Tonsillitis

Tonsils are small masses of lymphoid tissues, one lying on either side of the back of the mouth. They work like guards intercepting all micro-organisms that happen to enter the nose or the mouth and preventing them from going deeper into the body. In turn, the tonsils become inflamed (termed tonsillitis) causing pain in the throat, difficulty in swallowing and sometimes fever.

Aconite 30 : Sudden, acute attack of tonsillitis from exposure to dry cold air; dry, burning, constricted feeling in the throat with violent cough causing restlessness, anxiety and fear (of death); face and neck dry, red and hot; unquenchable thirst for large quantities of cold water.

Apis 30 : Burning, stinging pain in the throat with fever, worse at 3 p.m., tongue fiery red; uvula and tonsils look puffy and oedematous, causing suffocation; cannot bear tight clothing around the neck; weeping disposition, thirstlessness, a craving for cold milk and swelling on lower eye-lids confirm the choice of Apis.

Baryta carb 30 : Tonsillitis of a child who is backward - physically and mentally; almost perennial colds; sensation of a plug in the throat; no fever.

Belladonna 30 : Sudden, violent attack of tonsillitis causing severe, throbbing pain in the throat and fever, Worse at 3 p.m., the mouth and the tongue are dry and hot yet there is no thirst; tonsils (especially the right) appear dark red; liquids are more difficult to swallow than solids (like Lachesis); the patient dislikes open air, wants to remain in a warm room and likes the neck to be covered with warm clothes.

Hepar sulph 30 : Painful, yellow, pus-laden tonsils causing splinter-like sensation in the throat, better from gargling with hot water; smell from the mouth very foul like that of old cheese; in general, the child is very chilly (requiring warm clothes even in summer) and oversensitive.

Lachesis 30 : Severe, chronic left-sided tonsillitis in a thin, anaemic child; pain, fever and hot perspiration especially at night (during sleep) and in the morning (on awakening); pain, which radiates into the left ear, is more when swallowing liquids than while swallowing solids; pain gets worse from hot gargles or drinks but better with cold applications/drinks; the tongue is black and trembling, and, the tonsils look blue-purple; sensation of ball in the throat­can't bear tight clothes around the neck (like Apis).

Mercurius sol 30 : Right-sided tonsillitis with pain and fever worse at night; constant desire to swallow (saliva); the tongue is thick and moist, showing imprint of teeth; intense thirst for large quantities of cold water; gargling with hot water worsens pain (like Lachesis); the body trembles and there is profuse, offensive perspiration.

Phytolacca 30 : Right-sided tonsillitis with electric shock-like, flying pains and burning in the throat as if from coal or red-hot iron; pain, which shoots into the right ear while swallowing, is worse from hot water gargling but better from cold drinks (like Lachesis, Mercurius); the tonsils are swollen and ulcerated, and the uvula greatly enlarged.

Notes:

1. Discontinue the medicine as soon as about fifty per cent improvement occurs. Restart the medicine if symptoms worsen again or reappear.
2. Consult a competent homoeopathic doctor if ­

- none of the above-listed medicines seems matching or.

- the selected medicine helps only partially or temporarily, if at all or

- tonsillitis continues to recur, yet you do not want the tonsils to be surgically removed.