Throat pain, difficulty swallowing, fever, scratchiness in the throat, post nasal drip, malaise and loss of appetite are symptoms of
tonsillitis. Usually with infections, there is inflammation with swelling redness and pain. With
tonsillitis, there should be evidence of the same when he examines you, in the absence of which he has not advised you surgery.
The chronic irritation in the throat could be due to other causes like a post nasal drip from sinusitis or allergies.