Tonsillitis is the inflammation of the tonsils in the throat. It is a common infection in children, although it can also affect adults too. The symptoms include sore throat, difficulty swallowing, high temperature, coughing, which can be painful, headache. nausea, and swollen neck glands.
Conventional Medical Treatment
- paracetamol or ibuprofen / Nurofen to help relieve pain - with all the usual warnings about their use, of course
- plenty of bed rest, and drinking plenty of fluids
- antibiotics if the cause is a bacterial infection, although it rarely is
NHS Choices goes on to say that most cases of tonsillitis get better within a week. “A small number of children and adults have tonsillitis for a long time or it keeps coming back. This is known as chronic tonsillitis and may require treatment with surgery”.
So conventional medicine can, on their own admission, offer little effective treatment for tonsillitis. And when the condition becomes chronic it can offer only the surgical removal of the tonsils. And this operation has, in recent decades, been found to be damaging to our longer-term health (however, there is no mention of this in the NHS Choices website).
Perhaps this is why, for many decades, conventional medicine appears to have considered the tonsils to be an unnecessary, even useless organ! Through most of the 20th century, tonsils were removed, almost routinely, by surgeons. Indeed, it is widely admitted that the purpose of the tonsils was largely unknown. Only since the 1960’s was it gradually understood that the tonsils played an important role in our body’s immune function. The absence of tonsils is now even thought to have contributed to the outbreaks of Poliomyelitis. Now, our tonsils are known to be part of our first line of defence against pathogens - they are an integral part of our immune system.
“Tonsils are filled with lymphocytes which detect harmful intruders and fight off infections. When danger is discovered, the tonsils swell with these guardian cells to ward off the invaders, a process which often causes a sore throat.
So, inflamed tonsils did not indicate dysfunction, as conventional medicine appears to believe, but are organs that are importantly, and actively involved in protecting us. Despite this, conventional medicine continues to be prepared to remove them.
Homeopathy offers many remedies that are known to treat tonsillitis successfully, even where the condition has become chronic - with repeated and painful episodes. The main aim of homeopathic treatment is to avoid surgery, and the damage that this can do to our immune system. A good description of the many homeopathic remedies known to treat Tonsilitis is given on the Similima website (click here), from which these remedy pictures are taken.
BELLADONNA - congested’ red, hot face and skin, ‘Strawberry’ tongue, right side is worse
ARS-IOD - Scrofulous affections. Tonsils swollen, burning, Persistently irritating, corrosive discharges, Breath fetid and glandular involvement
CAPSICUM -Tonsillitis, burning and smarting sensation as from cayenne pepper, not better by heat, Constriction of throat. Intense soreness, Inflamed, dark red, swollen
CANTHARIS - Inflammation of throat with severe burning and rawness, Great constriction of throat and larynx, with suffocation on any attempt to swallow water
FERR 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. Worse Night, 4-6pm, touch, jarring, motion. Better for cold applications
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. Better hot drinks. Worse 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 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. Worse 4-8 pm, cold drinks. Better for 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. Worse 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 for 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, worse for empty swallowing. Can swallow only liquids. Tonsils inflamed with swollen veins.
HEP.SULPH - 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.
Eucalyptus, Tonsils enlarged, ulcerated and throat inflamed
NITRIC ACID - Suited to thin persons of rigid fibre, dark complexions, black hair and eyes. Catches cold easily. Sensation of splinter in throat, worse from touch. Extreme fetidity and corrosiveness of all discharges. Chilly, loves salt and fat. Depressed and anxious. Worse, evening and night, cold climate. Better riding in car.
