There are three variations of Tonsillitis which range from acute, semi-acute and chronic. Acute is a one time occurrance and is what most individuals experience every 5-10 years. Semi-acute occurs more often and is either bacterial or viral. Chronic Tonsillitis, the point of this hub, is, however, usually bacterial. Chronic Tonsillitis can last quite a long time and usually requires medical treatment before it goes away.

Generally you can identify having Tonsillitis if you are experiencing the following symptoms in conjunction:

1. Sore, swollen throat
2. Fever and Chills
3. Mucas in the back of your throat
4. Sometimes sores on the tonsils themselves (in severe cases)
5. Pain swallowing food (if you have sores)
6. Very Bad Breath

Chronic Tonsillitis is most often caused by a bacterial infection. In my own case I usually have Tonsillitis 4-6 times a year due to various causes (one time because of a virus, another because of the Epstein-Barr Virus). In the beginning you are stricken heavily by Tonsillitis and need several days of rest and recovery to get rid of the infection. However, as the years go by the easier it is to function with a fever and swollen tonsills that eventually it becomes more of a nuisance than anything else, but even still you may want to get them removed.

If you chose to remove them there is no evidence that there will be any adverse affect. There is theory to support that the tonsils are only defense mechanisms in your first year of life, after that they are essentially unnecessary as many can attest to improved lively-hood after removal.

Sometimes, if you have a very bad case of Tonsillitis, you will develop sores on the Tonsills themselves. When this happens I find it best to rinse and gargle with warm salt water. This helps to clean the bacterial out and sooth your throat (at least in my mind it does). Sometimes the sores can e very painful for swallowing. Cough Drops help to sooth your throat, but if you have the sores it can sometimes make them bigger (in my case they always seem to re-act to too much sugary sweet stuff).

Before I moved to Japan I had Tonsillitis once or two as a child. Now I get it 5-6 times a year and am seeking to have my tonsils removed. I'm curious, how common is this and has anyone else had Chronci Tonsillitis? I hear it's genetic...my father had to have his removed when he was a kid...Any thoughts? Feel free to drop me a comment and we can discuss it!