Cryptic tonsillitis occurs when the tonsils develop small pits or holes called crypts. These pits tend to trap food and even form tonsilliths (tonsil stones). These stones comprise of food particles, bacteria and dead cells; and carry a disagreeable odor.
The condition is rather unpleasant and uncomfortable, and occasionally even dangerous, if the stones get too big and occlude the flow of air.
Symptoms Of Cryptic Tonsils
Characteristic symptoms of cryptic tonsils include:
- Soreness and pain in the throat.
- The tonsils are swollen, enlarged and painful. There will be inflammation and / or infection.
- Difficulty in swallowing; depending on the severity of the case, you may not be able to swallow solids and / or liquids
- Halitosis or bad breath is a significant sign of the condition.
- There will be white debris at the back of the mouth and in the throat.
- Fever may be occasionally.
- Malaise and body pain.
- Ear pain is an associated feature too.
How To Get Rid Of Cryptic Tonsils?
If, the case is not too severe, your health care provider may ask you to wait and watch and follow up with your symptoms.
- Antibiotics may be prescribed to battle the infection and prevent a progression of the condition.
- Talk to your healthcare provider and start a vitamin C supplement. Vitamin C is very essential for good oral health and to fight off infections. 2 doses of vitamin C supplement per day for about 10 days is advocated.
- Homeopathy offers excellent results for cryptic tonsils. Homeopathy drugs such as – Merc Sol, Baryta Carb and Drosera proffer quick, effective and brilliant solution to cryptic tonsils. These medicines battle infections and help to reduce the inflammation, swelling and pain in the tonsils, handle halitosis and eliminate throat and body pain.
Surgical Treatment For Cryptic Tonsils
Surgical intervention is necessary in some cases of tonsillar crypts. Your doctor may advise you to remove the stones surgically and to excise the tonsillar tissue too. Discuss your options with your doctor and understand what is best for you. In certain cases, your surgeon will carry out a relatively simple procedure using a local numbing agent to get rid of the tonsillar calculi. Then you may not need general anesthesia.
Tonsil calculi are fairly common in those who have chronic tonsillitis, hence, the only way to deal with them effectively is via tonsillectomy. This procedure gets rid of the tonsils completely, thus eliminating the likelihood of calculi formation. A tonsillectomy is usually done under general anesthesia. When you undergo the surgery, you will have some difficulty swallowing for a couple of days after the procedure.
By and large, doctors recommend tonsillectomy – complete removal of the tonsils to manage tonsillar crypts. This procedure, as effective as it may be, is decidedly painful and uncomfortable postoperatively, and complete recovery takes 1 to 2 months.
A substitute to tonsillectomy is having your tonsils shriveled up through a procedure known as somnoplasty. The doctor will introduce small needle electrodes in to your tonsils and release an energy wave that will burn away the tonsil tissue. The tonsils begin to shrink and shrivel up on their own.
Confer with your health care provider about your best treatment options and recovery.