How and what to wash tonsils with chronic tonsillitis

Causes and symptoms of the disease

Chronic inflammation of the tonsils can be caused by:

• untreated infectious diseases (most often it is a sore throat, so it is necessary to treat a sore throat in a timely and correct manner);
• the presence of other foci of inflammation in the body (for example, chronic sinusitis);
• diseases of the oral cavity (caries, stomatitis, periodontal disease);
• deviated nasal septum;
• heredity;
• reduced immunity;
• stress and nervous tension.

Any chronic disease is characterized by alternating stages of exacerbation and remission. During an exacerbation, the patient complains of pain, soreness, a feeling of a lump in the throat, as well as bad breath (which indicates the presence of purulent plugs in the lacunae of the tonsils). The body temperature rises to 37.5℃. It is very difficult to stay in this state for a long time. But you still need to study, work, lead a normal lifestyle. Only treatment by an otolaryngologist will help alleviate the patient’s condition and get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

Indications

Gargling is prescribed for various diseases, the symptom of which is a sore throat. The cause of the disease is infection:

• Viruses.
• Pathogenic bacteria.
• Fungi.

1. In addition to sore throat, infectious and inflammatory diseases cause a general deterioration in the patient’s condition. It occurs against the background of increased body temperature, fever, headaches, etc. Symptoms of local damage to the mucous membrane are also always noticeable. The patient experiences a sore throat, hyperemia, swelling, and plaque appears on the tonsils.
2. In such cases, after diagnosis, the doctor prescribes gargling as an additional therapy. Procedures for which you need to buy special products at a pharmacy at an affordable price allow you to:

Relieve pain and remove discomfort. Also, many products reduce swelling. Special solutions moisturize the mucous membrane, minimize the occurrence of microcracks in it and the penetration of infection deep into the tissues. Against this background, it is possible to accelerate the restoration of the mucous membrane.

Carry out a gentle sanitation of the inflamed areas of the throat. When using special solutions with an antiseptic effect, it is possible to quickly remove mucus and wash away infectious agents. Reducing the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms speeds up the healing process.

Kill viruses and bacteria. For this purpose, special agents with antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial effects are prescribed. They directly affect harmful microorganisms, and therefore contribute to successful treatment in the shortest possible time.

Remove or treat?

Among experienced patients, there are many stories from the series: “Previously, the problem was solved simply - you just need to remove the tonsils, and life will sparkle with bright colors.” Many patients purposefully come to an ENT doctor with a request to get rid of tonsils once and for all. However, many do not understand that by removing such an important organ of the immune system, a person is deprived of a natural barrier against infection. Yes, the problem of tonsillitis will disappear, but other diseases, for example, of the respiratory tract, will take their place. Bacteria and viruses will be able to freely enter the body, causing inflammation of other human organs and systems.

To remove tonsils according to indications, you need:

• often have a sore throat (more than four times a year);
• have a history of peritonsillar abscess;
• have poor rheumatic test scores;
• diagnose complications in your heart, kidneys or joints.

If there are no direct indications for removal, you need to contact an otolaryngologist to prescribe competent complex therapy, which will significantly increase the duration of remission and reduce the number of exacerbations.

One of the most effective procedures for treating tonsillitis, which avoids removal, is washing the palatine tonsils.

Basic Rules

1. Understanding how to gargle for a cold, you also need to know how to carry out the procedure correctly. Rinse solutions should not be cold or hot. Otherwise, you can harm the inflamed mucous membrane and worsen the general condition of the disease.
2. For each procedure, a new solution should be prepared if pharmacological agents are used for this. It is important to follow the recommended dosage exactly. When storing gargling solutions based on pharmacological preparations, their beneficial properties are reduced.
3. It is acceptable to use pre-prepared infusions based on medicinal herbs for rinsing. They need to be poured with boiling water or cooked in a water bath. After this, the solutions are infused for the required time, filtered and stored in the refrigerator. Before use, the product should be warmed to room temperature or slightly higher.
4. It is important to carry out procedures regularly in accordance with medical recommendations. In most cases, 4-5 rinses per day are prescribed. The duration of the procedure should be at least 30 seconds. In this case, accidental ingestion of the solution must be avoided. After the procedure, you should avoid eating for at least half an hour. This will increase its effectiveness and, therefore, speed up the healing process.

Benefits of the procedure

There are two ways to rinse the tonsils: using a syringe or using the vacuum method using the Tonzillor apparatus. The ENT doctor decides how to rinse, based on the patient’s condition and his physiological characteristics.

The washing procedure has a number of undeniable advantages:

• persistent therapeutic effect (if you rinse your throat in courses, you can achieve long-term remission, and the symptoms of tonsillitis will not remind you of themselves for a long time);
• During the procedure, antiseptics and local antibacterial drugs are used, which act exclusively on the inflamed area, unlike conventional antibiotics taken orally;
• no allergic reactions;
• Children and pregnant women can wash their tonsils.

How often do rinses need to be done? For long-lasting results, otorhinolaryngologists recommend performing the procedure several times a year.

Friends! Timely and correct treatment will ensure you a speedy recovery!

Before washing your tonsils, you must stop eating at least an hour before visiting the doctor. After the session you need to abstain from food for a couple of hours.

Complex therapy for chronic tonsillitis usually includes ten rinsing sessions, which are carried out daily or every other day.

Contraindications to washing are: cancer, tuberculosis, acute infectious diseases, mental disorders, hypertension.

Regular rinsing allows you to avoid tonsillectomy (surgery to remove tonsils) and significantly increase the period of remission.

