Do I need to get tonsils removed surgically?

Q: I am a 25 years old female having tonsils in ear and nose. I am also infected with mononucleosis and am taking medicines for it. My doctor has advised removal of tonsils. Do I really need remove the tonsils surgically?

A:It is generally advisable to treat any acute infection first, wait for few weeks and then undergo surgery. Rarely exceptions are made if the clinical condition warrants an urgent tonsillectomy. As to whether you do require a tonsillectomy or not depends on a number of factors – mainly the total duration for which you have had recurrent tonsillitis, the frequency of episodes and how bad each episode is. Consult an ENT doctor to discuss this.