The difference with viral tonsillitis or bacterial ?!

[darlingdear76]

Sorry had to make another post as not sure what happened to the other one

I have white spots at the back of my throat and have the common cold with normal symptoms no fever or swollen lymph nodes

Called the GP and she said that it sounds like viral tonsillitis bec with bacterial I'll feel more unwell and with a fever she did prescribe antibiotics just incase if it doesn't get better

However my throat feels more better but the white spots are still there during the day I feel okay with my throat but at night when I'm sleeping and I wake up during the night it hurts soo bad

Pls tel me what's the difference and what do you guys think I might have with your experience

The cold symptoms are a key indicator of a viral infection.

Plus, with a bacterial infection, you're almost certainly going to get a fever (and a high one at that) as well as feeling extremely unwell.

Hope you feel better soon.

And the waking up at night in more pain is just because it gets dry and you don't swallow as much in your sleep

I was always told that any white spots / pus on your tonsils and it’s bacterial and needs antibiotics. Dd has frequent bouts of it and always gets a course of antibiotics if she has white spots.

DS had tonsillitis last week, no cold symptoms, high fever. Disgusting breath too, and he was really unwell. Yours sounds viral. Hope you recover quickly.

I think its often a fob off to be honest. You cant tell without testing and In all the years I have had some sort of infection (bacterial or otherwise) I have had ONE test and that was for a urine infection. Every other time, ear, urine, tonsil, chest its been mainly 'heres antibiotics' or 'you dont need them its viral'

Got the gift of second sight these GPs

Because you have cold symptoms it's likely viral. She gave you the antibiotics just in case it turns bacterial. Anti biotics won't help a virus. You need to just let it take its course.

I am prone to bacterial tonsillitis, I feel very unwell with with almost flu like symptoms and I can’t talk as in a can make sounds but I can’t move the back of my throat to help make the words no amount of drinking helps.

I’ve had both - and the biggest difference is the smell!! With viral it hurts etc and all the usual symptoms but with bacteria my breath really smelled - tonsil quite obviously infected. I usually get more poorly over a few days of symptoms starting with bacteria and with viral I sort of feel better after a few days.

Bacterial tonsillitis absolutely floors my husband when he gets it (once per year), he has just finished a 10 day course of antibiotics and he barely got out of bed for 3 days.

he always feels extremely unwell with it and usually takes a while to get over. The pain is awful. I’ve had bacterial once and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

viral, usually manageable with extra fluids and lots of ice lollies.

hope you feel better soon OP.

I suffer with frequent bacterial tonsillitis, it makes me extremely unwell with a high fever and chills. Generally, paracetamol doesn’t touch it but ibuprofen works better, and as somebody else said the smell is putrid. Honestly, when I have tonsillitis I’m so unwell that I can’t get out of bed at all, not even if there was £1m on my bedroom
floor. It comes on suddenly; with no cold like symptoms.

you can get white spots with a viral infection, and the fact that you have cold symptoms and feel generally ok means viral is more likely.