The tonsils are two small oval masses of tissue in the back of the throat. The tonsils help the immune system by fighting minor infections, but they can cause more harm than good when they become enlarged. Many factors can contribute to the removal of the tonsils, and the doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy if the enlargement persists despite nonsurgical treatment.
Airway Obstruction
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the tonsils can get large enough that they cause problems with breathing, especially during sleep. Tonsil enlargement can occur as a common problem in some people and the enlargement typically resolves without treatment. However, the enlargement requires a tonsillectomy if it causes airway obstruction. People who have enlarged tonsils often experience difficulty in breathing and the breathing problems can cause sleep disturbances, such as obstructive sleep apnea. Signs of obstructive sleep apnea include snoring, gasping and occasional brief stops in breathing. The person who experiences sleep apnea doesn’t feel rested, despite a full night of sleep, and they often display irritability and daytime sleepiness.
Problems Eating and Swallowing
Serious tonsil infections can cause difficulties with eating and swallowing, and a doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy if these problems occur, reports MayoClinic.com. The infection can cause the tonsils and the lymph nodes in the neck to become so painfully enlarged that it makes chewing foods and drinking beverages seem unbearable. People with enlarged tonsils may stop eating and drinking to avoid the discomfort that it causes or they stop to avoid the possibility of choking from having a smaller space to swallow their food. Insufficient eating and drinking can cause dehydration and nutritional deficiencies.
Chronic Tonsillitis
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery says that a surgical procedure to remove the tonsils becomes necessary if a tonsil infection doesn't respond to appropriate antibiotic therapy or if it becomes a recurrent or chronic infection. Viruses and bacteria cause most cases of tonsillitis and it may involve other areas than the tonsils, including the adenoids--the glands at the back of the nose. Signs of chronic tonsillitis include a chronic sore throat, chronic bad breath and persistently tender cervical nodes, the lymph nodes located in the neck.
