Tonsil stones treatment - what are the options?

Tonsil stone or scientifically termed as tonsillolith is a solid round shaped yellowish or whitish mass present in the tonsillar tissue. Often they can be found in the tonsillar crypts. Tonsil stones can occur after several episodes of inflammatory condition of tonsils (tonsillitis). The stones are made up of dead cells and minerals. Tonsil stone treatment is a bit difficult as it is a notorious substance to be cured by conventional medicines. Like kidney stones, small tonsilloliths can pass naturally but the larger sized stone require active management.

Tonsils are a pair of fleshy glands situated over the either side of the back of the throat. They often act as the first line security from the invading organisms. Tonsil stone occurs after prolonged episode of tonsillitis. As the infective materials came into the tonsillar tissues, they are captivated by the lymphocytes present here. Being the part of our immune system, lymphocytes can kill the bacteria or virus. In this process, some of the tonsillar tissues are also destroyed. The dead organisms and the tonsillar cells build up inside the crypts present in the gland. Salts like calcium apatite and magnesium oxalate help them to coalesce together to form a firm mass which can be palpated over the affected tonsil. When the tonsil stone becomes big enough, the central part goes on necrosis in the presence of sulfur producing bacteria.

Methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide gases are released from the necrosed tissues. They are responsible for foul smelling breath in a patient suffering from tonsilloliths.
At present, there is no medical management available for tonsil stone treatment. Nasal drops, nasal sprays and pain killers do not offer adequate result as they do not address the root cause of the disease. They symptoms are temporarily reduced, but they recur quickly when these medications are discontinued. The scope for Homeopathic or naturopathy also reduced to mere lowering the symptoms.

Only definitive management available in allopathic system of medicine is surgical removal of the stone. The tonsillar tissue is locally excised and the stone is removed. It may require excision of the affected tonsil.

Recently, a Chinese system of herbal therapy is getting popularity to treat tonsil stone. It is a simple 3-step process for complete and permanent cure from tonsil stone and your bad breath. This mode of treatment is highly successful as it addresses the main cause of the disease and eradicates it from the root.