Tonsillitis is a name for the inflammation of the tonsils which are present at the rear end of the mouth. This inflammation can occur as red marks on the area, or even white colored upraised spots or patches that cannot be scraped off the mouth.

The common symptoms of tonsils are as follows:-

(i) Sore throat

(ii) Fever

(iii) Pain in the tonsils area, especially when swallowing

(iv) Runny nose

(v) Nasal congestion

(vi) Coughing and sneezing

Inflammation of the tonsils can occur due to infection by either bacteria or viruses. Bacteria such as streptococcus and viruses such as the Coxsackie virus and the Epstein-Barr virus could be responsible. The virally caused tonsillitis is more common than the bacterially caused one.

Tonsillitis is an extremely contagious disease and it spreads very fast from one child to another. An affected child must be kept away from other healthy children so as not to give the chance to start an epidemic.

Home Remedies for Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis could become a very painful and unbearable condition, especially in children. In the initial stages of tonsil infections, some home remedies can be tried in order to get relief. However, in chronic conditions, a tonsillectomy may be required, which is an operation done to remove the tonsils.

A list of the beneficial therapies that can be done for curing tonsil infections are given below:-

Take some mustard, some horseradish seeds, some jute seeds, flaxseeds, barley and radish seeds, all in equal parts. Put them all in a crucible and grind them thoroughly. Make a pasty consistency of the entire thing. Apply this paste on the tonsils. This will help to reduce the inflammation. This is one of the useful home remedies for tonsillitis.

Burn some twigs of the water hyacinth plant to produce its ash. Put this ash in the oil of mustard seeds. Apply this paste on the tonsils. This will help in removing the tonsils completely. This is one of the natural remedy for tonsillitis.

Another effective tonsillitis treatment is to get hold of some roots of the white pea. Put it in water and grind it when inside the water. Every morning drink this water and then eat a chapatti with ghee. This helps in curing the tonsils.

Take one fruit of the bitter tumbi (long gourd) and cut it open in two halves. Then scoop out its inner pulp. Then fill water in the kernel of the fruit from which the pulp has been removed. Let the water remain in this way for about seven days. Drink this water once a day. This helps to get a treatment of the swelling of the tonsils. This is one of the useful tonsillitis cure.

Boil some dry figs and then grind them thoroughly. Then make a paste of this. This remedy helps to remove the swelling that is formed inside the throat cavity.

The following is an unconventional remedy, but it is known to show positive benefits. Peel some ripe bananas and tie the peels around the neck region. This will certainly reduce the pains and help in the fast recovery from the tonsils.

A simple home remedy for tonsillitis can be made by using lime juice. Squeeze the juice of one whole lemon in a glassful of water. Ideally, the water should be a bit warm. Then put four teaspoonfuls of honey in it, and a pinch of common salt. Stir all these ingredients quite well. Then drink this when still a little warm. This is one of the simplest and the best remedies for tonsillitis.

Put some portion of the bark of the babul tree (Acacia arabica) into water and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for over twenty minutes. When the decoction will be prepared fully, then let it cool and use it as a solution for gargling. This eases the tonsils pains and speeds up the recovery. This is one of the useful home remedies for tonsillitis.

Another effective tonsillitis home remedies is the madhuca tree (Madhuca indica) provides a very good remedy for the treatment of tonsillitis. The preparation is somewhat elaborate and is described as follows: Take four milliliters of the liquid extract of the madhuca tree's bark. Then mix this with 300 milliliters of water. Warm it slightly, but do not boil. This solution is to be used as a mouthwash. The solution helps in the condition of bleeding gums as well as in tonsillitis.

Another indigenous Indian plant, the kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum) is also very beneficial for people who have tonsillitis. A portion of the herb is taken, washed very thoroughly and is put into two liters of water. This is then boiled continuously till the water reduces to one liter, i.e. to half its original volume. After allowing to cool, the solution is strained and the filtrate is used as a mouthwash. This is one of the effective natural remedy for tonsillitis.

A very simple remedy to fight tonsillitis can be obtained through the daily consumption of milk. Take a glassful of milk every night, for three nights, just before going to bed. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and black pepper powder to this milk.

