The Tonsils and Tonsillitis

By Blausen.com staff. "Blausen gallery 2014". Wikiversity Journal of Medicine. DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 20018762. - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29294598

The tonsils are small masses of flesh found at the back of the throat called the "pharynx". They can be found in three places: (a) Palatine tonsils are the most popular since they can be easily found at the back of the throat; (b) Lingual tonsils are found at the back of the tongue, two of them; and (c) Pharyngeal tonsils or the "adenoids" are located at the back of the sinuses. Tonsils are part of the immune system because they are thought to be the first line of defence against infections in the respiratory and digestive systems.

Image is taken from http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/T/tonsils.html

Tonsillitis or the inflammation of the tonsils is a condition caused commonly by bacteria or viruses. It results in a painful and swollen tonsils, fever and difficulty of swallowing. Usually, rest and fluids are just enough as treatment. However, when the tonsils are unusually large or recurrent (three or more times in a year) then a surgical procedure called "tonsillectomy" can be done.  When bacteria is suspected to be the culprit, then antibiotics such as amoxicillin-clavulanate are given.

When the adenoids (those tonsils on the upper part of the pharynx or throat) get inflamed, breathing can be difficult because it blocks the airway passage to and from the nose and can also interfere with the drainage of the sinuses. Recurrent adenoid infections in children are also an indication for surgery (adenoidectomy) as they frequently become mouth breathers and results to facial deformities.

Image is taken from http://www.scielo.br/img/revistas/dpjo/v15n4/en_05f02.jpg