Tonsillitis and its Homeopathic Management

        The human body has many defense mechanisms to protect itself from pathogens. One such defense are the tonsils. The tonsils are collections of lymphatic tissue located within the pharynx. They collectively form a ringed arrangement, known as Waldeyer’s ring. Waldeyer's ring comprises six tonsils. They include a pair of tubal tonsils, a pair of palatine tonsils, a nasopharyngeal tonsil, and a lingual tonsil.

        The two palatine tonsils are commonly involved in inflammation. Each palatine tonsil is an ovoid mass of lymphoid tissue situated in the lateral wall of the oropharynx between the anterior and posterior pillars. They guard against foreign intruders like viruses, bacteria, and other antigens coming into contact through inhalation and ingestion. 

        A tonsillectomy was once common surgery to treat tonsillitis. Today, a tonsillectomy is usually performed for sleep-disordered breathing but still, it is done when tonsillitis occurs frequently or doesn't respond to other treatments. In this article let's learn about tonsillitis and its homeopathic management resulting in a rapid, gentle and permanent cure.

Keywords: Tonsillitis management, tonsillitis treatment, homeopathic medicines for tonsillitis, homeopathy for tonsillitis, tonsillitis homeopathic treatment, homeopathic therapeutics for tonsillitis, quinsy.

 

        Inflammation of the palatine tonsils is called Tonsillitis. It is most commonly seen in children but can also occur in adults. Tonsillitis may be acute or chronic. Children’s tonsils are generally larger than adult’s because their bodies are busy fighting off the frequent colds and other viruses of childhood. Large tonsils often get smaller on their own as children age.​

Acute tonsillitis:

        Acute tonsillitis is commonly caused by Hemolytic streptococcus but other microorganisms like staphylococci, pneumococci, and Haemophilus influenzae can cause it. These bacteria may primarily infect the tonsil or may be secondary to a viral infection. It is classified into,

• Acute catarrhal or superficial tonsillitis

• Acute follicular tonsillitis

• Acute parenchymatous tonsillitis

• Acute membranous tonsillitis

Chronic Tonsillitis:

        Chronic tonsillitis is usually a complication of acute tonsillitis. It may also a subclinical infections of tonsils without an acute attack. It is classified into,

• Chronic follicular tonsillitis

• Chronic parenchymatous tonsillitis

• Chronic fibroid tonsillitis

Clinical features of tonsillitis:

• Sore throat

• Difficulty in swallowing

• Fever

• Earache

• Constitutional symptoms like headache, body aches, malaise, and constipation.

• There may be abdominal pain due to mesenteric lymphadenitis.

        On examination, often the breath is fetid, there will be hyperemia of pillars, soft palate, and uvula. Tonsils will be red, swollen, and enlarged with yellowish spots (acute follicular tonsillitis) or a whitish membrane on the medial surface of the tonsil (acute membranous tonsillitis). The jugulodigastric lymph nodes will be enlarged and tender.

Complications of tonsillitis:

• Peritonsillar abscess

• Parapharyngeal abscess

• Intratonsillar abscess

• Cervical abscess

• Acute otitis media

• Acute glomerulonephritis

• Tonsilloliths (calculus of the tonsil), etc.

General management of tonsillitis:

• Improve the general health of the patient with a good nutritious diet.

• Bed rest and intake plenty of fluids.

• Avoid consuming ice cream, chocolates, cold food, and drinks regularly.​

• Gargle with warm salt water. Use half a teaspoon of salt in 230ml of warm water. Gargle and spit out.

• Drink warm fluids, warm water with honey, soups, etc.

Homeopathic Management of Tonsillitis:

        Though there are many medicines used to treat tonsillitis, some important homeopathic medicines used in the treatment of tonsillitis are listed below with their indications.

Lycopodium clavatum:

        Dryness of mouth, tongue, and throat with no thirst. Halitosis. Inflammation of throat with stitches when swallowing >warm drinks. Swelling and suppuration of tonsils.

        Ulceration of tonsils beginning on the right side. Chronic enlargement of tonsils which are covered with small ulcers.

