Tonsillectomy May Improve Social Relationships, Physical Well-Being

Humans have tonsils as part of their immune system to help fight off infection. However, some individuals who experience frequent, severe sore throats, may require a tonsillectomy--otherwise known as the surgical removal of the tonsils.

A new study by Götz Senska and colleagues found that the surgical procedure greatly improved the quality of life for many individuals experiencing the aforementioned health issues.

During the study, researchers examined 114 adults who underwent a tonsillectomy in 2004. All individuals filled in several questionnaires--first before surgery and then again 14 months and seven years after surgery--which touched on the number of sore throats they had every year and their overall quality of life.

Findings revealed that after the surgical procedure, participants who had normally suffered sore throats about 10 times or more a year now only had issues twice or less following surgery. Doctor visits also dropped down from an average of five times a year to less than once a year (as well as work absences, which saw a drop from about 11 days per year to two.)

What's most promising about the findings is that the participants general quality of life and social relationships improved following the procedure, researchers say in a news release. 

The study is published in the journal Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.

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