These infections do not require antibiotics. Get plenty of bed rest. Drink plenty of liquids, even though it hurts. Eat soft foods, such as ice cream, soup, or pudding. It helps to gargle with warm salt water.
Chronic tonsillitis produces recurrent sore throats.
There are often small plugs of pus that emerge from small dents in the tonsils. These may be the size of rice, have a foul odor, and may occur with no other symptoms. Sometimes, the person coughs them out without realizing they are from the tonsils. In severe cases, an abscess develops or the tonsils become quite large obstructing the airway or making swallowing impossible. The only effective treatment is removing the tonsils by surgery.