Tonsil Infection
Dealing With A Tonsil Infection
A legitimate question might be, why we have to put up with a tonsil infection when we usually have the tonsils removed anyway. Or to put it another way, what purpose do the tonsils serve, besides getting infected and inflamed (tonsillitis), and generally being a nuisance?
Tonsils probably deserve a kinder fate than being yanked out, or cut out, from the throat area, as they are in a sense warriors, a first line of defense in our immune system, protecting us from evil bacteria and viruses we may inhale through or mouth. As long as tonsils don't become infected themselves, they perform a very valuable task. The problem is of course that tonsils very often become infected by the very bacteria or viral agents they are there to protect the rest of the body against, and as a result, eventually may need to be removed.
The tonsils, which are themselves masses of tissue, are covered by soft tissue, in which viruses can sometimes easily lodge and spread. When tonsils are inflamed, or become swollen because of a bacterial infection, an antibiotic can often be administered. In the case of a viral tonsil infection however, antibiotics will do no good.
A tonsil infection, tonsillitis, can be a source of significant discomfort. What many people may not realize is tonsillitis is contagious, especially if people share a drinking glass or fluids with a person who has the disease.
Symptoms - A tonsil infection is much more common in children, in fact it's safe to say it's quite common in children. Symptoms of tonsillitis generally include a sore throat, inflamed tonsils, and at times swollen glands in the neck. The tonsils may even become covered with a grayish coating, and in some instances the affected person's speech may become distorted. A sore throat often comes on quickly after an infection as set in, and may be accompanied by pain when attempting to swallow food or liquids. Throat tissues sometimes swell as well, making breathing more difficult.
When Removal Makes Things Better - While it might seem that removing the tonsils would have some negative aspects as far as preventing other infections from occurring, and in fact at the beginning of this article it was implied that it is somewhat of a shame to reward this infection fighter by removing it, the truth of the matter is, that once tonsils are removed, we generally become far less prone to other types of infection. Other antibodies are produced, which, in sports terms, more than "take up the slack" left by the departure of the tonsils, and the body is really better off than before.
When Tonsils Should Be Removed - We usually don't have tonsils removed at the first sign of tonsil infection, as this infection more often than not is a temporary situation. Some people have an incident of tonsillitis and never need to have the tonsils taken out, but in many, and perhaps most cases, tonsillitis becomes a recurring event, leading to removal. As a general guideline, if someone (usually a child) experiences more than 5 episodes of tonsillitis in a year's time, or more than 3 episodes a year over a 2 year span, removal of the tonsils, a tonsillectomy, is usually advised. It's not uncommon that the adenoids, another tissue mass which performs a function similar to the tonsils, are removed during the same operation, as when the tonsils become infected, the adenoids most often become infected as well, and vice versa.
Up until there is a definite need for a tonsillectomy, tonsil infection relief can sometimes be obtained by salt water gargling, an increase in the intake of fluids, or at times, through the use of an anti-inflammatory medication.