Your tonsils and adenoids – lumps of tissue in the back of your throat and nasal cavity – are part of your immune system. Their job is to help filter bacteria and viruses out of the air you breathe, so you may wonder why you’d ever get them removed.
But if your tonsils or adenoids get infected frequently, a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy may actually help improve your health.
According to Dr. Lindsey Klocke, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, studies suggest that removing tonsils and adenoids shouldn’t have a significant impact on your immune system.
“In many instances, both the tonsils [and] the adenoids may be causing significant enough problems that they’re causing more harm than good,” she said.
Dr. Klocke sat down with us on the For Health’s Sake podcast to talk about when a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy might be recommended. We also talked about:
- What tonsils and adenoids are
- What tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies involve
- How a tonsillectomy can be helpful for tonsil stones (debris caught in the tonsils)
- How tonsil or adenoid removal can help with sleep issues
- What to expect from tonsil or adenoid surgery
- Recovery from a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy
Find out if tonsil or adenoid removal is right for you
If you or your child are experiencing more frequent tonsil or adenoid issues, talk with your primary care doctor. They can go over your concerns and discuss treatment options including home remedies for tonsillitis. And if needed, they can connect you with an ENT specialist.
If you’ve already spoken to your primary care doctor or you’d like to see an ENT specialist right away, you don’t need a referral. You can make an appointment today.