At Jonathan Hughes, operating in Harley Street and in other London clinics, we’re ENT specialists who can offer a range of ear, nose and throat treatments. One common treatment we carry out is a tonsillectomy – essentially tonsil removal surgery – which is recommended after repeated bouts of tonsillitis. But what are your tonsils, what’s tonsillitis and how can a tonsillectomy help? We cover all this and more in this dedicated post.
What are your tonsils?
Your tonsils are areas of soft tissue, found at the back of your throat. They actually form part of your immune system and can change in size if you have an infection. However, removing them hasn’t been found to adversely affect your immunity.
What’s tonsillitis?
Tonsillitis is an infection, either bacterial or viral, which causes your tonsils to swell, become painful, and possibly even develop a white-coloured coating. You may also have typical cold or flu-like symptoms such as throat problems, swallowing problems, a sore throat, fever, and difficulty sleeping. Your doctor can help diagnose tonsillitis.
Why is tonsillitis a problem?
The condition can be extremely painful, especially if your lymph nodes (the glands in your neck) swell too. With both throat problems and swallowing problems being a signature of this condition, eating can also be difficult. If you have a white coating on your tonsils, you may also have bad breath, which can be particularly unpleasant. Finally, tonsillitis can become a recurrent problem, meaning the condition keeps coming back – in some cases, our patients experience many bouts in a single year.
Who is at risk?
Anyone of any age can develop the condition, but it usually affects children and young adults. While the bacterial kind is more common in winter, both this and the viral type can develop at any time of year. In addition, viral tonsillitis can’t be treated with antibiotics (unlike the bacterial kind), which means it just has to run its course. This causes many people a lot of unnecessary pain, discomfort, and missed days at work to help them get over the condition.
How can a tonsillectomy help?
Here is Harley Street, our swollen tonsils treatment can prevent recurrent tonsillitis, simply through tonsil removal surgery. The tonsils are cut away, the area cleaned, and stitches may be required. Most people recover within 10-14 days.
How do I book my tonsil removal surgery?
Simply get in touch with our team and we’ll arrange a consultation at your convenience. Our ENT specialists here in London look forward to helping you with any ear, nose and throat condition and are committed to patient excellence in all we do.