Cryptic Tonsils
A Closer Look at Cryptic Tonsils
Cryptic tonsils sounds like a sneaky condition--and in a sense, it is! The role that tonsils play are definitely handy, however they are not 100% necessary to the functioning of the human body. Tonsils are located in the throat and can usually be seen with a mirror and a flashlight. Tonsils are part of the body's defense system against particles that shouldn't be in the body. There are folds located within the tonsils which are meant to filter out the bacteria and other germs that enter the mouth. Better to stop germs at the front gate rather than let them into the house, right?
The trouble with cryptic tonsils is that they contain a few too many folds. Initially, this probably sounds like a good thing. --The ole, "Yeah, I've got loads of folds in my tonsils..." However it really is a hindrance to the productiveness of the tonsils because the excessive folds can make it difficult to work the bacteria out. When the bacteria or various debris gets trapped within the folds they can become inflamed. Inflammation is the body's natural defense against objects that shouldn't be in the body. The skin may swell up, turn read, and often one experiences a fever as a means to make the living conditions impossible for the bacteria, killing it off.
Due to the position of the tonsils, the swelling and pain associated with inflammation can make it difficult to swallow food and fluids, and can even make it tough to breathe. Because having too many folds in the tonsils is a permanent condition, the likelihood of experiencing this sort of inflammation on a regular basis is quite high. Recurring tonsil issues are often associated with children, who are especially susceptible to inflammation. This often leads to the removal of the tonsils altogether.
While removal of any body part isn't ideal, sometimes it can lead to an overall better quality of life for the person giving up their tonsils. Cryptic tonsils, being a chronic condition, can be compared to having a really bad sore throat that crops up whenever it wants to. Antibiotics can help with the inflammation if it is caught in the early stages, however antibiotics are merely a treatment for the symptoms of the condition, not the actual cause behind it.
The surgical procedure used to remove tonsils is called a tonsillectomy. There are many different ways that this can be performed, but the most common is through the use of a steel scalpel. The patient is put under a general anesthetic and the tonsil tissues are simply cut away. This procedure results in minimal blood loss and can be safely performed on both children and adults.
While removal of the tonsils was once the preferred method of treating cryptic tonsils, it is now usually reserved for the severest of cases or for people whose cryptic tonsils cause frequent bouts of strep throat or cause sleep apnea. An alternative method to removal is to correct the issue at hand, which is having too many folds on the tonsils. A procedure can be performed in which a laser is used to remove the pockets of the tonsils. The patient doesn't even have to be under a general anesthetic for this procedure--instead the immediate area that the procedure will be performed upon is numbed. This is a fairly effective procedure; however some patients require more than one procedure to fully correct the issue.
Cryptic tonsils don’t always have to result in a surgical procedure. People with a less severe form of this condition may only experience inflammation a few times throughout their life. In which case, it wouldn't really be necessary to consider removing the tonsils because they are not posing a major health risk and do not interfere with everyday life. Inflammation of the tonsils should, however, always be inspected by a doctor. Inflammation should be treated whether surgery is performed or not as inflammation that is left too long could pose a health risk.