Are you experiencing chronic throat pain, sleep apnea, or trouble swallowing? Suffering from frequent illnesses and discomfort? Then it may be time for a tonsillectomy! Research shows that having your tonsils removed can help prevent chronic illness, recurring sore throats, and tonsillitis.
Signs You Need Your Tonsils Taken Out
Tonsils are those two little oval-shaped lumps of tissue at the back of your mouth. When working well, they play a surveillance role in our immune system and actually help fight infections. However, when your tonsils become inflamed and infected, painful tonsillitis ensues! When sore throats becomes chronic or occurs frequently, the best course of action may be to have these troublesome lumps removed.
common causes of tonsillitis:
Streptococcus (strep throat)
Adenoviruses
Influenza
Epstein-Barr virus
Parainfluenza viruses
Enteroviruses
Herpes simplex virus
COMMON Symptoms OF TONSILLITIS:
According to WebMD, the primary symptoms are inflammation and swelling, however other symptoms may include:
Throat pain or tenderness
Redness of the tonsils
A white or yellow coating on the tonsils
Painful blisters or ulcers on the throat
Headache
Loss of appetite
Difficulty swallowing or breathing through the mouth
Swollen glands in the neck or jaw area
Fever, chills
Bad breath
If this sounds depressingly familiar, schedule an appointment with an otolaryngologist immediately!
Does My Child Need to Have Their Tonsils Taken Out?
Believe it or not, a tonsillectomy is the third most common surgery performed on children, following circumcision and ear tubes, with more than 530,000 operations taking place each year. Generally, your pediatrician will recommend the surgery or a trip to an ear, nose, and throat specialist if your child suffers from frequent throat infections or sleep disruptions caused by snoring or sleep apnea.
For kiddos who truly need the operation, it can drastically cut down on throat infections, reduce the use of antibiotics, improve sleep, increase daytime functioning, and improve the overall quality of life for your child. As an added bonus: when your kid is happy and sleeping well, you’re a happier, better-rested parent!
The Clinical Practice Guidelines released by the American Academy of Otolaryngology in 2011, help physicians identify the best candidates for tonsillectomy and noted that tonsillectomies can be a game-changer for children who suffer from approximately seven throat infections over the previous year, five per year for the past two years, or three per year for the past three years. For those who don’t meet these criteria, the surgery may still offer benefits such as minimizing severe infections and missed school days.
Children with swollen tonsils may have difficulty breathing at night which can lead to snoring, mouth breathing, or even periods of time when breathing stops (sleep apnea). For 75-100% of kids with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a tonsillectomy helps to resolve sleep issues. Symptoms of OSA may include failure to thrive, mouth breathing, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, problems sleeping, restless sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and daytime cognitive and behavioral problems (Nashville Parent).
In addition to the symptoms described earlier in the post, children with tonsillitis may also suffer from nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
In a nutshell: having your child’s tonsils removed can dramatically improve your child’s ability to sleep, assuming there are not other primary causes for his or her sleep disruption. Of course, if you’re considering this or any surgery, be sure to ask lots of questions and carefully weigh the potential benefits and against risks.
Having a Tonsillectomy? Here’s What to Expect.
Typically, a tonsillectomy is an outpatient procedure. Since it’s performed under general anesthesia your or your child won’t hear, see, or feel a thing during the surgery. There are several different methods for tonsil removal. If interested, discuss the options with your physician.
You will experience some pain and discomfort after the surgery and it’s important to take any medications as directed, drink plenty of fluids, and rest. During the days immediately following the surgery, stick with bland, easy-to-swallow foods. Avoid spicy, salty, hard, acidic, or crunchy foods as they may cause pain and bleeding. Be patient! For adults, a full recovery may take 2-3 weeks. Kids are typically more resilient and heal more quickly, however, to minimize bleeding, full-contact fun should be avoided for at least 10-14 days.
Kids typically recover more quickly than adults; however, strenuous activities should be avoided for two weeks or until you’re resumed a normal diet, sleep patterns, and no longer require pain medications.
To learn more about your options for tonsil removal or to speak with a specialist, contact OAT today.
