When a person develops tonsillitis, the tonsils—a pair of lymphoid tissues located at the back of the throat—become inflamed due to a viral or bacterial infection. Most often diagnosed in children, tonsillitis leads to a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, chills, fever, and stomachaches. While most cases are self-limiting, some situations require treatment such as antibiotics or a tonsillectomy—that is, surgical removal of the tonsils.

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