The most useless organ in the human body, would it be better to remove it?

If we were to rank the useless organs in the human body, tonsils would definitely be at the top of the list. After all, they are not only useless, but also prone to inflammation. So on every day when "swallowing saliva hurts", everyone will have a common thought:

During the process of human evolution, tonsils have remained, which shows that they are still somewhat useful.

As an immune organ of the human body, tonsils can be said to be a natural protective barrier. When we are 3 years old, other immune organs in the body have not yet fully matured, so we mainly rely on tonsils, an active immune organ, to resist infection from external viruses and bacteria.

When the children reach the age of 6 to 7, the tonsils begin to atrophy and the immune ability gradually weakens, and the other immune organs will take over.

The reason why tonsils are always inflamed is actually related to their location. Tonsils are located near the esophagus and are often exposed to various things. Food that is too hot or too dirty, cold air that is too strong, etc. can easily irritate the tonsils and affect their normal work.

In addition, factors such as excessive fatigue, catching a cold, excessive smoking and drinking, and decreased immunity can easily weaken the combat effectiveness of the tonsils, giving bacteria an opportunity to take advantage.

In the early stages of tonsillitis, the main symptom is pain. It hurts when you eat, when you talk, and it can even wake you up from sleep.

In addition, due to enlarged tonsils, you may also experience problems such as difficulty swallowing, nausea and retching.

If the inflammation is not eliminated in time, it will also induce local inflammation such as low fever, otitis media, and cervical lymphadenitis.

For children, repeated attacks of tonsillitis can easily lead to adenoid hypertrophy, which in turn causes nasal congestion, secretory otitis media (which can easily lead to conductive deafness or tinnitus) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (such as poor ventilation, snoring, etc.).

In 2019, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery released guidelines for tonsillectomy in children, which state that it is recommended to remove tonsils when the following situations occur.

Although some people meet the textbook criteria for resection, they still hesitate: Will the resection weaken their immunity? Will the impact be greater for children whose immunity is already immature?

Although there is no unified answer to these questions, current research at home and abroad has reached similar conclusions: removing recurrently inflamed tonsils may bring more benefits.

A study published in The Lancet found that among 453 patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis, those who had their tonsils removed had a 47% reduction in the number of days they had sore throats over a year. The study is the largest clinical study of tonsillectomy in adults to date.

Clinical data from the Journal of Clinical Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery show that children aged 3-12 will have a decrease in immunity within one month after undergoing partial tonsillectomy using low-temperature plasma radiofrequency, but will mostly return to normal after 3 to 6 months.

No matter how minor the surgery is, there are still certain risks. Based on the current medical level, the probability of serious complications caused by tonsillectomy is relatively low. The more common complications are bleeding, sore throat, nausea and retching about 24 hours after the operation, but they usually heal on their own.

Taking good care of your tonsils can greatly reduce the chance of tonsillitis. Don't wait until you need surgery to regret it.

1. Eat less spicy food

Spicy and irritating foods can easily cause mucosal edema and aggravate the condition. A light diet and more throat-soothing fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins are conducive to recovery.

2. Drink plenty of water

Make sure to drink 1.5-2L of water every day. You can also gargle with salt water to relieve throat discomfort.

3. Scientific exercise to enhance immunity

Exercise can help boost immunity and speed up body recovery.

4. Pay attention to weather changes and avoid catching a cold

Always pay attention to weather changes and put on more clothes in time when the weather is extremely cold. Colds caused by freezing can easily cause tonsil discomfort.

After all, tonsils are an immune organ, so if they can be avoided, they should be removed. However, when repeated inflammation seriously affects your life, you should follow the doctor's advice to remove them in time and take good care of them on a daily basis.