What purpose do tonsils and adenoids serve?

Tonsils and adenoids, similar in structure to glands, are components of your immune system that catch incoming bacteria and viruses as they enter the body. Adenoids and tonsils form one of your body’s first lines of defense against these invaders, trapping them before they proceed any further.

What problems affect the tonsils and adenoids?

Although the tonsils and adenoids perform beneficial roles in the body, they sometimes cause these and other problems:

• Repeated infections
• Airway obstructions
• Tonsil stones

Repeated infections

Some men, women, and children experience repeated bouts of strep throat, ear infections, tonsillitis, or other bacterial infections related to their tonsils or adenoids. These infections cause inflammation, pain, and discomfort.

Airway obstructions

Tonsils and adenoids are sometimes the sources of breathing problems, including obstructive sleep apnea. When enlarged, your tonsils or adenoids can cause noisy breathing and snoring.

Tonsil stones

Tonsil stones are white calcified deposits of collected debris on the tonsils. They cause pain, halitosis (bad breath), and other unfavorable symptoms.

How do you treat these problems?

Strep throat, tonsillitis, and ear infections usually respond to antibiotics. Tonsil stones typically resolve on their own. Children with tonsil or adenoid problems may grow out of them.

When your tonsils and adenoids cause more problems than benefits, Dr. Vazquez may suggest surgery. You may want him to remove your tonsils or adenoids if you endure repeated infections, infections that don’t respond to antibiotics, or airway obstructions.

What happens during a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy?

Tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies are outpatient surgeries that usually take less than one hour to perform. Expect to receive an IV and general anesthesia for the surgery.

During the surgery, Dr. Vazquez removes all or part of your adenoids or tonsils. He specializes a variety of surgical techniques including ablation,  electrocautery, and traditional scalpel methods. He discusses these surgical methods with you beforehand to help the two of you decide which is the most appropriate for your case.

After surgery, you remain in the clinic for a few hours for observation. After that, you can return home. This surgery has a speedy recovery time and causes few side effects.

When you’re troubled by tonsil or adenoid-related problems, contact the experts at Elite ENT .