Turned on the Air Conditioner All Night and Woke Up with a Sore Throat... It's Not Just a Cold [Kok! Health]

Bacterial and Viral Infections Are Main Causes

Tonsillectomy May Be Considered If Episodes Recur

"Drink Water Frequently and Avoid Cold Air"

As the use of air conditioning increases in the hot weather, the throat mucous membranes can become dry and sensitive. When fatigue and lack of sleep are added, the body becomes more susceptible to bacterial or viral infections. Sometimes, symptoms that are mistaken for a simple sore throat may actually be tonsillitis, so extra caution is needed.

Tonsillitis is a condition in which the tonsillar tissues located at the back of the throat become acutely inflamed. The tonsils serve as immune organs that block invading bacteria and viruses from entering the body. However, these tissues themselves can become inflamed when infected by such pathogens. Acute tonsillitis typically refers to inflammation of the palatine tonsils. If the inflammation spreads to the surrounding throat tissues, pharyngitis may also occur.

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Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by bacterial or viral infections. The most common bacterial pathogen is beta-hemolytic streptococcus, but staphylococcus, pneumococcus, and hemophilus bacteria can also be causes. Respiratory viruses such as influenza virus and rhinovirus are also considered major causes.

The main symptom is a sore throat. The pain can become severe enough to make swallowing difficult. If the inflammation around the tonsils is pronounced and the pharyngeal muscles are affected, dysphagia may occur. Other systemic symptoms can include headache, joint pain, or generalized weakness. Swelling and tenderness of the lymph nodes around the neck may also be present.

Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause and the severity of symptoms. Conservative management focuses on reducing inflammation and relieving pain, with analgesics used if fever and severe pain are present. Adequate rest and hydration are also important.

If bacterial tonsillitis is suspected, antibiotic therapy may be required. Once antibiotics are started, they should not be stopped prematurely, even if the symptoms seem to improve. Improvement typically begins to appear within 48 to 72 hours after appropriate antibiotic therapy, and most patients experience clinical improvement within four to five days.

If tonsillitis occurs frequently, a tonsillectomy may be considered. Surgical treatment can be helpful if tonsillitis recurs more than three or four times a year despite receiving adequate conservative treatment.

Professor Lee Dongyeon, an otolaryngologist at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, stated, "During the summer, it is best to avoid having cold air from the air conditioner blow directly on your throat and not to keep the temperature excessively low." He added, "Drinking water frequently to keep the throat mucous membranes moist and eating soft foods like porridge when you have a severe sore throat can also be helpful."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.