Stage 3 tonsils means that the tonsils are enlarged significantly and are occupying between 51% to 75% of the throat's space.
At stage 3 the tonsils are often also described as large and extend 3 quarters of the way to the middle of your throat, and are also nearly touching your uvula.
And due to the large size, the stage 3 tonsils can also make it difficult for you to breathe, especially while sleeping.
Common symptoms of stage 3 tonsils include mouth breathing, loud snoring, difficulty swallowing or even disrupted sleep.
Grades 1 and grade 2 tonsils are considered normal or just mildly enlarged, the Grades 3 and grade 4 tonsils are often considered for removal, through a tonsillectomy if the tonsils cause chronic problems or severe sleep apnea.
The causes of stage 3 or larger tonsils can be due to allergies or chronic infection.
The best age for a tonsillectomy is the age of 3 to 7 years old.
When removing tonsils, the surgeons and doctors often will wait until the child is at least 3 years old or weighs around 30 lbs to 35 lbs to help reduce risks of any post operative bleeding and dehydration, which is higher in toddlers.
The most common age for a tonsillectomy is between the ages of 3 years to 7 years old, as children in these age ranges also heal faster, but tonsillectomies are also performed on adolescents and older children as well when needed.
A tonsillectomy to remove tonsils often reduces overall illnesses in people including children, by eliminating chronic tonsilitis so people including children also are not any more likely to get more throat infections and other illnesses without tonsils than those who still have tonsils.
Although some studies also do still suggest there's a potential long term increased risk of certain respiratory infections and allergic diseases in children after they have a their tonsils removed through a tonsillectomy.
However the overall consensus also points to less severe infections and improved quality of life for people who have had their tonsils removed.
The immune system adapts after tonsils are removed as the body has other immune tissues like your adenoids and your other lymphoid tissue, which compensate for the loss of tonsils.
And removing tonsils that are chronically infected also stops recurrent strep throat and tonsilitis, which also results in less and fewer severe infections.
There's also research though that indicates a possible higher risk of upper respiratory infectious and allergic diseases occurring later in life up to age 30 for children that have had their tonsils and or adenoids removed, although it doesn't always happen.
If you or a child is suffering from frequent tonsil infections, the removal of the tonsils is often a good thing and often also leads to less overall illnesses.
Although there are also conflicting findings about some potential and long term risks of respiratory issues, although the tonsillectomy effectively eliminates tonsillitis and often also improves your breathing, which makes the removal of the tonsils a beneficial thing for many people.
Common issues after a tonsillectomy can include.
Mild to severe pain in the throat for 1 to 2 weeks.
Pain in the ears, neck or jaw.
Nausea and vomiting for a few days.
It's also possible for the tonsils to grow back partially.
During a tonsillectomy, most of your tonsils are removed, although some tissue often remains, so tonsils can occasionally regenerate and regrow, although they usually won't grow back completely or to their original size.