Open wide your mouth in front of a mirror. Do you see your tonsils? They are located on each side of the inner part of the throat behind the tongue.
Inflammation of the tonsils is called tonsillitis. For many years, doctors treated the disease with surgery. But now scientists have shown that removing the tonsils, surgeons destroyed a special barrier. They showed, that its function is to protect the body from more complex bacteria, infections and all kinds of micro-organisms. In any case your attending physician should decide how to treat swollen tonsils, considering the complexity of the disease and the results of analyzes.
Signs and symptoms of tonsillitis are:
- pain when swallowing;
- chronic angina
- loss of voice
- headache
- swollen lymph nodes (submandibular)
- high temperature.
The reasons of tonsillitis:
- an infection of the tonsils (as a result of penetrating into the body through the mouth or nose)
- a weakened immune system
- Epstein virus
- Bar virus
- bacteria.
Tonsillitis is often a disease of childhood. Therefore it is necessary to understand that there are areas of risk – schools and kindergartens. Also, there are a number of situations, when you need to see a physician. Although inflammation of the tonsils is not a very serious disease, but it can be with a number of unpleasant complications.
These complications are:
1. Acute sore throat lasts more than 2 days
2. Sore throat is accompanied by other symptoms
3. Somatic condition of the body is getting worse
4. There are problems with breathing
5. Lack of control over the saliva (children)
6. Severe pain makes it difficult to eat or drink.
Treatment is mainly with antibiotics. But sometimes it requires surgery. The doctor may recommend surgery if: - a child has tonsillitis more than 7 times per year – a tonsil abscess began to form – there is complications of the heart and blood vessels – the lack of a positive effect during the conservative treatment.
And now we tell how to treat tonsillitis by alternative means or folk medicine: First of all, check it with your doctor. Perhaps, some methods can help, some – on the contrary – make harm. The therapist can help you choose the most effective herbal medicine. For example, you can use such recipes:
1. Take chamomile flowers, St. John’s wort, pine buds, flowers of tricolor violet, horsetail grass and bur-marigold. Pour boiling water. Infuse for 2-3 hours. Gargle.
2. Honey and pepper is another original way. Put honey with a pod of red pepper on compress paper. Take the wax candles and place them below, thus melting the honey. Then pull out the pepper. Pour medication into the container. Take it hot twice a day before meals, by 2 tablespoons. This “preparation” can be given even to very young children.
3. You can gargle propolis tincture, because this substance heals the throat very well.
4. Also you can take the infusion of Kalanchoe. Rinse the throat 3 times a day for at least 5 days.
5. Lemon juice and honey, diluted with warm water. Rinse the throat at least 3 times a day. Herbal medicine does not help immediately, but within 2-3 weeks. If there is a chronic tonsillitis – it is recommended to take the medications for 6-8 months.
Make inhalation with concoctions of herbs with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action (chamomile, rosemary, sage, eucalyptus, pine needles). Boil 2 tbsp. of any plant or collection of several herbs in 0.5 liters of boiling water, infuse a few minutes and then proceed with inhalation. Within 8-10 minutes inhale the steam, and then have a bed rest for an hour, avoid talking and eating any food or drinks. After 2 hours, gargle with herbal decoction, drink a warm drink, make a hot compress, and repeat inhalation.
To prepare a compress you should take gauze or flannel cloth, folded in 6-8 layers, its shape should be oblong (for the posteriolateral surface of the neck) and oilcloth, wool and bandage. Dampen a cloth in warm water and squeeze out, attach to the neck so that it covers the back and sides (submandibular) of the neck. Cover the oilcloth with fabric, wool, and then make the bandage. Each layer of compress should be more than the previous one. Then cover the neck with woolen shawl or a scarf. Leave for 3-4 hours. The compress is especially useful for severe inflammation of the tonsils.
For the overall strengthening of the body and quick recovery you should make hot foot baths before bed (if there is no varices). Additionally take a double dose of vitamin C, provide fresh air and room humidification.
With regular performance of all procedures tonsils are recovered quickly enough. But to make them less prone to inflammation – you need the preventive means – temper, daily gargle with cold water, walk more often in the open air and do not avoid physical activity.