Tonsillectomy Doesn’t Lead To Illness, But Tonsillitis Just Might

InnovationHealthcareTonsillectomy Doesn’t Lead To Illness, But Tonsillitis Just MightByNina Shapiro,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dr. Nina Shapiro is a physician writer who dispels health myths.Follow AuthorApr 28, 2026, 05:58pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Tonsil infections continue to be a common illness in children. gettyA new study reports that individuals with tonsil infections may also have other chronic illnesses. This is significant, as it counters a 2018 study showing a link between having tonsil surgery and later developing chronic illnesses, implying that these illnesses were due to the surgery itself. Tonsillectomy used to be considered a rite of passage-- something to be done if any child developed sore throats, as the risk of complications from these throat infections was high. With the advent of better and more targeted antibiotics in the late 20th century, tonsillectomy surgery fell by the wayside. A decade or two later, otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat specialists) began encountering a new issue due to tonsils-- snoring and obstructive sleep apnea-- in children as young as two years old. This phenomenon led to a resurgence of tonsil surgery in recent decades, and it remains one of the most common surgeries performed in children. While recovery can be rough, with throat pain for one to two weeks, along with a 1 to 5% risk of postoperative bleeding, the health outcomes after tonsil surgery tend to be favorable, with improved sleep quality and reduced frequency of illness. Recovery from tonsillectomy surgery can be quite painful. gettyThe 2018 study, looking at over 1 million children over a several decade period, reported a higher incidence of chronic respiratory illnesses in the children who had undergone tonsil surgery than those who had not. This raised a great deal of concern, as this quickly becam...