Asthma and enlarged tonsils

Asthma and enlarged tonsils

There is a lot of controversy and debate about whether or not tonsils should be removed in a person with asthma. Different doctors have different opinions on this matter. Some advocate a tonsillectomy (removal of tonsils), others do not. It is therefore important to understand the role of the tonsils in the human body so that an appropriate judgment can be made in this regard.

Tonsils form the first line of defense in the human body. They are present on both sides of the pharynx. The pharynx is the middle part of the throat. Why tonsils are the first line of defense is because they try to trap any germs and foreign objects that can enter the body through the mouth and nose. Once captured, the tonsils also produce protective antibodies with the help of their lymphatic cell structure, which forms the main body of the tonsils. These antibodies circulate in the blood and fight the foreign organisms that somehow enter the bloodstream. On the one hand, almonds act as mechanical protection and on the other hand, they also protect the body on a molecular level. The antibody-producing tissue is also present in other parts of the body, but tonsils are the first line of defense of the human system.

A child's body is exposed to many different types of germs for the first time. The body is not used to these germs and needs to be protected from them. The tonsils work vigorously and in some children become abnormally enlarged. When a child suffers from coughing and wheezing, his breathing is strained. If this is due to allergic reactions, it may also be accompanied by a sore throat and fever. If the allergy persists or subsides and recurs, the tonsils also become infected and protect the body.

In such a scenario, the infected tonsils may need to be removed as their infection can cause repeated negative effects on the body. Their increased size can also place further strain on the breathing of a child who already suffers from asthma. Therefore, the children suffering from asthma may be recommended removal of tonsils if the asthma is of extrinsic type and caused by allergens.

Sometimes this may also be recommended for children suffering from intrinsic asthma as the body becomes weakened and susceptible to attacks by various organisms. However, this is controversial because tonsils are the first line of defense and removing these tonsils may not be as good, at least in theory. However, in practice, the tonsils can be a cause of many infections and it is best to get rid of the source of infection.

Some of the views on the issue of tonsil removal are:

1The tonsils act at the site and later as a source of infection in the body. Their removal would favorably influence the course of asthma and even prevent its occurrence in a susceptible person.

2The tonsils prevent the spread of infection from the nose and throat to the bronchi and lungs, so their removal would lead to situations of mild asthma developing into severe. In susceptible individuals, asthma symptoms may even disappear due to a tonsillectomy.

3The presence or absence of tonsils actually makes no difference to an individual's allergic condition. Therefore, according to this view, technical removal of tonsils cannot trigger the symptoms of asthma.

In relation to the different views mentioned above, it appears that the most appropriate route for tonsil removal surgery would not only be an individual choice but could also mean that a particular person needs to be examined for the history of infections, treatment and route of recovery from the infections before decisions can be made.

If there is evidence of recurrent throat infections and the infections appear to be localized to the tonsils, this may be the only option unless there are other serious complications. Children in younger stages are more susceptible to repeated infections of the throat and chest. Therefore, it is very important to understand that the infections are localized in the tonsil area before opting for tonsillectomy.

Another point that needs to be thoroughly understood is that removal of infected tonsils may not have any effect on the child's asthma condition. Removal of tonsils may affect the associated conditions of exacerbation of symptoms as the associated allergens may have an impact on the situation.

This only applies to the extrinsic type of asthma, but has little or no effect on the intrinsic type of asthma. Some doctors believe that the benefits associated with tonsillectomy are most apparent in the first year of surgery and dissipate later. After some time, there is no longer any difference between the asthmatic children who underwent surgery and the asthmatic children who did not undergo surgery.

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