It started with a cold about 3 weeks ago, mostly sinus-related, and the day after I started feeling better from that (about a week later) I woke up with a fever (never had one with the cold) and what I though might be an ear infection because that's where the pain was coming from. Throughout that day and the next, the pain spread from the one side across to the other, with swelling so bad I could barely swallow. I then assumed tonsillitis due to the swelling and figured it would go away after a few days. It went back to just being the one side with no fever, but the pain has not gotten any better and it has been two weeks. I think it might even feel worse now due to being irritated from trying to eat (which has become torture). I have no insurance and no money to pay out of pocket, and the free clinic can't get me in for almost a month. Ibuprofen/acetaminophen/aspirin etc. don't  have much effect anymore and I have tried the spray and gargling but nothing seems to help. I don't know what else to do, I am a stay at home mom with two kids so I really need to be healthy!