Tonsils and Adenoids

Your tonsils and adenoids are part of your lymphatic system. Your tonsils are in the back of your throat and your adenoids are higher up, behind your nose. They help protect you from infection by trapping germs coming in through your mouth and nose. Sometimes your tonsils and adenoids become infected themselves. Tonsillitis makes your tonsils sore and swollen. Enlarged adenoids can be sore, make it hard to breathe and cause ear problems.

The first treatment for infected tonsils and adenoids is antibiotics. If you have frequent infections or trouble breathing, you may need surgery. Surgery to remove the tonsils is tonsillectomy. Surgery to remove adenoids is adenoidectomy.

Open your mouth wide in front of a mirror. Do you see your tonsils? They're located on each side of your throat, just behind and above your tongue.

Years ago, many young children had their tonsils removed. In fact, surgery was once the standard treatment for recurrent tonsillitis — inflammation of the tonsils caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

Today, tonsils are recognized for their role in filtering harmful bacteria and viruses that could cause more serious infections. When tonsillitis strikes, the first line of treatment is typically self-care or antibiotics. Surgery is seldom necessary, unless tonsillitis recurs often or it interferes with breathing or swallowing.