Folk Remedies for Tonsillitis #2

You’re probably familiar with the situation when your throat suddenly starts hurting, your tonsils become inflamed, covered with a coating and white pustules, your temperature rises, and you feel weakness throughout your body. These are all symptoms of a serious condition known as tonsillitis. If left untreated, what might seem like a simple sore throat can lead to more serious consequences, which will be much harder to deal with. Therefore, it’s important for everyone to recognize the symptoms of tonsillitis early and take measures to prevent the illness from worsening. And to do so, you don’t necessarily need to buy a lot of medications—tonsillitis can be treated at home.

How Much Do You Know About Tonsillitis?

Most people know the basics of tonsillitis, as an inflammatory condition that involves severe throat pain and difficulty swallowing. However, this understanding doesn’t fully capture the symptoms. There are many other signs that appear before the person starts experiencing pain while eating or speaking. Being aware of all the symptoms can help you address them at the early stages of the illness.

Here’s a detailed description of the symptoms of tonsillitis:

1. The throat, particularly around the tonsils, larynx, upper palate, and the base of the tongue, starts to turn red. At the onset, the redness may be subtle, but it gradually spreads and becomes brighter, covered with white coating. In most cases, white blisters filled with pus appear on the tonsils and sometimes even on the throat walls. In advanced cases, the gap between the swollen tonsils may narrow so much that even breathing becomes difficult, not to mention eating.
2. The inflammation in the throat is accompanied by pain. At first, it may only be felt when swallowing. As the illness progresses, this pain persists, causing constant discomfort, leading to loss of appetite.
3. Body temperature rises sharply to 39-40°C (102-104°F). In severe cases, the fever may spike even higher. This is often accompanied by headaches, alternating between chills and heat, and overall weakness.
4. Due to the body’s intoxication from the illness, the lymph nodes in the neck may become swollen and painful.
5. In children, symptoms often include vomiting and diarrhea.

There are several types of tonsillitis, such as follicular, purulent, catarrhal, viral, and lacunar tonsillitis, which can all be treated with folk remedies.

Indispensable Folk Medicine

When you start feeling unwell, it’s always best to consult a doctor to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment. For example, with tonsillitis, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics, painkillers, fever reducers, and throat gargles. These treatments can be very effective.

But what if you can’t take all those medications? Perhaps the patient is a child, making it difficult to get them to swallow pills or gargle. In such cases, gentler folk remedies may offer a solution, as they have for many generations.

Natural Remedies That Work

There are many plants and methods that can help treat tonsillitis effectively. Here are some popular and proven remedies:

1. Beet Juice: Boil a small beetroot until soft, strain the liquid, and let it cool. Use this liquid to gargle.
2. Garlic: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, garlic can help. Drink a teaspoon of garlic juice three times a day, or chew on a garlic clove to release its juice.
3. Herbal Mixture: Combine equal amounts of dried plantain leaves, wormwood, and calendula flowers. Boil a tablespoon of this mix in 200 ml of water for 15 minutes. Once cool, use the infusion to gargle every two hours.
4. Potassium Permanganate Solution: Dissolve some in warm water until the solution turns a dark pink, and gargle three times daily.
5. Lemon Water: Mix one part lemon juice with two parts water. Gargle with this mixture several times a day. Chewing lemon slices can also help alleviate throat pain.
6. Chamomile Infusion: Use a tablespoon of dried chamomile in boiling water, and drink the infusion or gargle with it. Adding honey improves the taste and enhances healing.
7. Fir Oil: Use a cotton swab to apply fir oil to inflamed tonsils, or rub it onto the chest and back to ease symptoms.
8. Onion Inhalation: Grind an onion, place the pulp on a plate, and inhale its vapors for several minutes, repeating this three times a day.
9. Soda and Salt Solution: Dissolve half a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt in a glass of warm water, add a few drops of iodine, and gargle regularly.
10. Herbal Teas: Drink warm herbal teas made from chamomile, mint, or sage to stay hydrated, especially if you have a fever.

These remedies are suitable for both adults and children. If a child is too young to gargle, you can use a syringe to gently spray the throat with the solutions.

In conclusion, purulent tonsillitis, like other forms of this illness, can be effectively treated with these folk remedies.