Tonsilitis
Consult your healthcare professional if your child has recurrent tonsillitis.
Symptoms
Tonsillitis is a highly infectious inflammation of the tonsils accompanied by:
- Fever
- Very sore throat with red, swollen tonsils and white discharge or spots on the tonsils
- Swollen and tender lymph nodes in the neck under the jaw
- Dry cough
- Headache and stomach ache are often present
- Severe pain at the roof of the mouth, and difficulty swallowing
- Muffled speech
- Snoring
Causes
The infection is usually due to a virus or the Streptococcus bacterium.
Recurrent episodes of tonsillitis indicate that the body's resistance is weakened.
Food allergies, particularly to dairy products are also associated with recurrent tonsillitis.
Natural Therapies
- Herbs such as Echinacea and Andrographis are used to treat throat infections and work by improving the body's immune function
- Zinc lozenges and Manuka Honey have been shown to reduce the number of days of a sore throat associated with the common cold
- Herbs such as marshmallow, thyme and licorice have traditionally been used for relief of sore throats
- Use an Echinacea, Andrographis or vitamin C supplement to help improve resistance to infection.
Life Style Factors
Gargling with salty water or sage herbal tea several times a day helps to relieve sore throat and hoarseness.
Get lots of rest and maintain a high fluid intake.
Remedies
If you or your child are experiencing ongoing problems with tonsillitis, try avoiding dairy foods for a period of 1-2 months. Dairy allergy has commonly been found to contribute to recurrent throat infection.
Eliminate all sources of concentrated simple sugars (sugar, honey, fruit juice) from the diet and instead base your diet on complex carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
Use an Echinacea, Andrographis or vitamin C supplement to help improve resistance to infection.