From the Guidelines
A peritonsillar abscess is characterized by severe sore throat, difficulty swallowing, trismus, fever, and bad breath, and requires immediate medical attention. The symptoms of a peritonsillar abscess can be identified using clinical scoring criteria, such as the modified Centor criteria, which include fever by history, tonsillar exudates, tender anterior cervical adenopathy, and absence of cough 1. However, patients who present with unusually severe signs and symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing, drooling, neck tenderness, or swelling, should be evaluated for rare throat infections, including peritonsillar abscess 1.
Key Symptoms
- Severe sore throat that is typically worse on one side
- Difficulty and pain when swallowing (odynophagia)
- Muffled or "hot potato" voice
- Trismus (limited ability to open the mouth)
- Fever
- Malaise
- Bad breath
- Drooling due to painful swallowing
- Neck pain
- Ear pain on the affected side
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck These symptoms develop as pus collects in the space between the tonsil and its surrounding muscle, creating pressure and inflammation. Prompt treatment with antibiotics and drainage of the abscess is necessary to prevent serious complications. According to recent data, Fusobacterium necrophorum is implicated in approximately 10% of peritonsillar abscess cases, highlighting the importance of proper diagnosis and treatment 1.
From the Research
Symptoms of Peritonsillar Abscess
The symptoms of peritonsillar abscess include:
- Fever 2, 3
- Sore throat 2, 3
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) 2
- Trismus (lockjaw) 2, 3
- A "hot potato" voice 2
- Throat pain 3, 4
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess is usually made on the basis of clinical presentation and examination 2. Treatment options include: