Health Tip: When It's Time for a Tonsillectomy

(HealthDay News) — Tonsillectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the tonsils, is a common treatment for frequent infections of these glands, located in the back of the mouth.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says possible warning signs that a tonsillectomy is needed include:

  • Persistent bouts with inflamed tonsils (tonsillitis).
  • Tonsillitis that doesn’t get better with antibiotics.
  • Tonsils that grow large enough to touch each another.
  • An abscess that forms around one or both tonsils.
  • Persistent middle ear infections.