UKH

Hello everyone. 
 

I have the joy of tonsillitis/throat infection again, lucky me. 
 

does anyone out there have any old remedies for getting rid of the horrible stuff? Mr google tells me turmaric and then salted water and gargling that. 
 

but has anyone else got any go to methods?

thanks! 
 

Paddy

Have you seen a doctor about it?

I ask because my wife had tonsillitis a week or so ago.

Went to the doctor who said it looked like Strep A (something about red bands in the mouth or something).

Doc basically said it unlikely to clear up on it's own and Strep A kills a lot of people in the UK by it not being treated.

He also said that there's no antibiotic resistance in Strep A so antibiotics are very effective at treating it.

So I wouldn't self medicate for tonsillitis.

If it's viral, I can't imagine there's much in terms of home remedies that will make any difference. Except for eating lots of ice cream and hot toddies containing lots of yummy whiskey. You deserve it.

If it's bacterial (not sure how you would know) then saltwater and diluted tcp gargling sounds like as good as anything.

Salt is the way to go.

When I was a kid, the doctor told me next time I presented with tonsillitis he would be arranging to have them out, so I stopped visiting the doctor and treated them at home.

I would tip my head back, pour some salt directly onto the back of my throat, rub it around with the back of my tongue for a while, and then take a mouthful of water and start gargling it out.

It's been highly effective (if highly unpleasant) over the years, apart from the time I managed to treat the surface infection but it had got deeper into my system. I was feeling pretty disconnected from reality but the doctor didn't believe there was anything wrong with me because the throat looked OK. Eventually I convinced her to take a swab to shut me up, and I got a phonecall later saying I had to get on antibiotics urgently. She hadn't asked about a stiff neck, and I hadn't connected the dots assuming it was from a bike crash. Turned out the infection was in my lymph nodes and had got quite serious.

Thanks to montyjohn aswell. 
 

Maybe an appointment with the doctors is a wise idea! I mean it will take a good few weeks to see one so might be solved by then

Thanks both 

Tonsillectomy? Not so much the fashion these days but I had mine out age 5 after a few years of tonsillitis every winter. No problems since then. Until last year (oops) the only time I've been an in-patient.

Have had several appointments with the docs for myself and kids in the last year. All have offered to see me that day, I guess it depends on how you answer the questions the receptionist asks. My record is, we have a cancellation can you be here in 4 minutes, so I did. Appreciate that might not be the case everywhere. 

My kid (when he was three I think) had both his tonsils and adenoids out.

So they still do it.

I'd 3rd seeing a doctor. Lemon juice or TCP diluted or salt water have worked for me. I can enter a 'Right that's it' headspace after a certain amount of time when poorly, and did those on rotation.

My cousin had his out quite late, after many years of tonsillitis. Consultant that did it said it was the worst case he'd ever seen! The pics he put on Facebook were quite something.

My wife and my youngest have had it a few times - youngest ended up in A&E with it once when Covid first appeared - both treated with antibiotics.

Was speaking to an ENT surgeon about my daughter's tonsillitis, snoring, tinnitus. On tonsillectomy... the usual decision is based around criteria on

How many occurrences of *bacterial* tonsillitis requiring antibiotic treatment in the last 12 months

Viral tonsillitis is "tough luck" (apparently, sorry ).

On the plus side, depending on individual need and surgeon, some tonsillectomy can be scalpel free. My wife was in theatre and saw one very recently where they were burned off with what looks like a pen on a cable (electrocautery) which means faster healing these days. You might even get buy one get one free a d have adenoids out if they are large, which in some people helps prevent snoring and improves breathing 

Another vote for seeing a doctor.

If it's viral, there is generally not much you can do about it, but in most cases it will be self-limiting (i.e., it will go away on it's own).

If it's bacterial, then salt gargles and so on may help to treat a surface infection. However, as others have said, this can lead to longer term problems depending on which bacteria are involved and whether there is a deeper infection. It is better to get it treated properly.

If your concern is around antibiotic resistance, your best options are:

1. Ask your GP to confirm that the infection is bacterial (some will just give everyone antibiotics to avoid patient conflict, although this is becoming less common)
2. If the GP says it is not bacterial, don't push for antibiotics anyway
3. If you are offered antibiotics, make sure you finish the course even if you are feeling better and/or they have unwanted side effects

A mate of mine (he's a bit special) removed his own using a soldering iron. Probably not to be recommended. You can still get them on the NHS if you have enough instances of tonsillitis. There are no firm rules for how many you need to get before you qualify and I suspect it depends on the load on your local NHS. My daughter is having hers out next week after numerous rounds of tonsillitis, including two that required hospitalisation.