Some parents worry their child will become ill more frequently after the tonsils and adenoids are removed, but this is not true. The human body offers a lot of protection. For example, about infection-fighting lymph nodes lie between the collarbone and cheekbone. The frequency of tonsillectomies or tonsillectomies combined with adenoidectomies has slowly been increasing over the past 40 years.
However, the reasons for performing the surgeries have been changing. Few absolute criteria for tonsillectomy exist other than blockage severe enough to cause a lack of oxygen in the body and cardiopulmonary changes.
The following may indicate the need for a tonsillectomy:. The child has a severe sore throat seven times in one year, or five in each of two years, or three in each of three years. The child has a throat infection severe enough to cause an abscess, or an area of pus and swelling, behind the tonsils. As with all elective surgeries, the risks of surgery, including the risks of general anesthesia, hemorrhage, postoperative nausea and vomiting, as well as school absence for the child and work absence for the parent, must be weighed against the benefits.
Today, about , tonsillectomies are performed every year in the U. Although rare, some people experience post-surgical complications such as bleeding. In general, otolaryngologists perform tonsillectomies when people experience recurrent sore throats accompanied by fever or when they have trouble breathing while sleeping. Inflamed tonsils and adenoids can block the airway.
For children in particular, tonsillectomies can be beneficial in the long run. The procedure prevents recurring tonsillitis as children reach their teen and adult years, and adults endure a longer recovery time—nearly twice as long as that of children—because more extensive healing is required. Drake estimates that most children need a week to 10 days to recover, and adults often need at least two weeks. Patients will need to get plenty of rest for the first few days after the procedure and avoid strenuous activities for two weeks.
A severe sore throat is also common after a tonsillectomy, so, like Curious George, cue the ice cream. Although a tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries performed on children, some adults might also benefit from the procedure. Research shows having your tonsils removed as an adult can help prevent a recurring sore throat , or tonsillitis inflammation of the tonsils , that may force you to miss work. So how do you know if a tonsillectomy is something you need to talk with your doctor about?
Tonsils are glands located on both sides of the back of the throat. Although they are part of the immune system and play a role in fighting infections, you don't need your tonsils to live a healthy, normal life, according to Catherine Rees Lintzenich, MD, an associate professor of otolaryngology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.
Although tonsillectomies are more common among children, Dr. Lintzenich noted that there are some instances where adults may benefit from the procedure. Chronic tonsillitis: Tonsillitis occurs when the tonsils become infected and inflamed. If you have tonsillitis, you will likely develop a fever along with a very sore throat that makes it painful and difficult to swallow. Although viruses, including the herpes simplex virus and the measles virus, can cause tonsillitis, bacteria are the culprits behind up to 30 percent of these infections.
As a result, tonsillitis is often treated with antibiotics. In some cases, tonsillitis is chronic or dangerous, making a tonsillectomy the best treatment option, Lintzenich said. Tonsillitis is considered chronic if you develop five or more of these infections in one year, or at least three cases a year over the course of two years.
A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in examined the benefits of tonsillectomy for 86 adults with recurring sore throats.
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