Hello, I have a very sore throat which seems to be an ongoing issue for me. 10 months ago I went to my family doctor and was tested for strep throat . The test came back negative and nothing further was done but the sore throat persisted. About a month and a half ago my insurance forced me to switch providers. During my initial appointment with my new provider I mentioned my sore throat and after an evaluation I was told by my family physician that I had a peritonsillar abscess and that my neck was rather swollen. I was prescribed 2 rounds of antibiotics totaling 20 days. I seemed to feel better for about a week or so but my throat is now getting sore again. I have looked in my throat and it does look as though the abscess is still there or there again.. Also, the top section of the tonsil looks really deformed whereas the bottom portion looks like it connects to the abscess. Also to note there are brown spotty vein looking things on my tonsil. The abscess is on my left side. The reason I am writing is because my appointment with an ENT is not until January 2, 2013 and I m wondering if there is anything I can do for it in the meantime that may help reduce the swelling and pain. My neck feels stiff all the way through to my upper back/shoulders. Is there any idea of what may be causing the abscess? As far as treatment goes, I m wondering if removing my tonsils may help the situation. What are some possible treatments my ENT might suggest?