Abnormal tonsils may be caused by an infection or cancer. Tonsillitis involves bacterial or viral infection of the tonsils. Tonsil cancer includes squamous cell carcinoma or lymphoma. Treatment for abnormal tonsils varies, depending on the cause.
Tonsillitis
The tonsils are located in the upper region of the throat. This lymphatic tissue works to filter out bacteria and other antigens that spread infection throughout the body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an abundance of bacterial or viral infections may result in inflammation of the tonsils, called tonsillitis. Symptoms include ear pain, fever, chills, sore or painful throat, jaw and throat tenderness, vocal changes or loss of voice and headache. Because the tonsils are swollen, patients often experience difficulty swallowing.
Tonsil Cancer
Tonsil cancer comes in two varieties: squamous cell carcinoma and lymphoma. Tonsil cancer symptoms include blood in saliva, mouth or ear pain, sore throat, enlarged tonsils and bad breath. Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma include exposure to the human papilloma virus, organ transplantation surgery and immunodeficiency conditions such as HIV. General risk factors for lymphoma are not known.
Examination
To assess abnormal tonsils, the mouth and throat are examined. For tonsillitis, the rapid strep test with a throat swab culture serves as an example. A rapid strep test assesses for strep throat--the presence of streptococcal bacteria in the throat. The throat swab culture is a sample from the oral cavity to isolate and identify the causes of infection.
Tonsil cancer is diagnosed using blood tests, X-rays, biopsy and imaging studies. These tests indicate the presence and stage of cancer, providing health professionals with critical information to develop a treatment plan.
Treatment
Antibiotics treat bacterial infection of the tonsils. Other therapies include drinking plenty of fluids, rest, gargling with salt water or sucking on lozenges, according to the NIH. Some pain medication could be used to manage sore throat or fever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
Patients that experience multiple infections of the tonsils may undergo a tonsillectomy, in which the tonsils are removed. This procedure is commonly prescribed to children who have trouble breathing, have a growth or abscess on the tonsils or have missed several days of school due to inflamed tonsils.
A tonsillectomy is one way to treat tonsil cancer. Other treatments include radiation therapy and chemotherapy, which are standard treatments for any cancer.
Prognosis
Tonsillitis symptoms usually subside after a few days of treatment. For pediatric strep tonsillitis, children become less contagious after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment. Even though treatment is often successful, complications related to tonsillitis include dehydration, kidney failure and rheumatic fever.
The prognosis for surviving tonsil cancer depends on the cancer stage at the time of diagnosis. The ideal prognosis is that the patient achieves an average life expectancy without a relapse.