<right side, cold drinks, 4to8pm

>warm food and drink.

Mercurius iodatus flavus:

        Tongue coated thickly yellow at the base. Lacunar tonsillitis, when only superficial part of the tonsils are involved. Swelling begins on the right side. Sensation of lump, constant inclination to swallow. Small ulcers on the posterior pharyngeal wall. Pains may be relieved by cold drinks.

Lachesis mutus:

    Throat sore <left side, swallowing liquids. Chronic sore throat with much hawking, mucus sticks, and cannot be moved up or down. Throat very painful, worse slightest pressure, touch. Tonsils are purplish.

        Sensation as if something was swollen which must be swallowed, worse swallowing saliva, liquids. Pain radiates to the ear. Empty swallowing is more painful than swallowing solids. Quinsy.

<left side, after sleep, warm bath, warm drinks

>warm applications.

Mercurius iodatus ruber:

        Diphtheria, submaxillary glands engorged and painful, fauces dark red, worse left side. Cough from elongated uvula, with sore throat. Fauces dark red, swallowing painful. Stiffness in muscles of throat and neck.

        Parenchymatous tonsillitis. Will often prevent peritonsillitis if given frequently.

Baryta carbonica:

        Tonsils inflamed with swollen veins. Submaxillary glands are swollen. Sensation plug in the pharynx. Smarting pain when swallowing <empty swallowing, can swallow only liquids.

        Takes cold easily, with stitches and smarting pain. Quinsy, suppurating tonsils after every cold.

<while thinking of symptoms

>walking in the open air.

Hepar sulphuris calcareum:

        Quinsy with impending suppuration. On swallowing sensation of a plug and of a splinter in the throat. Stitches in throat extending to ear on swallowing. Hawking of mucus.

< dry cold wind, cold air, lying on the painful side

>in damp weather, from warmth, after eating.

Belladonna:

        Throat dry, as if glazed; angry-looking congestion; red; worse on the right side. Tonsils enlarged; throat feels constricted; sensation of lump; difficult deglutition, worse liquids. Continuous inclination to swallow. Muscles of deglutition are very sensitive.

<touch, jar, noise, afternoon

Silicea terra:

        Pricking as of a pin in the tonsil. Colds settle in the throat. Stinging pains on swallowing. Hard, cold swelling of cervical glands. Periodical quinsy.

<morning, washing, dampness

>warmth, wrapping head, summer.

Mercurius solubilis:

        Putrid sore throat worse right side. Ulcers and inflammations appearing at every change of weather. Peritonsillar abscess, with dysphagia, after pus has formed. Constant desire to follow. Halitosis. Great thirst for cold drinks with moist mouth

<night, wet damp weather, warm room, warm bed.

Lac caninum:

        Tonsillitis and diphtheritic symptoms change repeatedly from side to side. Shining glazed appearance of deposits, pearly white or pure white porcelain. Tickling sensation causes cough.

<morning on one day and evening of next

>cold, cold drinks.

Calcarea carbonicum:

        Swelling of tonsils and submaxillary glands; stitches on swallowing. Hawking up of mucus. Dysphagia. Persistent sour taste in the mouth. Longing for cold drinks.

<cold in every form, wet weather

>dry climate and weather.

Calcarea phosphoricum:

        One of the most important tissue remedies, and while it has many symptoms in common with Calcarea carb, there are some differences and characteristic features of its own. Swollen tonsils; cannot open mouth without pain. 

        Anemic children who are peevish, flabby, have cold extremities and feeble digestion. Craving for bacon, ham, salted or smoked meats. Adenoid growths.

<change of weather, damp, cold weather

>summer, warm dry atmosphere.

Calcarea fluorica:

        Induration threatening suppuration. Copious, offensive, thick, greenish, lumpy, yellow nasal catarrh. Follicular tonsillitis; plugs of mucus are continually forming in the crypts of the tonsils. Pain and burning in the throat. Hypertrophy of adenoids.

<cold drinks

>warm drinks.

For any queries use the contact section on the blog homepage.