Tonsil Myths Revealed

New Survey Shows Eight Out of 10 Parents Do Not Recognize Enlarged    Tonsils As A Factor In More Serious Childhood Health Problems

Despite tonsillectomy being the second most common childhood surgery, a recent survey of American parents shows that 8 out of 10 are unaware that enlarged tonsils play a role in serious childhood health problems, including breathing difficulties, slow growth, obesity and even hyperactive behavior.  More than 80 percent of parents also did not know that a tonsillectomy is the most effective treatment for sleep disordered breathing.

 Tonsils are ball-like areas of soft tissue on both sides of the throat.  Along with adenoids (soft tissue behind the nose) tonsils help the body fight infection by filtering out germs that enter the body through the mouth and nose.  Newer technology options can make the procedure less painful, and the recovery quicker than ever before.

Dr. Jeffrey Liudahl of Yankton Ear Nose & Throat, P.C. has been doing tonsillectomies in Yankton since 1988.  He says “the newer technologies available today for tonsillectomies make the procedure much less painful for the patient and gets them back into a normal eating and activity pattern very quickly!”

The survey of parents uncovered the top 5 misconceptions about tonsillectomy.

2.      Tonsils are mainly removed for sore throats and tonsillitis.  75% of tonsillectomies are performed to treat obstructive sleep disorders.  Obstruction means the tonsils are so large that they are blocking part of the breathing airway or the throat.  Symptoms of obstructions include: snoring, loud breathing, difficulty swallowing, mouth breathing, and frequent gasping or snorting noises. 

Sleep disordered breathing is a condition in which people do not breathe properly while sleeping.  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that causes a blockage in the airway during sleep, so that breathing stops.  OSA is usually chronic, causing breathing to stop several times during the night.  If left untreated, sleep-disordered breathing problems, such as pediatric OSA, could lead to much more serious health issues such as:  poor growth, bedwetting at night, sleep deprivation, and psychological, behavioral, or emotional problems.  Studies have shown that after undergoing a tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy for obstructive symptoms, many of these problems resolved.

3.      A child will be in pain for up to two weeks after a tonsillectomy.  Several studies show that advanced low-temperature technology, called Coblation, reduces pain after surgery compared to older technologies.

4.      Children can only eat ice cream after a tonsillectomy.  Low-temperature technology is allowing children to return to a normal diet three times faster on average when compared to older technology.

5.      Tonsillectomies have been performed the same way for decades.  Scalpels and high temperature technology are still used, but according to a study published recently in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, the advent of low-temperature technology in the last several years has been shown to improve patient recovery when compared to electrocautery.

The survey also confirmed that more than 90 % of parents would prefer a

quicker, less painful recovery for their child if they must undergo a tonsillectomy.  For more information about tonsils and tonsillectomies, call Yankton Ear Nose & Throat, P.C. at 665-6820 or visit the following web-sites.

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/throat/tonsils.cfm

or  http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/throat/tonsil_procedures.cfm