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Conditions›Mouth and tooth diseases›Mouth disorders›Peritonsillar abscess

Peritonsillar abscess

A painful, serious condition characterized by an abscess that forms in the throat, near the tonsils.
Dr. Geoffrey Rutledge
Dr. Geoffrey Rutledgereviewed this
Internal Medicine 39 years experience
Is a type of:Mouth disorders
How long it usually lasts:

Short-term (lasts days to weeks)

How common is it?

Common

Common

Extremely rareVery rareRareCommonVery common
Baby0-2
Preteen6-13Common
Teenager14-18Common
Young adult19-40Common
Middle-aged adult41-60Common
How it can usually be treated?

Can be cured with medical treatment

How is it usually diagnosed?

Requires diagnosis by a medical professional

Symptoms

Bad breath
Malaise
Abdominal pain
Fever
Vomiting
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Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Peritonsillar abscess
Antibiotic
Steroids

Procedures

Ratings show how effective doctors think these procedures are at treating Peritonsillar abscess

Surgery

Incision and drainage
3.98 reviews

Tests

Monospot
WBC count
Group A strep rapid test
Throat culture

Related questions

A 36-year-old member asked:
What is peritonsillar abscess?
1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
A 34-year-old member asked:
Do peritonsillar abscesses hurt?
2 doctor answers5 doctors weighed in
A 41-year-old member asked:
What does peritonsillar abscess actually mean?
1 doctor answer4 doctors weighed in
A 20-year-old male asked:
Can peritonsillar abscesses go away eventually?
1 doctor answer2 doctors weighed in
A 43-year-old member asked:
How to tell if I have a "peritonsillar abscess"?
1 doctor answer3 doctors weighed in
A member asked:
What are the most common symptoms of peritonsillar abscess?
2 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
A 28-year-old male asked:
What is the definition or description of: peritonsillar abscess?
1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
A 41-year-old member asked:
Should i go to emergency if i know I have a peritonsillar abscess?
1 doctor answer2 doctors weighed in
A 44-year-old male asked:
If you have a peritonsillar abscess how likely are you to have it happen again?
1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
A 41-year-old member asked:
Is a peritonsillar abscess contagious?
1 doctor answer2 doctors weighed in
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