Stressed? Maybe You Should Blame Your Tonsillectomy

Studies continue to link the surgical procedure with physical and psychiatric ailments later in life.

You know those times in your life when you’re just feeling… stressed? You’re on the edge — you have no chill — everything just sort of gets to you. If you can step away from the anxiety for a moment you might ask yourself where it’s all coming from. Is it really the stuff in your inbox at work, or is it money issues at home? Is it something with your relationship, or maybe your sleep quality, or your diet? One thing you probably won’t blame for those acute stress reactions is the tonsillectomy you had as a kid. But according to new research, maybe you should.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are among the most common surgical procedures young people in the US undergo, with about 300,000 cases a year according to recent numbers. That’s down a bit from numbers a decade or so ago but suffice it to say a good chunk of the population is walking around right now without their tonsils.

The data supporting tonsillectomy has never been great. The two big indications for the surgery are recurrent sore throat — data show tonsillectomy reduces this by about 0.7 sore throats per year — and obstructive sleep apnea. The data for improvement of OSA is a…