Persistent Tonsil Inflammation After Antibiotic Treatment
Greetings, everyone! I hope you’re doing well. Approximately a week ago, I experienced discomfort and went to the emergency room due to my tonsils causing some throat constriction and pain when I spoke loudly. Although the strep test came back negative, the attending doctor suspected a bacterial infection. Currently, I can see some yellowish solid pus on my tonsils, along with what seems to be a white residue likely stemming from post-nasal drip at the back of my throat. A bicillin injection was administered exactly seven days ago. While the sensation of airway constriction has eased off in the past five days, my tonsils still appear similar to how they did in my initial visit. Is it typical for healing to take this long after a week? Additionally, it continues to hurt when I raise my voice. I should mention that I had been traveling across the United States for three weeks prior to this incident. Thank you all for any insights you can provide!
Answers (1)
7/26/2025, 7:20:36 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you’re dealing with ongoing tonsil inflammation after a bacterial infection, which can indeed take some time to resolve, especially after receiving treatment like a Bicillin injection. Let’s summarize the key points and provide practical steps to help you through this situation.
Key Points:
- Ongoing Symptoms: You've had persistent tonsil inflammation, yellow pus, and white residue for over a week after antibiotic treatment.
- Improvement Noticed: Some symptoms like airway constriction have improved, but discomfort when speaking loudly persists.
Understanding Your Condition:
Tonsil inflammation, or tonsillitis, can take time to heal, particularly after a bacterial infection. The presence of pus might indicate that the inflammation is still active, and it could be due to several factors including post-nasal drip, allergies, or residual infection. It's not uncommon for the throat to remain sore for a while after an initial infection has improved.
Next Steps:
- Hydration: Keep your throat moist by drinking plenty of fluids, such as warm water, herbal tea, or broths, which can help soothe irritation.
- Gargling: Gargle with a saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water) several times a day to help reduce inflammation and clear any residue.
- Humidifier Use: Consider using a humidifier in your room to maintain moisture in the air, which can ease throat discomfort and help with post-nasal drip.
- Rest Your Voice: Try to avoid speaking too loudly or for extended periods, as resting your voice can aid in recovery.
- Monitor Symptoms: Keep an eye on your symptoms. If you notice persistent yellow pus, increased pain, fever, or difficulty breathing, consider this a sign to take further action.
Final Reminders:
Healing times can vary, and while some discomfort may remain for a while, it’s important to listen to your body. If your symptoms do not improve or worsen, you may want to reach out to a healthcare provider for further evaluation. Take care, and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Related Questions
19-Year-Old Male with Prolonged Cold Symptoms and Doctor's Recommendation for Admission
I am a 19-year-old male, standing at 5'11" and weighing 110 kg. My smoking habits are infrequent; I smoked a few cigarettes during a vacation about a month ago. Additionally, I consumed a fair amount of alcohol around the same period, but I do not regularly engage in either drinking or smoking. I have no history of drug use. While I did experience an ear infection in January, my medical history has been otherwise unremarkable, and I am not currently on any medication. Approximately 12 days ago, I began experiencing symptoms including a runny nose and a mild cold with minimal coughing. Although these symptoms have persisted, they have remained relatively mild. Today, I visited a physician who requested a chest X-ray. After reviewing the results, he recommended hospital admission. However, due to pressing personal matters, I was unable to accept the admission at this time. The doctor prescribed medication to last me for the next four days and advised me to return for a follow-up consultation. Currently, I am still experiencing a runny nose and mild congestion, yet I do not have a fever or a significant cough, and I feel generally alright. Still, given the duration of my symptoms and the physician's recommendation for admission, I find myself feeling somewhat anxious about my condition. **I have the following questions:** * What potential findings from the X-ray could warrant the recommendation for admission? * Is it risky to postpone admission for a few days? * Is it possible that I am dealing with something less severe, like a lingering viral infection? Thank you for your attention.
Severe Shaking and Chills: Possible Sepsis or Flu?
Subject: 32-year-old male, height 5'11. Yesterday morning, I awoke to a sense of physical discomfort and decided to continue with my day at work. I took some ibuprofen, which appeared to provide relief. However, later that evening, as I rose from my chair, an intense pain surged through my body, followed by an overwhelming episode of shaking that was unlike anything I had ever experienced. It was incredibly alarming. Despite being bundled under two blankets, I felt intensely cold and was surprised to discover my temperature had spiked to 102°F. The sensation was akin to having been struck by a freight train, making me feel as if I had contracted an exceptionally severe flu. In an effort to find some calm, I took one of my wife's Xanax, which seemed to alleviate some of the panic, along with some Tylenol. After that, I became excessively warm and eventually went to bed. Upon waking up today, I still feel slightly off, as if my head is heavy, reminiscent of flu-like symptoms, but without a fever. I am currently undergoing treatment for prostatitis, originally thought to be bacterial; however, all test results have returned negative for bacteria. While doing some research on my symptoms online, I have started to worry that I might be experiencing sepsis. Could this be sepsis, an unusual coincidence, or merely a case of the flu?
Pain in the Testicular Area
Recently, I've observed that my 13-year-old son has been frequently adjusting his groin area, prompting me to inquire about it. He communicated to me that he was experiencing discomfort in his testicles, although he seemed to downplay the severity. Given our awareness of alarming accounts regarding testicular torsion and the potential consequences, we decided to seek immediate medical attention at the emergency room. Fortunately, after examination, the doctors found no signs of any serious issues. He rated his pain at a 2 or 3 on a scale of 10, mentioning it wasn’t constant; rather, he described it as a dull ache that would occasionally come and go. The medical team ruled out torsion or any inflammation. He is not currently taking any medications and lacks any significant medical history. This raised questions for us—could it simply be associated with growth spurts, perhaps linked to puberty? Should he consider switching his underwear brand or visiting a urologist? Despite our concerns, he seems reluctant to take any action, insisting that the pain is manageable. Nonetheless, I've noticed moments where he appears to be in discomfort.
Is Thrombocytopenic Purpura Likely Following the Measles Vaccine?
Greetings! I'm a 29-year-old female, weighing 100 pounds, with no past history of smoking, drug use, or alcohol consumption. Are there any known cases of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) occurring in adults post-measles vaccination? I recently received this vaccine since I missed out on it during my childhood, but I'm struggling to find information specific to adults regarding this issue.
Untangling My Medical Dilemma
I’m a 24-year-old woman weighing 140 pounds. Medical History: I have been diagnosed with several conditions including manic anxiety/depression, pseudotumor cerebri, persistent allergic conjunctivitis, chronic rhinitis combined with sinusitis, an empty sella, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) characterized by constipation, paranasal sinus issues, and cervical ectropion. My current treatment regimen involves a range of medications: I take Diamox at a dose of 250 mg twice daily, Cymbalta at 90 mg in the evening, Abilify at 5 mg each night, Famotidine at 40 mg before bed, Pantoprazole at 40 mg in the morning, and Zofran 4 mg as necessary. Is it just me, or is there a chance that my doctors are overlooking something critical? Since my diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) in 2023, I’ve found myself receiving inconsistent information. I only learned about my test results in May after consulting with an internal medicine specialist. I feel like I'm losing my grip on reality; I don't consider myself particularly stressed, yet I am desperate for clarity that continues to elude me. I simply want to understand my health situation, but it seems answers are always out of reach.