Herbal remedies

Herbal infusions are effective for gargling. They rarely cause negative reactions in the body. The most popular remedy is chamomile flowers and herbs. You can now buy it cheaply at the pharmacy. It is always available. In the complex treatment of various diseases of the ENT organs, which are accompanied by a sore throat, an infusion is indicated for rinsing

Also, the doctor, as an additional treatment, may recommend preparing gargling solutions from the following medicinal plants:

• Calendula officinalis flowers. The product has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Eucalyptus leaves. This product contains a large amount of essential oils, which provides a powerful antibacterial effect.
• Sage leaves. They contain a large amount of vitamins and essential oils, which allows you to strengthen local immunity and quickly relieve inflammation of the mucous membrane.

It is important to remember that herbal preparations can provoke allergic reactions, so you should consult a doctor before using solutions. In addition, if the slightest negative side effects occur, it is important to stop rinsing with a specific product and choose a replacement.

Rinsing the tonsils with a syringe

This method is the most common and accessible. It will be offered to you at the local clinic. The essence of the technique is as follows: an ENT doctor, using a needle-free syringe, injects an antiseptic drug into the lacunae of the tonsils, which, together with the purulent masses from the lacunae, is washed into the patient’s oral cavity. The patient spits the solution into a special tray, and the ENT doctor repeats the procedure. Upon completion, the tonsils are lubricated with Lugol's solution.

The disadvantage of the procedure is that it is not possible to thoroughly rinse the lacunae, since the openings in the tonsils are very narrow. This rinsing helps with minor purulent accumulations.

The manipulation should be carried out by an experienced ENT doctor. Inept movements can injure the walls of the tonsils, which will only worsen the patient’s condition.

Recently, in modern ENT clinics this technique is used less and less, mainly in cases where the patient has a pronounced gag reflex.

It is much more effective to rinse the tonsils using a vacuum method using the Tonsillor apparatus.

What does it work on?

Miramistin acts on many harmful bacteria:

• streptococci;
• staphylococci;
• E. coli;
• Klebsiella;
• pseudomonas;
• aspergillus;
• penicillin and yeast fungi.

In addition, it acts on chlamydia, Treponema pallidum, and gonorrhea pathogens.

There are so-called hospital infections that can be picked up in a hospital setting. Such infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotics. There have always been difficulties in treating them. But Miramistin is precisely capable of influencing such pathogens.

Miramistin treats burns of various origins, including sunburn. It also protects burn surfaces from bacteria. It may also reduce bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

Vacuum washing method

The vacuum method of rinsing using the Tonsillor apparatus is the most modern way to rinse the lacunae of the tonsils.

In simple terms, the nozzle of the Tonsillor device works on the principle of a vacuum cleaner. It is attached to the tonsil, the device creates negative pressure. The washing solution, passing through the lacunae of the tonsils, washes out their pathogenic contents, which, together with the waste solution, are sucked into a special cup of the nozzle. That is, the solution is used and passes through the tonsils only once, which confirms the sterility of the manipulation. Before washing, topical anesthesia of the tonsils is performed with lidocaine solution.

Despite the effectiveness of vacuum washing, this method is not without its drawbacks:

• it happens that the edges of the nozzle can injure the surface of the tonsil;
• The walls of the cup, where the washing solution that has passed through the tonsils is evacuated, is opaque, and the doctor cannot see whether the tonsils have been completely washed. As a result, the ENT doctor has to carry out additional procedures to certainly clear the lacunae.

A reasonable question arises: “Is washing the tonsils always associated with some risks?” No! There is another way to wash the tonsils - safe, effective and non-traumatic. This is the use of an improved Tonsillor attachment.

Fact No. 3. Gargling is not harmful, but it is not necessary to do it 5 times a day.

✅ There is no point in rinsing the entire glass of saline solution. Just one sip is enough.

✅ There is no need to swallow the saline solution - after rinsing, the liquid needs to be spit out. But if you do swallow the solution, nothing bad will happen.

✅ With a properly prepared solution, you can gargle as much as you want. Evidence-based medicine does not provide any restrictions or recommendations on the number of procedures per day. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic recommend gargling with the solution every three hours, that is, 5 times a day. But in fact, this is not necessary - in most international recommendations, patients are encouraged to focus on their well-being and their own feelings. For some people, one or two treatments per day may be enough.

Rinsing with a modified Tonsillor nozzle

This method of washing will not be offered to you in any of the clinics in Moscow, except for the ENT Clinic of Doctor Zaitsev! An improved, modified attachment for the Tonsillor apparatus was developed by the founder of the ENT clinic, Vladimir Mikhailovich Zaitsev, together with his colleagues. The operating principle of the new nozzle is absolutely the same as that of the classic nozzle. The difference is in its structure:

• the improved “Tonsillor” nozzle creates greater negative pressure, due to which rinsing the tonsils is much more effective and of better quality;
• the edges of the nozzle in contact with the tonsils do not cause damage or microtrauma;
• The cup of the nozzle into which the washing solution with the purulent contents of the lacunae is sucked in is transparent, and the doctor immediately sees at what point the procedure can be stopped. Thus, the patient does not undergo unnecessary manipulations.
• The size of the nozzle allows washing even for children.

It is necessary to rinse the tonsils only with the participation of an otolaryngologist. We do not recommend self-medication!

In order to forget about the symptoms of chronic tonsillitis for a long time, it is necessary to undergo a full comprehensive course of treatment of chronic inflammation, including, in addition to rinsing, drug therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures. This is the only way to preserve the tonsils and achieve stable remission!