Tonsillar hypertrophy is the medical term for persistently enlarged tonsils. The tonsils are two small glands located on either side of the back of the throat. They’re part of your immune system and help to fight off infections that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and other germs that enter your body through your nose and mouth.

Enlarged tonsils can be a sign of infection or irritation from things like smoke or polluted air. Some people just naturally have larger tonsils. In other cases, there’s no known cause.

Tonsillar hypertrophy is particularly common in children, though it can also affect adults. Children commonly get enlarged tonsils, but the condition can affect adults too. 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.[1]

Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, typically of rapid onset. It is a type of pharyngitis. Symptoms may include sore throat, fever, enlargement of the tonsils, trouble swallowing, and large lymph nodes around the neck. Complications include peritonsillar abscess.[2]

Tonsillitis is most commonly caused by a viral infection, with about 5% to 40% of cases caused by a bacterial infection. When caused by the bacterium group A streptococcus, it is referred to as strep throat. Rarely bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, or Haemophilus influenza may be the cause. Typically the infection is spread between people through the air. A scoring system, such as the Centor score, may help separate possible causes. Confirmation may be by a throat swab or rapid strep test.[2]

Symptoms

  • Severe sore throat
  • Red / enlarged tonsils
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Malaise
  • Difficult / painful swallowing
  • Earache
  • Tender / enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
  • Insomnia
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Irritability

Causes:

There are several factors that may contribute to tonsillitis including:

  • Bacterial or viral infection – usually associated with common cold and flu
  • Lowered immune function
  • Children are more susceptible
  • Chronic cases may have an allergy component
  • Attendance at daycare, school, work
  • May accompany Scarlet Fever
  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Exposure to cigarette smoking
  • Family history

We use various naturopathic principles to treat the cause and look for the disharmony in your body and mind to bring your body back to balance. Please see below a brief treatment (Rx) protocol and reference guide, with choices to help improve your health and wellbeing. Click on the headings and links within for more treatment information.

Herbal Medicine:

Herbal Remedies are chosen individually created for you after a consultation. Some of the excellent herbals we consider for this condition are listed below.

  • Echinacea for immune support, pain relief, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions
  • Astragalus for immune support particularly in chronic infections
  • Andrographis immune enhancing and particularly effective in acute infections
  • Eyebright helps restore mucous membrane function, helps reduce phlegm and excessive mucous with anti-inflammatory actions
  • Golden Seal helps restore mucous membrane function with antimicrobial actions
  • Elder Flower helps dry up and reduce excessive mucous, restore mucous membrane function, reduce fever and has anti-inflammatory actions
  • Poke Root assists immune function helps improve lymphatic function for enlarged tonsils and has an anti-inflammatory action
  • Clivers enlarged or inflamed lymph glands
  • Baptisia immune enhancing, helps reduce fever and for enlarged lymph glands
  • Pelargonium for immune support with antibacterial actions

If you are experiencing these conditions, I can guide you into wellness – BOOK NOW for a Naturopathic Consultation.

Tissue Salt Rx

If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.

Vincent Van Gogh

These tissue salts below singular or in combination may help with this condition.

Indications

Inflamed tonsils, follicular tonsillitis. White or greyish white patches on tongue and or tonsils. Bad breath with decreased appetite.

Cal Phos:
If the swelling has continued for a long time. Increases the defensive power of the body.

Chronic swelling of the tonsils, causing pain on opening mouth, deafness and difficulty of swallowing; intercurrent. Husky voice. “In spongy hypertrophy of the tonsils in children, in the 2x trituration we have found a faithful and protracted use of the drug in many cases to produce a marked diminution in the size of the tonsils.” (H.C. French, M.D).

Calc Sulph:
If pus forms. Tonsillitis, last stage, when matter discharges or abscess forms.

Ferr Phos:
For first signs of throat problem, take Internally and use as a gargle (four tablets crushed and mixed with half a cup water).

Tonsils are red, inflamed and painful on swallowing. This is the first remedy to consider with any inflammation.

Kali Phos:
Tonsils large and sore, with white, solid deposit on them.

Kali Mur:
Swollen tonsils, painful swallowing, white tongue.

Chronic or acute tonsillitis with much swelling. Tonsils are swollen and congested, spotted white or grey. Consider this remedy to use after and or with Ferr Phos, as soon as there is any swelling of the throat.

Mag Phos:
Tonsillitis worse right side. Throat very red and puffy. The patient is chilly and tired, headaches and is flushed.

Nat Mur:
Uvulitis; here the mucous cells are the seat of the disease. Hence not Kali mur., but Natrum mur., is the remedy. Chronic enlargement of the tonsils has been cured by the remedy in the 30th potency.

Natrum phos:
Yellow coating at the base of tongue, with a feeling of a lump in the throat.

Chronic swelling of the tonsils. Catarrh (mucus) of the tonsils with a golden-yellow tinged exudation, from an acid condition of the stomach.

