SC Tonsillitis Tonsillitis Chapter 19. The tonsils are masses of tissue at the back of the throat. They act as a filter to help prevent infections in the throat, mouth, and sinuses from spreading to other parts of the body. They also produce antibodies that fight throat and nose infections.
Tonsillitis occurs when the tonsils get inflamed.
The cause for this is a bacterial or viral infection. Headache A throat culture is necessary to diagnose the cause of tonsillitis. Antibiotics are prescribed for strep or other bacterial infections, but not for viral ones. Don't pressure your child's doctor to remove your child's tonsils just because this was commonly done years ago. Only under certain medical conditions should a tonsillectomy be done.