Peritonsillar Abscess

The Basics
Lots of kids get tonsillitis (an infection of the tonsils), especially younger kids. As kids get older, however, this throat infection can be accompanied by an unpleasant condition called a peritonsillar abscess.

A peritonsillar abscess is an area of pus-filled tissue at the back of the mouth, next to one of the tonsils. The abscess can be very painful and make it difficult to open the mouth. It can also cause swelling that can displace the tonsil and push it toward the uvula (the dangling fleshy object at the back of the mouth). This can block the throat, making it difficult to swallow, speak, and sometimes even breathe.

An untreated peritonsillar abscess can lead to a spread of the infection into the neck and chest, as well as other serious complications.

Causes
Peritonsillar abscesses are most often caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococci bacteria, which also cause strep throat. Sometimes other types of bacteria are also involved.

Peritonsillar abscesses usually happen as a complication of tonsillitis, when the infection spreads from a tonsil into the space surrounding it. Fortunately, these kinds of abscesses are uncommon because doctors use antibiotics to treat tonsillitis.

Tooth and gum disease and smoking can increase the chances of a peritonsillar abscess.

Symptoms
Often the first sign of a peritonsillar abscess is a sore throat. As the abscess develops, other symptoms will appear. Some of the most common are:

red, swollen tonsils
a tonsil that's pushing against the uvula
tender, swollen glands (lymph nodes) on one side of the neck
severe pain on one side of the throat
difficulty and pain when swallowing or opening the mouth
fever and chills
headache
earache
drooling
a muffled or hoarse voice
A peritonsillar abscess that goes untreated for a long time can lead to serious complications — for example, the infection may extend into the jaw, neck, and chest, or lead to pneumonia.