning, stinging or ulcerating. Every time a child consumes cold drinks or ice-cream the child gets fever; every time the weather changes or the child is exposed to humid weather, the child falls ill. The family physician will check the throat and when he finds it red or he sees the tonsils red and inflamed, the child is diagnosed as tonsillitis.