The main symptoms of tonsillitis are inflamed and swollen tonsils, sometimes severe enough to make it hard to breathe through your mouth. Other symptoms include: Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils. It can result in inflammation, which causes a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and pus-filled spots on the tonsils. Learn more here. Learn about tonsillitis causes, symptoms like sore throat & swollen tonsils , diagnosis, and treatments for bacterial and viral infections. When tonsils become infected, the condition is called tonsillitis . Learn more about tonsillitis causes, diagnosis, and treatment.