I have symptoms of tonsillitis

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I've had a bit of an ear infection that I've just let run its course, but now it's turned to my throat, which now feels all inflamed and extremely painful to swallow.

But I am unable to seek any medical help for antibiotics because of the surgeries and hospitals being overfilled with coronavirus cases, and my symptoms are NOT coronavirus, as I've had this before and I do not have a cough or fever.

What do people do if they are suffering from symptoms that is not coronavirus?

I get that two-three times a year: right Eustachian tube followed by tonsils, and sometimes the glands below my jaw as well.
I take two paracetamol and two ibuprofen four times daily, have a drink* on the go all the time to keep my fluids up and limit my activities to absolutely necessary stuff: it usually clears up within 2-3 days.
I also eat the occasional clove of raw garlic when in that state: but it’s a very strong peppery flavour.

Sorry to hear you’ve got that going on, feeling generally crappy without being properly ill is a right pain in the backside.

* Hot milk with a teaspoon full of honey stirred in is very soothing, I’ve also used lemsip as an alternative to paracetamol tablets... but it does taste weird.
It’s also the only times when I drink cuppa soup... basically maximising the amount of water that goes in without added sugar or caffeine.

Edit: just looked at NHS page on tonsillitis: they recommend cold rather than hot drinks, and also gargling with warm, salty water: and contacting your GP if it hasn’t gone away if it’s own accord after 4 days.
(They also say to ring doc if you have white spots round your tonsils: I always do and never have! )

I've had tonsillitis. If your tonsils aren't infected, i.e don't have patches of white pus on them, then the doctor wouldn't give you antibiotics anyway because it's most likely a viral infection rather than bacterial.

Paracetamol is your best bet, and strepsils.

Throat numbing spray is really good. You can get it from Boots or any other chemist.

I hate fizzy drinks, but they soothe a sore throat for me. It's the only time I drink them.

Boil some water, add a few drops of olbas oil, put a towel over your head and the bowl and breath in the steam to get some relief.

If you phone your Doctors surgery you should get someone to speak to if it gets worse and your tonsils do become infected. If not they will have a recorded message telling you who to contact.

My brother in law needed antibiotics last week for a dental issue and called up and the dentist left a prescription outside the surgery for him to collect.

Sorry to hear that.

Unless you have an underlying health condition then rest, lots of fluids and 4 hourly pain relief is usually as good as anything. If it becomes a sever infection antibiotics might (might!) help.

You should be able to call your GP surgery or if you get really concerned 111.

The pain is horrible and can be really uncomfortable. Gargling with a weak solution of TCP can help numb the back of the throat and also helps fight the infection. Its good stuff.

As regards pain relief - other than 4 hourly paracetamol - you can take a more aggressive approach if the pain becomes really bad again dependent upon whether you have any underlying health problems. Alternating Aspirin and Paracetamol every 2 hours can be very effective. Obviously if you have gastro intestinal problems or are on other meds you need to be careful with this and you should not exceed the stated maximum doses over a 24hr period.

Also - if you can get dispersible or soluble Aspirin and Paracetamol then you can gargle before swallowing. This can have a local anaesthetic effect which may help also.

Feel free to PM if that would help.

I don't have tonsils or adenoids but I read that you can still get tonsillitis without tonsils.

I drink fizzy drinks a lot so that shouldn't be too difficult for me.

I do have lemsip but I can only drink it in the day, as if I drink it before bed I have to keep getting up to pee.

Eating crisps and chocolate also helps to soothe it....but it doesn't help my diet too much. I can stick to other remedies listed here.

Thanks for the replies.

I hope you feel better soon.