Whether or not a culture is taken will depend on your physician's judgment and on the appearance of the throat. Cultures for other bacteria and even for viruses can be done but are seldom necessary. X-rays are sometimes helpful in determining the size and shape of the adenoids. These x-rays are quite safe. Recurrent acute infections of the tonsils also occur in adults.
Tumors can also grow in the tonsils, but they are rare.
Recurrent sore throats, fever, chills, bad breath, nasal congestion or post-nasal drainage or obstruction, recurrent ear infections, mouth breathing, snoring, and sleep disturbances. Bacterial infections of the tonsils, especially those caused by ''Strep,'' are initially treated with antibiotics. Obstruction to breathing causes snoring and disturbed sleep patterns that lead to daytime sleepiness in adults and behavioral problems in children. Some orthodontists believe chronic mouth breathing from large tonsils and adenoids causes malformations of the face and improper alignment of the teeth. Chronic infection in the tonsils and adenoids can also affect nearby structures such as the eustachian tube - the passage between the back of the nose and the inside of the ear.