Signs that indicate the need for Tonsillectomy amongst adults

Written by Dr. Hatem Eliwi | 03-Oct-2017 11:58:47

Tonsils are clusters of tissues located on either side at the back of the throat. Many individuals are unaware that tonsils are part of the body's immune system and help to trap germs that enter the body through the mouth and nose.

However, this fact does not matter much primarily because they are not required to lead a normal and healthy life. This is evident from the fact that countless people, who undergo the tonsillectomy procedure, lead a healthy life. Even though the procedure is more common amongst children, it might even become necessary for adults to get their tonsils removed to get relief from various related problems.

Signs indicating the need for Tonsillectomy

A majority of medical professionals debate the necessity of tonsillectomy as an effective method of treatment among adults. However, there are many situations in which the doctors might recommend the procedure as the only viable method of treatment. Most doctors will thoroughly check and verify signs you need your tonsils removed in adults, before recommending tonsillectomy to the patients.

Chronic Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is a condition when the tonsils become infected and inflamed. In most cases, the patients might also suffer from fever along with a sore throat which makes swallowing extremely difficult.
If the patients suffer from tonsillitis quite frequently, i.e. more than 5-6 times in a single year, it is considered to be chronic and can become quite dangerous.
Chronic tonsillitis is extremely difficult to treat with the help of antibiotics and can be quite painful and discomforting. In such situations, tonsillectomy is generally considered to be the best treatment option as it reduces the frequency of infection by a considerable margin.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This is another major indicator that might lead the doctors to recommend tonsillectomy for you. The condition generally results due to the swelling of the tonsils, which might not only lead to difficulty in swallowing but also trouble to breathe while sleeping.

The enlargement of the tonsils might in turn be caused by repeated infections of the throat. In such cases removing the enlarged tonsils will completely solve the problem of obstruction within the throat and ensure a better life for the patients. It can also resolve the problem of snoring that many adults suffer from as a side effect of obstructive sleep apnea.

Reduce Tonsil Stones

Tonsil stones are the calcified debris of dead cells, mucus, and bacteria that form deep within the tonsil pockets. You might not even be aware of having them until you start coughing them up.
In such cases, the first question you are likely to ask your doctor is “should I get my tonsils removed if I have tonsil stones.” It is highly unlikely for the doctor to agree to your suggestion before conducting a thorough examination.
However, in case the doctor feels that the condition cannot be treated with regular medication, then he might recommend tonsillectomy to reduce the stone formation, even though the procedure might not be able to eradicate it completely.

Suspicion of Cancer

With the number of cases of cancer of tonsils on the rise in recent years, your doctor might recommend tonsillectomy in case of any abnormal growth on or around the tissue clusters.
This is especially the case if you might be experiencing chronic pain on one side of the throat, face trouble while swallowing or if there is the sudden development of some mass in the tonsils. Before deciding about performing a tonsillectomy due to the suspicion of cancer, the doctors are likely to conduct a biopsy to verify the diagnosis.
However, this might not be the approach adopted by all doctors as some might perform the surgery even without the biopsy and based on their experience.

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