Your tonsils are two round lumps in the back of your throat. Your adenoids are higher up in your soft palate, behind your nose and the roof of your mouth.

Tonsils and adenoids form part of your immune system. They help protect your body from diseases by sampling any bacteria and viruses that get into your mouth or nose.

When they’re working as they should, you don’t notice them. However, tonsils and adenoids can cause problems if they get infected. They could also affect your breathing if they’re too big.

Tonsil and adenoid issues are common in children, but affect many adults, too.

What are the symptoms of tonsil and adenoid problems?

Symptoms of tonsil and adenoid infection include:

• Swollen tonsils
• Very red tonsils
• White or yellow coating on your tonsils
• Sore throat
• Ear pain
• Painful swallowing
• Swollen lymph nodes (glands) in your neck
• Fever
• Bad breath

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids may make it difficult to breathe through your nose, so you may find you breathe through your mouth instead.

You’re likely to sound congested, breathe noisily, and snore at night. You could also experience a consistent runny nose and have recurring ear infections.

Frequent infections in your adenoids can cause otitis media with effusion, a condition where infected fluid builds up in the inner ear.

How are tonsil and adenoid problems treated?

Your provider at Ear, Nose & Throat Care, PC, needs to identify what’s causing your tonsil and adenoid problems to treat them effectively.

In addition to a detailed physical examination, they might order a blood test, strep test, or throat culture to check for infections and diseases like mononucleosis. If there’s a chance you might be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, you might also need to undergo a polysomnogram (sleep study).

If you have a bacterial infection, your provider at Ear, Nose & Throat Care, PC, can prescribe antibiotics. If you have mononucleosis and your tonsils swell as a result, you might need a course of steroids to reduce the inflammation.

Would I need surgery for tonsil and adenoid problems?

In some cases, tonsil and adenoid problems require surgical removal. You can live perfectly well without your tonsils and adenoids.

The doctors at Ear, Nose & Throat Care, PC, perform intracapsular (partial) tonsillectomy in both adults and children wherever possible to minimize pain and bleeding, and reduce the need for strong pain medication.

They use advanced COBLATION™ Plasma Technology to perform tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. COBLATION is a minimally invasive procedure that uses low thermal energy in a controlled, stable plasma field to remove tissue. COBLATION is a precise technology that causes minimal damage to surrounding tissues.

If you have tonsil and adenoid issues, call Ear, Nose & Throat Care, PC, or book an appointment online today.

*Video testimonial from one of Dr. Bortniker’s patients below: