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Swollen tonsils which hurt to swallow.

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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

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Category: ENT Specialist
 23 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

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