Swollen Tonsils without Sore Throat

Sore throat is a bacterial or viral infection that attacks the upper respiratory tract of the body. Sore throat can cause irritation in body parts like mouth, nose and throat. Strep throat is a bacterial infection which causes inflammation of tonsils and makes it difficult to swallow. Tonsils are a part of the immune system in the body and help to protect the body against infection. When any bacteria or virus tries to enter the body through the nose or mouth, the tonsils absorb these micro-organisms, and on many occasions, get infected themselves. So, in cases of allergy, bacterial or viral infectious diseases like sinus, strep or sore throat, the tonsils may also get infected. This infection of tonsils is called 'tonsillitis'. So, swollen tonsils without sore throat is very much possible. Here are the causes, symptoms and treatment for tonsillitis.

Causes
A person might either get swollen tonsils due to a sore throat or suffer from swollen tonsils due to allergies, sinus infections, etc. There are several other causative factors of swollen tonsils.

• Viral or bacterial infection caused due to contact with an infected person can cause swollen tonsils.
• Many times, small children get chronic tonsillitis due to common cold or flu virus.
• Adult and teenagers mostly get swollen tonsils due to bacterial infection or strep throat.
• In rare cases, bacteria causing diseases like scarlet fever or diphtheria, might also result in swollen tonsils.
• Food allergies may also cause swollen tonsils.

Symptoms
Given below is a list of symptoms which are observed in a person suffering from this condition.

• Mild to severe throat infection which differs from severe sore throat
• White or yellow coloring on tonsils
• Swelling of the tonsils
• Fever and chills
• Harshness of voice
• Difficulty while speaking
• Bad breath
• Swelling of lymph glands in the neck
• Redness of the throat
• Cough
• Muscle pain
• Difficulty in swallowing and breathing can be experienced, if the size of the tonsils becomes double its normal size

If you are suffering from swollen tonsils with white spots, then you are probably suffering from tonsil stones, which are small pieces of calcareous matter that form in the tonsils.

Treatment
Here are some home and medical remedies for curing swollen tonsils. However, the most effective and permanent treatment for swollen tonsils is an operation.

Home Remedies

• Home remedies include salt-water gargling. Gargling is very effective for both swollen tonsils without a sore throat or with a sore throat. In a pot take one glass water, and add a teaspoon of salt to it. Boil the water, take the pot off stove, and let it come down to lukewarm temperature. Then use this water to gargle your throat. Repeat this remedy 3 times a day to reduce the infection and get relief.
• One should also avoid eating any spicy, oily, sour or cold foodstuff. Eat foods which are easy to swallow and lukewarm.
• Catching any further infections can aggravate the problem, therefore avoid going out in cold weather.
• Drink a lot of fluids and water when suffering from tonsillitis. Also, eat foods which are rich in vitamin C. You can also keep having chewable vitamin C tablets to boost your immunity and fight the infection better.
• You can also have a cup of warm milk with a pinch of turmeric in it, before going to bed. This will help you sleep better, and turmeric in the milk will reduce the infection.

Medical Treatment: If you have fever and are experiencing difficulty in swallowing, seek medical attention. The doctor may prescribe some anti-inflammatory pills and antibiotics. In emergency cases, where it becomes impossible to swallow food, one can be hospitalized and intravenous fluids may be given.

Surgery: I had my tonsils removed 5 years ago. After the procedure, though my throat was not painful, it felt raw. With a 2 weeks dosage of antibiotics, I was fine and able to eat normally. Surgery of tonsils is not that painful, but since tonsils are a part of the immune system, removing them through surgery should be the last resort. Tonsillectomy, that is removal of tonsils by operation, is a permanent solution. However, it should be performed only if the patient has been suffering from recurring bouts of tonsillitis.

So whenever you are suffering from sore throat swollen tonsils or any other type of swollen tonsils, meet your doctor and get proper treatment.