Natural Remedies for Swollen Tonsils

Imagine waking up with a throat that feels like supporting a tiny bonfire, and each swallow seems complicated. A significant cause of this discomfort is swollen tonsils, which can make everyday mornings into missions to soothe the throat.

Your body’s first line of defense against infection is a swollen tonsil comprising the two small, oval-shaped tissues at the back of your throat. However, they might do more harm than good when they become inflamed.

The usual suspects are environmental variables like allergens or dry air, viral invaders like the flu or the common cold, and bacterial illnesses like strep throat. Ignoring swollen tonsils could result in difficulties, even though they can usually go away on their own. Here, we have attempted to present some crucial details on swollen tonsils, including their symptoms and different causes.

What Are Swollen Tonsils?

As mentioned earlier, the tonsils are the two lymph nodes located on both sides of the back of your throat. Performing as a defensive wall, these tonsils are important to prevent any harmful infection that can cause problems in the body. Tonsillitis is the infection of the tonsils.

While tonsillitis can affect people of any age, it is more common in childhood. The most common symptoms of tonsillitis include swelling of the tonsils, fever, and sore throat.

It is easy to diagnose tonsil symptoms. Most of the time, swollen tonsils are cured by themselves in 7-10 days. However, it is important to seek the help of your doctor immediately after noticing the symptoms.

Tonsillitis comes in three varieties:

• Acute tonsillitis. These symptoms can linger for up to two weeks but often go away within three to four days.
• Recurrent tonsillitis. It is when tonsillitis strikes multiple times a year.
• Chronic tonsillitis. You have a persistent tonsil infection at this point.

Symptoms of Swollen Tonsils?

Tonsillitis can cause a large number of symptoms. Some of the major symptoms of tonsillitis, however, are listed below.

• Fever which is higher than 100.4°F (38°C).
• Sore throat
• Pain or difficulty in swallowing
• Bad breath
• Headache
• Scratchy voice
• Red and swollen tonsils
• Appearance of white and yellow spots on tonsils
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Vomiting or stomachache (particularly prevalent in younger children).

In young children, along with the symptoms listed above, you can also notice poor appetite, raised irritability, and increased drooling.

Symptoms of chronic tonsillitis include,

• Bad breath
• Tender lymph nodes in the neck area
• Chronic sore throat

Causes of Swollen Tonsils?

It is important to know that tonsils are the first line of defense against various diseases in your body. The major role of tonsils is to produce white blood cells, which are helpful in countering infection. While tonsils can counter viral and bacterial infections, they can also become infected due to these outside infections.

Swelling is the first sign of tonsillitis. Various reasons can cause this swelling.

• Up to 70% of tonsillitis cases are caused by viruses, such as the flu and the common cold. The symptoms of viral tonsillitis are typically less severe than those of bacterial tonsillitis.
• Group A Streptococcus is one of the bacteria that cause bacterial tonsillitis, also known as strep throat. Strep throat is a frequent term for bacterial tonsillitis. Even those without tonsils are susceptible to strep throat. (In this case, the throat is impacted, not the tonsils.) The symptoms of bacterial tonsillitis are typically worse than those of viral tonsillitis.
• Another most common cause of tonsillitis is direct contact. Infected children may come in close contact with others while playing, exposing themselves to a large number of bacteria and viruses.

Natural Remedies for Swollen Tonsils

Even though tonsillitis can be solved through various treatments, you can use various natural remedies to solve this problem. Find out some of the fantastic natural remedies we have listed below. These remedies will help you treat the issue of tonsillitis in no time.

1. Consuming Cold Food

Consuming cold, soft foods like ice cream or frozen yogurt can temporarily relieve pain by numbing the throat and sipping ice-cold water, consuming chilled smoothies, and sucking on popsicles. Hard candies or mint- or menthol-flavored chewing gum are further choices. These substances provide the throat with a similar numbing and cooling effect.

2. Saltwater Gargle

Gargling regularly with salt water soothes your throat. Saltwater is an amazing natural remedy that has been used since ancient times to relieve the swelling and pain of tonsillitis. It is also helpful in cleaning the mouth and preventing infection.