KALI MUR - Valuable remedy in a/c or c/c tonsillitis with much swelling. Almost a specific in follicular tonsillitis. Throat has a gray look, spotted with white
NAT MUR - Especially for the anaemic and cachetic. Great emaciation, losing flesh while eating well
Great liability to take cold. Craving for salt, aversion to bread. Consolation aggravates. Worse in heat of sun, by sea shore. Better in open air, cold bathing
NUX VOMICA - Patient Is irritable and oversensitive to external impression. Coryza dry at night, fluent by day, worse warm room, better cold air. Easily chilled, avoids open air. Frequent ineffectual urging for stool. Worse morning, cold air, damp wet weather
IODUM - Persons of a scrofulous diathesis, dark complexioned with enlarged lymphatic glands
Great emaciation, ravernous appetite. Acute exacerbation of c/c inflammation. Hot patients, worse in warm room, better 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. Worse evening, thunder storm, from warm into 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. Worse 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. Worse for change of weather. Better for 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. Worse for warm close room, in the evening. Better open air, cold air and room
SANGUNARIA - Right sided tonsillitis. Burning sensation. Circumscribed red cheeks
Tongue white, feels scalded. Quinsy
SEPIA - Left side inflamed, much swelling with little redness. Sensation of lump in throat. Waked with sensation as if had swallowed something which has struck in the throat. Contraction of throat when swallowing. Sepia is chilly, indifferent. White or gray coating at the base of tongue. Intolerant to cold and closed places
SILICEA - Cold, chilly, hugs the fire. Wants plenty of warm clothing, hates drafts, hands and feel cold, worse in winter. Scrofulous rachitic children, much sweating about the head. Ailments, caused by suppressed foot sweat. Periodical quinsy, pricking as of a pin in tonsil. Colds settle in throat. Bad effects of vaccination
SOLANUM-NIGRUM - Throat sore as if burnt, stitches in right side of throat. Raw sensation, painful swallowing, solids or liquids, worse on swallowing, at times stitches shooting to drum of right ear. Left tonsils swollen. Feeling as if splinter in right tonsil.
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. For lean, stoop shouldered persons, standing is the worst position. Children dislike washing. Worse when standing, and for 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
THUJA - Swelling of tonsils and throat. Accumulation of a large quantity of tenacious mucus in mouth. Throat feels raw, dry, as from a plug, or as if it were constricted when swallowing. Ill effects of vaccination. Sweat only on uncovered parts or all over except head, stops when he wakes. Profuse sour smelling fetid at night. Worse in cold damp air, at night, 3am and 3pm
GELSEMIUM - Painful spot deep in tonsil, hurting out of proportion on swallowing, Red, inflamed throat, pain streaking to ear, rapid progress.
GUAIACUM - One of the most useful remedies at the commencement of an attack, especially of catarrhal tonsillitis. The characteristics are violent burning, headache, throat hot, chill and aching in back and limbs; abscesses form quickly. In the 1x frequently repeated it will often abort.
RAPHANUS - Heat and burning in throat, at times, chiefly in tonsils, with lancinations. Swelling, redness and pain in tonsils, as if raw.
STAPHISAGRIA- Tonsillitis, on swallowing a stitch runs up from throat into ear. Both tonsils inflamed and swollen.
SABADILLA - It is useful when the disease begins on the left side and extends to the right. The pain is worse from empty swallowing and is relieved by warm drinks. Sometimes there is a sensation as of a thread or string in the throat or else, a sense of constriction
COLCHICUM - Tonsils inflamed and swollen, here and there spots covered with pus; difficult swallowing; Throat dry, with flow of watery saliva; nausea and discomfort
CUPRUM MET - Tonsils, palate and fauces red and inflamed; dull, piercing pain in left tonsils. Worse from external touch
DROSERA - Dry, but not shining, mucous membrane. Muscles of pharynx swollen. Deglutition painful; incessant cough, sometimes ending in vomiting. Colour of throat of a dark coppery red.
ELAPS CORALUM - Tonsils swollen so that no passage is visible, deglutition impossible, throat sensitive to touch
MANCINELLA - Great swelling and suppuration of tonsils, with danger of suffocation; whistling breathing. Yellowish-white ulcers on tonsils, with violent burning pain; great elongation of uvula; offensive breath.
PETROLEUM - Angina granulosa, with stitches in ears during swallowing and burning in neck; slimy, flat or putrid taste in mouth, with mucous secretions or dry sore throat.
PLUMBUM MET - Tonsils inflamed, covered with small, painful abscesses. Angina granulosa, going from left to right; fluids can be swallowed, but solid food comes back into the mouth
RANUNCULUS - Swelling of tonsils, with shooting stitches in them; scraping or burning in throat
SINAPIS NIGRA - Sore, hot pains, with sensation of extreme dryness of throat and tongue, Tongue thickly coated, fissured in median line; voice nasal; hardly any thirst.
SANGUINARIA - Rough, dry constricted, burning. Right tonsil sore. Swallowing difficult.
TEPLITZ - Pain in throat without redness, on swallowing. Swelling of uvula and tonsils with difficulty in swallowing. Swelling of cervical glands.
USTILAGO - Frequent attack of tonsillitis. Tonsils are congested and enlarged. The left tonsils is esp. affected. It looks large and dusky. There is intense pain on swallowing, lancinating pain extents from the tonsils to ear. The throat is dry and there is feeling of lump, behind the larynx which make the swallow constantly.
