Ang mga sintomas ng tonsillitis ay pagkakaroon ng sore throat na masakit kapag lumulunok. Magkakaroon ng lagnat at makararanas din ng pananakit ng tainga lalo na ang mga bata. The tonsils are usually swollen and white in appearance, due to infected material exuded from them and lymph glands in the neck are enlarged. There is malaise and loss of appetite and, rarely, an abscess may develop on a tonsil.
Ang taong may sintomas ng tonsillitis ay kinakailangang sumailalim sa dagliang pagpapagamot. Mahalaga ang pamamahinga at uminom ng maraming liquid. Dahil ang tonsillitis ay bacterial infection, kailangang gamutin ito sa pamamagitan ng antibiotics – gaya ng penicillin o erythromycin. Maaaring gamitin ang analgesics para sa pain relief.
In some cases, a child may suffer recurrent bouts of tonsillitis, or the tonsils or adenoids may become permanently enlarged so that breathing is affected. Kung mangyayari ito, kinakailangan ang operasyon upang tanggalin ang tonsils at adenoids.
In the past, tonsillitis often preceded rheumatic fever or inflammation of the kidneys but due to the advent of antibiotic drugs and improvement in living conditions, this is now much less common. Throat swabs from family members may also be cultured so that those who are infected with the same type of bacteria but have no symptoms (symptomless carriers) can also be identified and treated.