Tonsillitis - Prognosis

Tonsillitis usually gets better on its own within a few days. Treating the symptoms of sore throat and fever will make the patient more comfortable. In cases where the fever lasts for more than forty-eight hours or reaches a temperature of more than 102°F (38°C) the patient should be seen by a doctor.

Any medication that has been prescribed should be taken until all of it has been taken. Patients sometimes stop taking their medications when they feel better, but though the symptoms may have cleared up, the infection may not have been cured. The infection may spread to other parts of the upper respiratory (breathing) system. The ears and sinuses are especially subject to such infection. In rare cases, much more serious conditions, such as rheumatic fever (see rheumatic fever entry) or pneumonia (see pneumonia entry) may develop.