Austin Mahone on the mend

Austin Mahone is taking his recovery "one step at a time".

The 17-year-old singer was taken to hospital last month, causing him to cancel shows. He was diagnosed with a blood clot in his throat but is now recovering well.

"I feel a lot better," he told People. "I'm still trying to get to 100 per cent, but I'm taking it one step at a time."

When he was taken ill, Austin had no idea how serious his condition was. He started to feel unwell a few days before he was taken to the medical centre and was shocked to hear his diagnosis.

"I would say two days before I started feeling a little bump in my throat," he recalled. "Every time I swallowed it would be scratchy, it would hurt and I had the chills... it made my throat hurt so bad, for three days straight I wasn't even eating solid food."

He was given antibiotics by doctors, who explained his lifestyle was having an effect on his health. As the singer has been travelling for work so much he hasn't been getting enough sleep and was ordered to cancel work obligations and rest.

Although he was supposed to be taking it easy, Austin couldn't completely switch off while he was recuperating.

"I spent most of my time in my room," he admitted. "I watched YouTube videos of people I look up to, so next time I do a show, I can do better and be better."

Austin will return to the stage on December 2 when he plays a show in Dallas. At the moment he is concentrating on getting his strength back and has just started working out again.

"I have actually been going to the gym, not as hard as I was, but just trying to slowly get back into it. I was starting to feel like a couch potato," he said.