3. Chamomile Tea

In addition to being a popular sleep cure, chamomile tea may help relieve tonsillitis-related throat pain. According to some research, chamomile may help reduce inflammation, hoarseness, and soreness in the throat because it lubricates it. The antioxidant qualities of chamomile may aid in the healing process as a whole. If swallowing chamomile is too tricky, drink the tea or breathe in the steam it creates.

4. The Peppermint

Peppermint’s menthol may provide short-term relief from inflammation and sore throat pain. Its antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties also helps in healing. According to one study, the antibacterial qualities of peppermint essential oil might be comparable to those of the antibiotic gentamicin. Think about brewing a cup of peppermint tea, sucking on menthol lozenges, or taking a few deep breaths of peppermint essential oil.

5. Silencing the Voice

Speaking or whispering strains your vocal cords and enlarges your throat, worsening the condition. The best action is to talk as little as possible and rest your voice.

6. Honey

Honey may also help soothe a sore throat as a cough suppressant. The sweetener’s antibacterial and antioxidant qualities may also prevent tonsillitis-causing bacteria. Before bed, try consuming two teaspoons of raw honey or mixing a spoonful into a warm tea or other beverage. Children younger than one year old, however, shouldn’t eat honey.

7. Stay Away From Hard Foods

You don’t want to eat anything hard, crunchy, or sticky when you have a sore, swollen throat. Experts advise choosing soft foods, especially if you have trouble swallowing. To help you get the nutrition you need while your sore throat heals, these can include soup, ice cream, smoothies, and other soft-textured meals.

8. Using Sprays For The Throat

It is possible to alleviate pain and inflammation using available throat sprays without a prescription, which contain anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic drugs.

When to See Doctor?

While tonsillitis usually resolves itself in a few days, it can sometimes cause large throat swelling, which can cause difficulty breathing. This problem requires immediate medical attention. The symptoms you should be careful of and consult with your doctor immediately are as follows.

• Neck stiffness
• High fever
• Weakness in muscles
• Sore throat for more than 2 days

Your doctor can provide you with treatment according to the symptoms you are experiencing after a proper examination.

Swollen Tonsil Complications

Various complications of the problem of swollen tonsils are as follows:

• Enlarged tonsils primarily cause a sore throat. Due to the degree of swallowing pain (also known as odynophagia), you might not want to eat or drink anything.
• A condition known as sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing for a short period while they are asleep. Enlarged tonsils are also one common cause of obstructive sleep apnea.
• During breathing difficulties, the tonsils may swell to the point where they obstruct the airway and the back of the throat.
• When an infection from the tonsils spreads to the tissues of the head and neck, it results in a peritonsillar abscess. It is uncommon in children and most prevalent in adults.

The preventive tips for the problem of tonsillitis are as follows:

For tonsillitis prevention, you should always know that the condition of swollen tonsils is highly contagious. The following specific tips, which are listed below, can be helpful.

• Maintaining a good oral hygiene is crucial for preventing tonsillitis because dangerous bacteria can accumulate in the mouth and throat.
• A healthy immune system is better able to combat infections that cause tonsillitis. You may naturally strengthen your immune system by eating a nutritious, vitamin- and mineral-rich diet, exercising frequently, getting enough sleep, and managing stress.
• Tonsillitis-causing diseases can spread more easily when shared with personal items like cups, silverware, and toothbrushes. Avoid sharing these items with others, especially if someone in your household is sick or it’s flu season.

Conclusion

Swollen tonsils may ruin your day, but relief is possible if you can access natural therapies. These remedies, which range from calming teas to tried-and-true gargles, can reduce discomfort and hasten healing. But it’s essential to pay attention to your body. Consult doctor immediately if the swelling worsens or is accompanied by severe symptoms like high fever or difficulty breathing. You can get the advice from a healthcare professional for more severe conditions. Try these solutions first, but remember that a professional’s opinion is always valuable for your health.

• Aug 2017
  Written by Prajakt
• Nov 2024
  Edited by Ankita