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Dr. Ben Asks...
When a Doctor Recommends Tonsillectomy…
Years ago, particularly in the 50s, 60s and 70s, tonsillectomies were one of the most common surgeries performed on children. Seemed that every child in every family you knew had them out, often along with the adenoids.
Since then, many health professionals have taken a more conservative approach to this surgery, partly because they now understand the important role the tonsils play in the immune system. Tonsils function as first-string defense filters, catching and trapping most germs before they reach the lungs and intestines, helping to ward off serious respiratory infections. They also serve as a “training camp” for white blood cells, where they learn to identify foreign invaders and deal with them before they become a bigger problem.
The number of tonsillectomies performed since the 1970s has declined by about 75% because few in the medical profession still believe in its usefulness to prevent infection. A study performed in 2004 by Dutch researchers, published in the British Medical Journal, found that most tonsillectomies are unnecessary, and that “watchful waiting” might be just as effective for young children who had sore throats or breathing difficulties due to enlarged tonsils. As children grow, the tonsils get smaller and their importance diminishes, but they are still needed.
We find that many children with frequent sore throats have compromised immune systems due to subluxation. After several visits to our office, many of these children become healthier when we adjust the cervical spine (it controls the body’s lymphatic system of which the tonsils are a part) and normal immune function can return.
