Tonsillitis

PLEASE NOTE - THIS INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GUIDANCE ONLY. IT IS NOT IN ANY WAY A SUBSTITUTE FOR A SPECIALIST CONSULTATION.

What is tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils that produces a severe sore throat, usually with a high temperature, a feeling of being generally unwell, and sometimes difficulty eating and drinking.

Many people will have one or two attacks of tonsillitis, and most will never have to see an ENT surgeon.

Occasionally, tonsillitis can be very severe, with patients being completely unable to eat or drink. Sometimes with a severe attack an abscess can develop behind the tonsil (quinsey). In these cases patients may need to be admitted to hospital.

Who might benefit from a tonsillectomy?

In the past, tonsillectomy was carried out almost as a matter of course. In the days before the widespread availability of antibiotics, tonsillitis could lead to a very severe illness and children would routinely have their tonsils removed to prevent this.

Nowadays we are much more conservative in our approach. Some people think that ENT surgeons have stopped performing tonsillectomy altogether. However if you or your child are experiencing repeated attacks of tonsillitis, with fever, severe sore thoat and difficulty eating or drinking it may well be that tonsillectomy could improve your or their quality of life significantly.

We generally say that if the attacks are occuring 5 times or more a year then tonsillectomy may be justified. However, in certain circumstances, such as if someone is losing a lot of time from their work or studies, their can be some flexibility with regard to this. Also if more than one admission to hospital has been necessary, we would normally consider a tonsillectomy.