• The tonsils are areas of lymphoid tissue on either side of the throat.
• Most commonly, the term "tonsils" refers to the palatine tonsils/faucial tonsils that can be seen in the back of the throat.
• These lymphoid tissue forms a complete ring of tonsilar tissue and lines entire throat - Waldeyer's tonsillar ring.
• The tonsils act as part of the immune system to help protect against infection - upper respiratory tract infections.

Acute tonsillitis
• In children, the tonsils are common sites of infections that may give rise to acute tonsillitis.
• The tonsils may appear normal sized or enlarged but are usually erythematous.

Recurrent tonsillitis
Recurrent infection has been variably defined as from four to seven episodes of acute tonsillitis in one year, five episodes for two consecutive years or three episodes per year for 3 consecutive years.

Types
• Membranous - which is most common in children
• Follicular - having follicles in the outer layer which appears as yellow dots on the tonsil surface. It is common in young adults.

Causes :
• Bacterial or viral infection - beta-hemolytic streptococci
• It also occurs as an allergic reaction to allergens, for example pollens, cold things, food preservatives, drugs, mechanical injury, etc.
• In patients with auto-immune disorders, who suffer from immunodeficiency, tonsillitis may occur due to multiple infections. For example HIV, psoriasis, SLE, etc.

The source of infection – may be food or water or droplet infection from coughing or mucous secretions of an infected person.

Symptoms :
• It is associated with sore throat, fever, and difficulty swallowing.
• Excess salivation and dribbling of saliva
• Painful or painless lymph node enlargement below the angle of lower jaw
• Constitutional disturbances like fever with chill and tiredness
• Recurrent or repeated attack of cold and cough.
• Ear ache and bad breath (halitosis)

Complications :
• CSOM
• Quinsy
• sinusitis
• septicaemia
• Obstruction causing choking
• Rheumatism and heart strain in case of infection with haemolytic streptococci bacteria.

General treatment : Rest
Warm saltwater gargling for soothing effect

Plenty of liquids to avoid painful swallowing of solid food

Avoid :
• Acidic drinks like cold beverages
• Tin packed foods with preservatives
• Spicy and chilly foods
• Smoking
• Alcoholic drinks

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES

A/C Stage

BELL -congested’ red, hot face and skin, Strawberry tongue, Right side is worse

APIS -Oedema,BSS pains,Uvula swollen, sac like

ARS-IOD -Scrofulous affectionsTonsils swollen, burning, Persistently irritating,corrosive discharges, Breath fetid and glandular involvement.

CAPS -Tonsillitis, burning and smarting sensation as from cayenne pepper, not by heat, Constriction of throat. Intense soreness, Inflamed, dark, swollen.

CANTH -Inflammation of throat with severe burning and rawness, Great constriction of throat and larynx, with suffocation on any attempt to swallow water.

FER- PHOS - Chronic enlarged hyperaemic tonsils, smooth swelling
• Right sided
• The typical ferr-phos subject is nervous, sensitive, anaemic with the
• false plethora and easy flushing
• Prostration marked
• Night,4-6pm,touch,jar,motion
• Cold application

KALI-IOD
• Suited to pale, delicate, subjects with glandular swellings
• Extreme sensitiveness of parts affected
• Nocturnal aggravation
• Discharges are ichorous, corrosive and green

LACHESIS
• Left tonsils affected, tendency to go to right
• Throat purplish
• Sense of constriction, as if something was swollen which must be swallowed
• External throat extremely sensitive to touch
• Liquids more painful
• Pain radiates to ear
• Hot drinks after sleep

LAC CANINUM
• Begins on left side, changing from side to side every few hours or days
• Sensitive to touch externally
• Constant inclination to swallow, painful almost impossible
• Pain extends to ears
• Sore throat and cough are apt to begin and end with menses
• Probably no remedy in the Materia Medica presents a more valuable pathogenesis in symptoms of the throat

LYCOPODIUM
Chronic enlargement of tonsils, which are covered with small ulcers
Affects right side, right to left
Children weak, emaciated, with well developed head, but puny, sickly bodies
( 4-8 pm, cold drinks, ) warm drinks

MERCURIUS
• More advanced stage When pus has formed, great swelling, whole fauces deep red
• tonsils darker than any other parts,
• ulcers form
• Profuse sweating without relief
• Profuse salivation, breath offensive
• Tongue large flabby with imprint of teeth
• Moist tongue with thirst
• at night, damp, cold rainy weather

MERCURIUS IODATUS FLAVUS
Right sided
Throat affections with greatly swollen glands
Tongue coated thickly yellow at the base
Constant inclination to swallow
Better cold drinks

MERCURIUS IODATUS RUBER
Left sided with marked glandular swelling
Parenchymatous tonsillitis
Will often abort peri-tonsillitis if given frequently

BARYA CARB
• Suppurating tonsils from every cold, stitching and smarting pain, empty swallowing.
• Can swallow only liquids.
• Tonsils inflamed with swollen veins.

HEP.SULP
• Sensation as if a plug and of a splinter in throat.
• Quinsy with impending suppuration.

ECHINACEA : Tonsils purple or black, grey exudation extending to post.nares and air passages

IODUM
• Persons of a scrofulous diathesis, dark complexioned with enlarged lymphatic glands
• Great emaciation, ravernous appetite
• Acute exacerbation of c/c inflammation
• Hot patient
• Warm room walking in open air

PHOSPHOROUS
• Adapted to tall slender persons of sanguine temperament
• Great susceptibility to external impression
• Thirst for very cold water
• Burning sensation in throat
• Hoarseness and aphonia, worse evening
• Worse lying on left side
• Evening thunder storm warm to cold air

PHYTOLACCA
• Pre-eminently a glandular remedy
• Right sided tonsillitis, dark red colour, uvula large dropsical, almost translucent
• Burning as from a coal, of fire or red hot iron, dryness
• Sensation of lump in the throat
• Pain shoots from throat into ears on swallowing
• Quinsy
• Hot drinks

PSORINUM
• Especially adapted to psoric constitution
• In chronic cases when well selected remedies fails to relieve or permanently improve
• Great sensitiveness to cold
• Tonsils greatly swollen, difficult painful swallowing
• Profuse offensive saliva
• Tough mucus in throat, must hawk continually
• Eradicates tendency to quinsy
• Change of weather
• Better by heat

PULSATILLA
• Mild, gentle, yielding disposition
• Symptoms ever changing
• Discharges are thick, bland and yellowish green
• Aversion to fatty, warm food and drinks
• Thirstlessness with dry mouth
• Desires open air
• Warm close room evening
• Open air, cold air and room

SULPHUR
• When carefully selected remedies fail to produce a favourable effect, especially in acute cases
• Chronic sore throat
• Burning and dryness in throat
• Complaints that are continually relapsing
• Scrofulous, psoric, chronic diseases that result from suppressed eruption
• Ragged philosopher
• For lean, stoop shouldered persons, standing is the worst position
• Children dislike washing
• When standing
• Warmth of bed

TUBERCULINUM
• Tubercular diathesis, tall, slim, flat, narrow chest
• Active and precocious mentally, weak physically
• When symptoms are constantly changing and well selected remedies fails to improve
• Patient takes cold from the slightest exposure
• Emaciation rapid and pronounced
• Enlarged tonsil
• Aversion to meat