Nutritional Medicine Rx

Health is much more dependent on our Habits and Nutrition Than on Medicine.

John Lubbock

Use Food as Medicine! Nourish your body and mind with fresh seasonal, whole foods. Clean unprocessed & unadulterated foods like nature intended. Support a back to the basic natural approach to eating. Visit your local farmer markets and buy organic produce where possible. Go vegetable crazy! Love your greens.

Food Sensitivity Testing is an easy way to take the guess work out of what may be contributing to you feeling unwell, suffering digestive problems, inflammation, bloating, skin conditions, asthma etc. A whole food natural diet is excellent to follow but what some people don’t realise is one man's food can be another man’s poison. Give your digestive tract a break and feed your body with food that heals. A stressed and inflamed digestive tract (gut) suffering dysbiosis needs help to build up a good microbiome balance. It is not only important for your ability to absorb and utilise nutrients but your gut health and immune system are inextricably linked. Seventy to eighty percent of your immune tissue is located within your digestive system and ninety percent of serotonin is made in the digestive tract. Serotonin is a key player in mood, anxiety, fear, and the general sense of happiness and wellbeing.

The intestinal microbiota (gut flora) helps in proper development of the host immune system, which in turn regulates the homeostasis of the microbiota. Good nutrition promoting good gut health microbiome promotes a healthy immune system.

The gastrointestinal tract is also sensitive to emotion. A troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression.

Don’t diet! Listen to your body. Eat mindfully in a relaxed environment and choose quality, not quantity. Enjoy fuelling your body and treating it well.

Flower Essence Rx

Healing with the clean, pure, beautiful agents of nature is surely the one method of all which appeals to most of us.

Dr Edward Bach
Listed below are some of the flower essence remedy ranges that we utilised to improve ‘Your Style of Life’ and help you treat various conditions.
  • Bach Flower Essences
  • Australian Flower Essences
  • Futurplex

Lifestyle Medicine Rx

To live is the rarest thing in the world.Most people just exist.

Oscar Wilde

Exercise and Fitness Management:

Select an exercise activity or sport you enjoy. Choose something that works for you and aim for the 80/20 % approach and always listen to your body.
  • Walking is a wonderful activity for all ages, shapes and sizes.
  • Build up slowly but aim for 10,000 steps a day.
  • I recommend investing in a motivational health monitor like ‘Fitbit’ and or an app like ‘MyFitnessPal’ to motivate you to have a go and strive to improve your fitness and maintain a healthy weight.

Hydration:

Aim for 2 – 4 litres of clean, filtered water a day. One of the easiest ways to improve your health is to stay hydrated as your body is made up of 60% water and it needed by every cell of the body. Sugar, Salt and Coffee is dehydrating for the body. Often if you feel thirsty this is an early sign of dehydration. Make it a habit and drink throughout the day. Benefits include:
  • Natural Detox – a naturally hydrated body purges the cells, eliminating stored toxins and bodily wastes.
  • Digestion and Elimination – eliminates constipation, boating and helps improve general digestive disorders.
  • Speeds Metabolism and helps with weight loss.
  • Combats Fatigue – water is an important source of energy for your body.
  • Reduces High Blood Pressure and Lowers Cholesterol.
  • Speeds up Joint and Cartilage repair.
  • Skin Health – improves Acne, Dermatitis, Eczema, Psoriasis and Premature Skin Ageing.
  • Slows the Ageing Process.

Sleep Hygiene:

  • Aim for 7 – 8 hours quality sleep.
  • Turn off all electronic devices and avoid technology and hour before bed as this allows your brain to switch off and make it easier to fall asleep.
  • Keep your bedroom just for sleeping & loving. Fresh Air – open a window. Light can make or break a good sleep cycle. Darken your room as much as possible.
  • Don’t eat late in the night. Avoid caffeine and stimulants.
  • Set your alarm to get to bed and wake at the same time every day.
  • Night Cap: – Drink a warm lemon drink, herbal green tea or Golden Milk (Almond & Coconut Milk with beneficial spices) – “Turmeric Latte”, before bed.
  • Create a nice environment with indoor plants, aromatherapy diffuser, soft relaxing music and anything that helps you promote a routine to wind yourself down to get much-needed sleep.

Fun:

Life is about balance and taking time out to play and enjoy activities you like with friends and family as it has a huge benefit on your health. Laughter is the best Medicine. Having fun and enjoying activities that you like has the benefit of reducing stress and lowering the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” and spikes to unhealthy levels when you are continually stressed with one of the side effects being weight gain. Having fun increases serotonin, which is the hormone that regulates sleep patterns, body temperature, memory and mood. When you do activities you enjoy, that help you to relax and connect with people the body will naturally increase serotonin levels. Research has proven that making time to relax, engaging in activities you enjoy, spending time with people that make you happy improves positive emotional, mental health and overall wellbeing.

Conditions We Treat

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