By Ernst Lamothe Jr
While tonsillitis may be considered a nuisance, it can cause great pain.
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils that affects two lymph nodes located on each side of the back of your throat.
A common condition that mostly strikes children, people must understand the impact because patients can experience varying degrees of severity that can impact their daily life and become a serious health issue if left untreated.
It’s essential for individuals experiencing symptoms of tonsillitis to consult a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Maintaining good oral hygiene and practicing preventive measures, such as handwashing, can help reduce the risk of infections contributing to tonsillitis.
“The estimated cost of just pediatric streptococcal tonsillitis alone in the US is $224–$539 million per year, which includes indirect costs related to parental work losses,” said Melanie Groch, ear, nose and throat physician for Lakeshore ENT, which is part of Oswego Health. “Untreated tonsillitis can lead to complications of a tonsil abscess that may need to be drained surgically.”
Here are five issues with tonsillitis.
1 — Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t keep statistics on tonsillitis. However, the most common bacterial cause of tonsillitis is strep throat. It typically occurs in the colder months of autumn and winter, particularly among children between the ages of 5 and 15. Symptoms of tonsillitis include sore throat, difficulty swallowing, red and swollen tonsils, white or yellow coating on the tonsils, fever and even ear pain.
In young children who are unable to describe how they feel, signs of tonsillitis manifest in drooling due to difficult or painful swallowing, refusal to eat and unusual fussiness.
“Other complications include the spread of inflammation to the jugular vein in the neck causing a clot, high fever, throat and neck pain, and breathing difficulty,” said Nick Groch, ear, nose and throat physician with Lakeshore ENT — and husband of ENT physician Melanie Grotch. “The inflammation from streptococcal tonsillitis can also spread to the heart causing rheumatic heart disease, long-term kidney damage or autoimmune inflammation of the brain leading to obsessive compulsive disorder or other neuropsychiatric conditions.”
2 — Taking tonsils out
Severe or recurrent tonsillitis can lead to complications, such as abscesses or systemic infections, making it essential to take it seriously. People may consider surgical removal of the tonsils for several reasons. Experts say if you have frequent episodes of tonsillitis, which is more than one per year, it could be time to consider surgery. Those who have sleep apnea or breathing difficulties occasionally connect their condition to enlarged tonsils. Tonsillitis can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life, leading to missed school or work and complications if untreated.
“The most common indications for tonsillectomy are recurrent or chronic tonsil infections, loud snoring with sleep apnea, causing pausing in breathing while asleep that affects the quality of sleep,” said Nick Groch. “We also see bothersome tonsil stones causing throat pain and bad breath. In the United States, more than 530,000 pediatric tonsillectomies are performed annually with acute or chronic tonsillitis being the third most common reason that kids see an ENT.”
3 — Tonsils out as a child vs adult
The primary difference becomes recovery time. Children generally recover faster from tonsillectomy than adults. The pain and recovery period may last longer for adults. Adults face higher risks of complications, such as bleeding or infection, after surgery compared to children. Also adults might have different considerations regarding work and responsibilities during recovery compared to children.
“In general, tonsil removal during childhood is better tolerated than when done during adulthood due to increased pain and longer recovery time from surgery,” said Melanie Groch.
4 — Recovery
Recovery from tonsil surgery typically lasts about seven to 14 days. During this time, patients may experience throat pain, difficulty swallowing and ear pain. It’s essential to follow post-operative care instructions, stay hydrated and consume soft foods. Pain management may also be necessary and follow-up appointments with the healthcare provider are important to monitor healing.
“We generally recommend being off from work or school for one week, a softer diet for two weeks and no exercise, gym class and lifting or straining for two weeks following surgery,” said Melanie Groch.
5 — Misconceptions
It’s essential to know that tonsillitis can be caused by more than simply strep throat. While bacterial infections like strep can cause tonsillitis, many viral infections can also lead to the condition. Also not all cases of tonsillitis require surgery and many can be managed with conservative treatment such as rest and medication.
“One common myth related to tonsillitis is that poor oral hygiene or cold weather can lead to infections. Another myth is that your tonsils can grow back following tonsillectomy. The tonsils have a capsule surrounding them and as long as all tonsil tissue including the capsule are removed, your tonsils can not grow back,” said Nick Groch.