Lingual Tonsils

Tonsils are fleshy mass of tissues located in the throat. This clump of mass consists of lymphoid tissues that contain white blood cells. The tonsils protect the throat from harmful microbes like bacteria and viruses. Tonsils that lie at the back or at the base of the tongue are referred to as lingual tonsils.

It is basically made up of small lymph nodules and its main function is to manufacture white blood cells and combat infections.

The infection that causes inflammation of the tonsils can be either bacterial or viral in nature. Also referred to as tonsillitis, the enlargement of these lymphatic tissues can be quite bothersome. This is because, the patient experiences throat pain every time he swallows a morsel of food.

Besides pain while swallowing, the patient may also suffer from fever, sore throat, headache, and muffed voice.

Streptococci or haemophilus species of bacteria are usually responsible for causing tonsillitis. Infections that are viral in nature are caused due to Epstein-Bar virus or adenovirus. Whatever be the type of infection, symptoms more or less remain the same. Unpleasant taste in mouth and bad breath have also been associated with these infections that lead to inflamed tonsils.

Cancer related with lingual tonsil can be either a Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) or a lymphoma. Reports suggest that SCC accounts for 90% cases of lingual tonsil cancer. SCC that causes uncontrolled growth of cells in the skin is typically marked by formation of ulcers in the tonsils.

This ulceration of tonsils in SCC is often the result of frequent smoking and excess alcohol consumption. People in the age group of 50-70 are usually diagnosed with this type of malignant tumor.

As aforementioned, the other type of cancer occurring in lingual tonsil is lymphoma. This cancer invades the lymphocytes, the infection-fighting cells of the immune system. The lingual tonsils contain a high amount of lymphocytes. So, in lymphoma, the lymphatic cells divide and multiply in an uncontrolled manner. As a result, one may see a swollen mass of tissue bulging in the neck area.

Treatment for cancerous growth in the tonsils depends upon how big the tumor is and at what stage it is diagnosed at. Tumors that are small and found in early stages only require surgery in which the malignant mass of tissue is removed. However, tumors diagnosed in the advanced stage require more than just a surgery.

This is because, diagnosis at a later stage means the malignant growth is no longer localized and has spread to nearby organs. So, in addition to surgery, the patient will have to take chemotherapy drugs and undergo radiation therapy.

Treatment for tonsillitis involves a 10 day course of antibiotics. However, this antibiotic treatment will respond only if the enlarged tonsil is due to a bacterial infection. Inflammation caused by viruses have no specific treatment. It is observed that viral infections usually go away within a span of 14 days.

The infection is contagious and so following sanitary practices like washing hands properly before meals and sneezing in a handkerchief can help to prevent spread of the infection. However, surgery to get rid of the tonsils is recommended if the infection keeps recurring at regular intervals of time.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.