Another good home remedy for tonsillitis is to add two teaspoonfuls of fenugreek seeds in water. Bring the water to a boil. Let it boil for about half an hour, and in this time the essence of the fenugreek seeds will be completely steeped into the water. Then use this water for taking gargles. This remedy eases the pain due to inflamed tonsils. Do it at least once in a day.

Diet for tonsillitis - Juices of vegetables such as the carrot, cucumber and the beetroot are very good to soothe the pains of the tonsils. People with tonsils would do better to take the juices of these three vegetables either separately or in combination. Having this juice once per day is beneficial.

Going on a total fruit diet for a few days helps in early recovery. When the acute tonsils symptoms have subsided, it is advisable to go on an all-fruit diet for three to four complete days. After this, the person can slowly come back to the normal diet. This is a good home remedy for tonsillitis.

Adults who are suffering from tonsillitis can follow this remedy. Take one pill of aspirin and put it in a glass of water. When the aspirin dissolves in the water, put the water in the mouth and gargle. Gargle for about a minute and then swallow the water. This is very helpful if acute pains arise. However, children should not do this as aspirin is not recommended for children below the age of 12 years. Children can instead try acetaminophen with similar results. This is one of the best tonsillitis home remedies.

Warm a glassful of water. Put in the water two tablespoonfuls of honey and the juice of a lemon which has been freshly squeezed. Mix them thoroughly and then drink it when it is still slightly warm. This is a very good remedy for the tonsillitis and helps very well to fight against the painful symptoms. This is a good tonsillitis remedy.

If you want quick relief from the tonsil pains, then just put about four teaspoonfuls of salt in two glassfuls of water. Boil this water. Cool it down to a bearable temperature and then take gargles with it. If the water cools down completely, it is useless. You must take the gargles when the water is still a little warm. This simple remedy brings about very positive benefits in tonsillitis. This is one of the best home remedies for tonsillitis.

Home remedy for tonsillitis - Try this simple remedy out for a quick relief from tonsillitis. Cut a lemon into two halves. On one half of the lemon, put some black pepper and salt. Then press the salt and pepper into the lemon with the help of the bottom of a teaspoon. Then start licking on the lemon. Keep licking till all the juices of the lemon have been extracted. After about an hour, do the same thing with the other half of the lemon. Do this about twice in a day.

There are some things you ought to keep in mind in order to prevent the complications of tonsillitis that may occur. These are as follows:-

(i) Avoid all sour foods, including buttermilk and pickles, since they can inflame the tonsils further.

(ii) However, fruits like oranges, lemons, etc. though sour, must not be avoided. These are rich in vitamin C content, which is very good for the treatment of tonsillitis.

(iii) Do not eat any spicy or hot foods that may aggravate the tonsils.

(iv) Avoid all acidic drinks like colas and hot beverages such as tea and coffee.

(v) Try not to talk much. Give plenty of rest to the throat. This helps the tonsils to heal faster.

(vi) Keep biting on some throat lozenges or candies. This helps to keep the throat well-lubricated. Saliva can naturally help in order to get treatment from the tonsillitis.

Tonsillitis affects mostly children. Hence, it is the responsibility of the parents to make their children aware of the risk factors that can cause it. These are the important things to be borne in mind:-

(i) Stress upon your children the importance of hygiene. They should be encouraged to brush twice a day right from their early days.

(ii) Children must be told to wash their hands whenever they return from somewhere outside and also when they have been in contact with some other people, especially other sick people.

(iii) When children are going to stay at some other place such as at a camp, they should be expressly told not to use other children's toothbrushes, etc.

(iv) Children should be instructed to eat only hygienic food. They should wash the fruits, etc. before consuming them.

(v) Children should be taught to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing and even wash their hands if they have used them to cover their mouths during the act.

(vi) Parents should not smoke in front of children as the fumes may irritate the children's tonsils.

Furthermore, in children, if there is an indication of tonsillitis, then it is necessary to take them to the doctor before the situation gets out of control. The home remedies must never be used solely; they must be only used as supplementary methods to control the annoying symptoms of the disease. But medication should always be looked upon as the primary cure.