7 Best Natural Remedies For Tonsillitis That Provide Instant Relief

Last updated on 31 AUG 2018

Have you ever wondered what are tonsils? And thought about the functions of tonsils? Maybe you have tonsillitis? You’ve come to the right place for best natural remedies for tonsillitis that you can use for instant relief.

Tonsils are masses of lymphoid tissue on either side of the throat. They are a part of your lymphatic system which provide your body with the first protective barrier from foreign substances that you inhale or ingest through your nose or mouth. Tonsils protect your body against respiratory and gastrointestinal infections.

Tonsils trap bacteria or viruses and transport them to lymph nodes where your immunity cells will fight the infection. Although they are meant to fight infections, sometimes tonsils can even become infected when bacterial or viral organisms cause inflammation of the tonsillar tissue.

What Is Tonsillitis?

The suffix –itis means inflammation. Tonsillitis is a condition where the tonsils have become inflamed and swollen and can cause a number of symptoms.

Acute Tonsillitis

Acute tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils caused by viruses or bacteria. Some of the symptoms of an acute tonsillitis may come on suddenly or be a gradual onset of a sore throat and the following other symptoms:

• swollen and tender lymph glands in the front of your neck
• sore throat
• difficulty and/or painful swallowing
• whitish or yellowish coating on the tonsils
• painful blisters on the throat
• bad breath
• pain in the ears and neck
• fever or chills

Chronic Tonsillitis

If you have recurrent tonsillitis or chronic tonsillitis, your doctor may even suggest a tonsillectomy (surgical removal of tonsils) if it gets severe enough. However, tonsillectomies should be a last treatment resort for all tonsil issues because with natural remedies, you can often save your tonsils.

Tonsil Stones

Chronic tonsillitis is a persistent infection of the tonsils. Repeated infections may cause the formation of small pockets (crypts) in the tonsils that may harbor bacteria.

These crypts may contain small, foul-smelling stones called tonsilloliths or tonsil calculi. These stones are formed when trapped matters collect, harden or calcify. They resemble tiny stones trapped in the mouth.

Although mostly harmless, tonsil stones can cause discomfort and foul-smelling breath. This is a good resource for various natural remedies on how to get rid of tonsil stones.

Strengthening Your Immune System To Prevent Recurring Tonsillitis

Recurring tonsillitis is also a sign of poor immunity where your immune responses are low. Your body is lacking, or is low in beneficial bacteria that help fight infections. When coupled with a poor diet, your body becomes conducive for hosting or harboring harmful and disease-causing bacteria.

Find out how you can do a gastrointestinal cleanse that will superboost your immune system to prevent future recurrence of tonsillitis.

7 Best Natural Remedies For Tonsillitis

When treating tonsillitis, remember that you need to stop eating foods that will further aggravate the swelling and inflammation. Here are some foods that are not only low in nutrients, they are even harmful and do not contribute to your healing:

• Refined vegetable oils—avoid using them in your cooking, and avoid eating high-fatty foods during this time.
• Highly processed foods—foods that contain artificial additives, preservatives and flavors.
• Foods high in sugar—soda, sweets, packaged snacks and the like are often high in refined sugar.
• Fruits and vegetables that are heavily sprayed with pesticides. Always buy organic if you can. If not, ensure that you wash your produce thoroughly as pesticides in foods are really harmful and will prevent your healing.

Below are some of the best natural remedies for tonsillitis that don’t cause side effects. Use any one or two or three of the suggested methods to treat your tonsillitis for quick recovery.

1. Gargling With Salt Water

Gargling with salt water is one of the first things I do when I feel a sore throat coming. And it’s no different for tonsillitis.

Gargling with warm salt water provides a soothing effect to the throat, kill the infection and helps reduce inflammation. More often than not, it gives you an instant relief like no cough syrup can do.

To make an effective salt water for gargling:

• Take a cup and fill it half full with warm water (not hot).
• Mix one teaspoon of sea salt into the water and stir to dissolve. Sea salt works best.

Tilt your head back slightly so that the solution reaches your tonsils. Gargle with this concentrated salt water 2-3 times a day or more, if required.

2. Raw Manuka Honey

Yes, something as simple as raw manuka honey with a warm glass of water can do the trick. Manuka honey has long been reported as one of the premium remedies in the world of natural medicine. It works well because of its antibacterial properties that is able to destroy almost any problem-causing bacteria.

All it takes is two teaspoons of raw manuka honey in a warm glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Make sure the water is warm and not too hot. Hot water destroys the medicinal enzymes in manuka honey. Raw manuka honey is soothing to the inner lining of your throat and esophagus.

Drink this at least 2-3 times a day (always ensuring that the water is gently warm) for the tonsils to get better. Tilt your head back slightly so that the solution reaches your tonsils.

When getting the honey, make sure it is 100% organic and raw (unprocessed). Commercial honey are often full of sugar and can further aggravate the tonsils. Here are some tips to tell if yours is real honey.

3. Turmeric Solution

This is one of the most underrated natural remedies that can do wonders because of its highly anti-inflammatory medicinal virtues.

