The tonsils are glands located in the back of the throat, one on each side. They serve the purpose of protecting the body from potentially deadly toxins by stopping them as they pass through the nasal passages on the way to the stomach or respiratory system. The tonsils also create antibodies that help fight off infections. Some patients begin to experience infected and irritated tonsils. If these problems persist , a doctor may recommend a procedure called a tonsillectomy, in which the tonsils and usually the adenoids are removed.
Recurrent Infections
School-aged children are prone to viral infections such as tonsillitis or strep throat. Each time a child becomes sick with one of these illnesses, the tonsils are further damaged. Once they become too damaged to properly function, or the infections are more frequent than normal, it may be time for the tonsils to be removed. MayoClinic.com states that one sign of tonsil infection is abscesses in the back of the throat and on the tonsils. It can be hard for the patient to eat or drink as normal because of the pain in the back of the throat. Although these infections most often occur in school-aged children, it is possible to see these problems in adults as well.
Difficulty Eating or Swallowing
As stated above, infected tonsils cause abscesses or blisters in the back of the throat. This can cause serious pain to the point of inability to swallow foods or drinks. The pain will be worse with salty foods, acidic foods, or hot foods and drinks. This symptom could become so prevalent with recurrent infections that a tonsillectomy may be ordered by the patient's doctor.
Snoring
One of the lesser known symptoms of the need for tonsil removal is snoring. When the tonsils become infected several times, they begin to swell and remain swollen. Because of the increased size of the tonsils and adenoids, passage of air through the nasal passages and throat is decreased. During sleep, this airway restriction causes the sound known as snoring. The snoring progressively becomes worse as the swelling increases. This symptom can be bothersome to the patient, waking them through the night. It can also be bothersome to those who live with the patient. MedlinePlus states the snoring ceases when the tonsils and adenoids are removed.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is one of the more serious symptoms of tonsil problems. Sleep apnea occurs when the person stops breathing briefly in his sleep. This causes the body to react by waking to breathe, which can seriously interfere with the amount of sleep the person is getting and lead to excessive exhaustion. The reason sleep apnea occurs is because the tonsils become swollen to the point of blocking the airway completely when the person is lying down, according to Kids Health.
