Why do we need tonsils?

Question

What do they do? What will/will not happen if they are removed?

I really need to know. I might need to have my tonsils removed.

Answer 1

the tonsils act as part of the immune system to help protect against infection. In particular, they are believed to be involved in helping fight off upper respiratory tract infections.

when tonsils become overly enlarged or inflamed they may need to be surgically removed if they are not removed you will constantly get tonsilitis which is very painful and annoying (from experience)

how the operation is done:

The operation usually takes about 30 minutes. There are several methods available for removing tonsils.

- Traditional method - a special surgical blade is used to cut out the tonsils. Pressure is applied to stop the bleeding, and dissolvable stitches or heat is used to seal the wound.

- Lasers or ultrasound waves - high-energy waves are used to cut out the tonsils and seal the blood vessels to stop bleeding.

- Diathermy - heat from an electric current is used to cut out the tonsils and seal the blood vessels.

the only problems after the operation are:

- sore throat, earache and a stiff jaw - these side-effects may last for up to two weeks

- bad breath - this usually improves after two to three weeks

Answer 2

I don't know how this works medically, but your tonsils keep infection from invading your body rapidly. The reason we are ok with removing them today, is because modern medicine has gotten much better and if you get certain infections you can eliminate them with certain meds that weren't available years ago...