A turmeric drink helps focus on the inflammation in the area and start to calm it down as soon as contact is made. In a glass of warm water, add one teaspoon of turmeric powder and stir.

This should be more than enough to get the relief you are after. Turmeric has antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties to help fight off the harmful bacteria, which likely caused the infection in the first place.

Tilt your head back slightly so that your tonsils bathe in the turmeric drink. Gargle it gently for a couple of minutes and spit out. This will help reduce the swelling and after a few times doing this, you should notice that eating and talking will be much easier.

4. Colloidal Silver

Colloidal Silver is one of my favorite natural remedies for any infection. It kills harmful bacteria upon contact and you can often notice a difference each time after using this method.

Silver first attacks the cell wall of the infectious microorganism. Upon contact with the surface membrane of the cell wall of the microbe, silver releases an “oxygen burst” that severely damages the membrane that initiate the demise of the pathogen.

To use colloidal silver for easing a tonsillitis, drop a dropperful into your mouth. Tilt your head back slightly so that your tonsils bathe in the solution. Gargle it gently for a couple of minutes and spit out. There is no harm even if you swallowed the colloidal silver.

What’s even better is that silver is even safe for treating tonsillitis in children.

5. Cabbage Juice

Cabbage juice is one of the best things for healing of tonsillitis.

Cabbage juice alone may be unpalatable. Make this juice and store in an air-tight glass bottle in the fridge. Pour a glass and leave it to warm up to room temperature before drinking, don’t drink it cold to prevent further aggravating your tonsils.

• ½ head of green cabbage
• 3 large carrots
• 6 ribs of celery

Drink this juice between gargling with the above turmeric or colloidal silver solutions. The juice is very soothing to the throat, kills the offending bacteria, reduces the swelling and gradually heals the inflammation.

Herbs That Help Relieve Tonsillitis

These are traditional herbs that are used in most parts of Asia. They have been used for generations and are proven beneficial to relieving tonsillitis without causing any side effects.

6. Fenugreek Seeds Water

Fenugreek seeds are a great option for those dealing with tonsillitis as it works well around the clock. Make sure to follow the directions below and feel your tonsils get better quickly.

This drink can be consumed regularly especially if you experience recurring tonsillitis. It helps to heal your digestive system and strengthen your immune system.

• Pour 3 cups of drinking water into a stainless still pot
• Add 3 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds
• Put it on the stove to boil in high heat, then turn down to simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes
• Let cool, strain into a bowl
• Use this boiled fenugreek seeds water to gargle and spit it out
• Repeat gargling 3 times during the day until you feel well.

7. Tulsi (Holy Basil) Leaves Water

Tulsi, (a.k.a. Holy Basil) leaves are an exceptional herb for providing long-term relief as it has excellent antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. It has long been used in traditional medicine by many Asian cultures as an immune booster.

Drinking this Tulsi water can help soothe the throat, reduce the swelling and pain. This is how you make Tulsi water:

• Pour 2 cups of drinking water into a stainless still pot
• Add 10-20 Tulsi leaves
• Put it on the stove to boil in high heat, then turn down to simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes
• Let cool, strain into a bowl and add a teaspoon lemon juice
• Add a teaspoon of manuka honey if desired.

You can drink this Tulsi water as you would drink tea. Use some for gargling your mouth and at the back of your throat. Take small sips and make sure the tea reaches and get into contact with your tonsils to treat them.

Do this at least 2-3 times a day for at least two days to see results, and continue till you’re fully well.

FAQ on Tonsillitis

How long does it take to recover from tonsillitis?

Most people recover from tonsillitis within a week or two. For some, it is prolonged due to eating the wrong kinds of food that further aggravate the inflammation. But, you can get better within two or three days by using the natural remedies for tonsillitis that we suggest above.

How do you get tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis is contagious. This means that you can get it from someone else who has it. Sneezing or coughing can pass the tonsillitis-causing virus or bacteria from one person to another. So does kissing.

How do you know if you have tonsillitis and not just a sore throat?

If you have a sore throat, it is often accompanied with a cold, cough, nasal congestion or a runny nose. However, with tonsillitis, your tonsils become swollen and you may have telltale whitish or yellowish spots on either side of your throat (the lymph glands). You may also experience difficulty swallowing and possibly pain in the ears and neck.

What’s the difference between tonsillitis and strep throat?

With strep throat you will have all the symptoms of tonsillitis and more. You may also have red spots on the back of the roof in your mouth, experience headaches and ear infection. The most telling symptom of a strep throat is an extreme rash, a.k.a. Scarlet fever.

Strep throat symptoms are more severe and last longer. A visit to the doctor and a simple throat swab test will be able to confirm your condition.

About Sara Ding

Sara Ding is the founder of Juicing-for-Health.com. She is a certified Wellness Health Coach, Nutritional Consultant and a Detox Specialist. She helps busy men and women identify their health issues at the root cause, in order to eliminate the problems for optimum physical/mental health and wellbeing.

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